F1 - General discussion and 2017

[caroper]

McLaren aren't the only team in desperate need of some trouble-free mileage this week.

The need is even more acute for Toro Rosso who, after winning plenty of plaudits for the STR12's striking metallic livery when it was launched last week, completed the fewest laps of anyone at Test One as the car ran into regular technical trouble.

The good news is Daniil Kvyat has already completed three more laps than he managed on Day Four last week and is on track again at the moment as he posts a first timed lap.

Kvyat starts with a 1:36.220 on the medium band.

Kvyat's short run on medium tyres is over, the Toro Rosso is back in the pits.

 

[caroper]

Gilles Simon (second left) used to be an engineer at Ferrari and was instrumental in Kimi Raikkonen's 2007 Championship win

 

[caroper]

Vettel is purple in the first sector – no hanging around from the Ferrari man.
Vettel blasts past and, with three new best sectors, sets a 1m22.235s. And he's purple again in the first sector on his next lap...
The lap falls away from Vettel, into the high 1m23s. He's got Vandoorne just ahead of him on track.

 

[caroper]

Ferrari still setting the early pace here, but Mercedes power is on the move (and it's not Lewis Hamilton!).

Felipe Massa continues to improve for Williams, with his best a 1:22.927, while Esteban Ocon is up to third with a 1:23.772.

The current top four (Vettel, Massa, Ocon, Vandoorne) are the only men out on track.

 

[caroper]

Massa went back out, came back in, and is back on track in the Williams.

 

[caroper]

Vettel completes another trio of fastest sectors and moves onto a 1m21.912s.

Here are the Time sheets 1 hour in:


DRIVER TEAM CHASSIS TIME DIFF. #
1. Vettel Ferrari SF70-H 1:21.912 17 ●
2. Massa Williams FW40 1:22.927 +1.015 17 ● PIT
3. Ocon Force India VJM10 1:23.772 +1.860 13 ● PIT
4. Vandoorne McLaren MCL32 1:24.126 +2.214 16 ● PIT
5. Palmer Renault RS17 1:24.790 +2.878 9 ● PIT
6. Hamilton Mercedes W08 1:28.202 +6.290 8 ● PIT
7. Kvyat Toro Rosso STR12 1:28.215 +6.303 7 ● PIT
8. Magnussen Haas F1 VF-17 no time 8 ● PIT
9. Wehrlein Sauber C36 no time 7 ● PIT
10. Ricciardo Red Bull Racing RB13 no time 6 ● PIT
11. Bottas Mercedes W08 no time 0 ● PIT
12. Hülkenberg Renault RS17 no time 0 ● PIT

DRIVER MAX SPEED AVERAGE SPEED
1. Vettel 283.4 0
2. Massa 281.9 0
3. Ricciardo 279 0
4. Ocon 278.3 0
5. Vandoorne 274.1 0
6. Palmer 272.7 0
7. Hamilton 272.7 0
8. Kvyat 271.3 0
9. Wehrlein 239.4 0
10. Magnussen 149.1 0

 

[caroper]

1	Vettel		Ferrari		1m21.912s
2	Massa		Williams	1m22.927s
3	Ocon		Force India	1m23.772s
4	Vandoorne	McLaren		1m24.126s
5	Palmer		Renault		1m24.790s
6	Hamilton	Mercedes	1m28.202s
7	Kvyat		Toro Rosso	1m28.615s

VETTEL EXPANDS LEAD

Vettel is running with unmarked Pirelli tyres and just set a 1:21.912. It could be possible that we see a new fastest testing lap here today.

 

[caroper]

The first video update of the day from Sky Sports News HQ's Rachel Brookes....
http://www.skysports.com/iframe/wid...KKfszdm#ooid=FqZ3g2YTE6YfQ4IGCGH07oaQCKKfszdm

 

[caroper]

The most significant lap of the day so far?

Daniel Ricciardo posts Red Bull's fastest of winter testing - a 1:20.964 - to take over at the head of the Day One timesheet.

That's a couple of tenths quicker than the RB13 went last week and Not too far away from last week's quickest lap..

A lap count update:

1 Ricciardo (12)
2 Vettel (20)
3 Massa (17)
4 Kvyat (11)
5 Ocon (13)
6 Vandoorne (17)
7 Palmer (9)
8 Hamilton (8)
9 Magnussen (8)
10 Wehrlein (7)

 

[caroper]

HAMILTON IS ON IT
Lewis Hamilton has started his first serious run. On the soft tyre he produced a time of 1:22.063 - he vaults to third on the leaderboard. Hamilton pushes again, but doesn't improve. It's not for a lack of trying though, as he's only a tenth slower than his best.

 

[caroper]

Palmer in the Renault RS17, which he says represents a significant step forward in ride quality compared to the 2016 car. Pic: LAT

 

[caroper]

Massa, on softs, nips ahead of Vettel on a 1m21.867s. also setting a personal best of Testing.
After missing the end of last week, perhaps he's just letting out his frustration in that FW40!

Kevin Magnussen has a first time put in the books, a 1:24.520 on the medium compound. The Dane comes around again to set a 1:24 .495.

Now the track is properly busy – 7/10 giving it a go.

Palmer's in strife in the pitlane – his Renault team is having to push his car under the supervision of marshals and their yellow flags.

 

[caroper]

RENAULT PROBLEMS?
Upon returning to the pits, Palmer seemed to lose power and rolled down the pit-lane before getting a push from his mechanics.

Palmer's human-powered Renault makes it back to the garage, and its wheeled away. Not ideal by any means for the Enstone-based French manufacturer.

 

[caroper]

Renault Sport F1 ✔ @RenaultSportF1
We're all behind you @JolyonPalmer. Lift and coast practice in pit lane. Marshals and flags on brand.
11:32 AM - 7 Mar 2017

 

[caroper]

On-track at the moment: Vettel, Massa, Kvyat and Wehrlein (who still hasn't set a time).

The German youngster, who has switched from the now-defunct Manor team to Sauber for 2017, is in urgent need of a lot of laps this week after being forced to sit out Test One due to a neck injury sustained during a crash at the Race of Champions in January.

 

[caroper]

Although the timesheets are offering Red Bull fans their most encouraging sight of winter testing so far - this is the first time we've seen the RB12 below the 1:21 mark this year and the first time we've seen either Max Verstappen or Daniel Ricciardo top of the charts - the shutters are now back down at the team's garage. Only 12 laps on the board so far.

 

[caroper]

It's 17 laps for Hamilton and the Mercedes W08, with a fourth-quickest lap for the triple champion so far.

Hamilton was in the Mercedes garage for about an hour. Not been told of anything wrong with the W08, the impression seems to be that Lewis - or his Mercedes engineers - simply wanted to make some changes.

 

[caroper]

Time Sheet at 2 Hours in:

1. Ricciardo Red Bull Racing RB13 1:20.964 13 ●
2. Massa Williams FW40 1:21.867 +0.903 30 ● PIT
3. Vettel Ferrari SF70-H 1:21.912 +0.948 30 ● PIT
4. Hamilton Mercedes W08 1:22.063 +1.099 17 ● PIT
5. Vandoorne McLaren MCL32 1:22.698 +1.734 24 ●
6. Kvyat Toro Rosso STR12 1:23.408 +2.444 20 ● PIT
7. Ocon Force India VJM10 1:23.751 +2.787 21 ● PIT
8. Magnussen Haas F1 VF-17 1:24.004 +3.040 16 ● PIT
9. Palmer Renault RS17 1:24.790 +3.826 15 ● PIT
10. Wehrlein Sauber C36 no time 11 ● PIT

NO TIME FOR WEHRLEIN YET
Pascal Wehrlein is yet to set a timed lap, as the German has only completed a number of in laps and out laps.

Speed Trap:

1. Vettel 283.4 0
2. Hamilton 282.7 0
3. Magnussen 281.9 0
4. Massa 281.9 0
5. Ricciardo 281.2 0
6. Kvyat 279.7 0
7. Ocon 278.3 0
8. Vandoorne 276.2 0
9. Palmer 272.7 0
10. Wehrlein 270 0

Some work going on in the Mercedes garage. The car is up on stands, the nose is off, and adjustments are being made to the front of the car.

 

[caroper]

The other significant news of the morning: lots of laps (comparatively speaking) for McLaren. Vandoorne has just pitted after his 29th lap of the morning - only Ferrari, with 30, have set more.

There is, however, an ongoing cause for concern with the MCL32: we still don't think it's done more than 10 laps in succession all winter.

 

[caroper]

HAMILTON GOES SECOND
With Hamilton back out, he sets a 1:21.080, just three tenths off Ricciardo's lap.