F1 2010

[Mcscotty]

We are seated in the Fangio Stand, main straight I think. I assume there's opportunity to wonder round and see stuff though, particularly on the Thursday and Friday.

I think it's gonna be a pretty active holiday, we've got a rock-climbing/abseiling day in the mountains somewhere, also I'd like to have another go at surfing one day. And I guess we'll be hitting the bars in Melbourne, and possibly getting an internal flight to Sydney at some point, though I can't really afford that...

[Mcscotty]

I've been to the GP a couple of times, it's great and I doubt you'll be bored going for all 4 days. With seats in the stand you don't even have to go early to bag a spot either. If you are there very early ( week or two) you can walk around the track, we even went into the garages as they were just being put togther. And yes we jumped the fence and ran along the track to watch the podium, might be tighter security now though It can be bloody hot though so go prepared.

Also I second Gre, take the plunge and go to Sydney, you're most of the way there already! It's worth it. There are low cost carriers, virgin blue if it's still around is one.

[The Nal]

Anyone see the new Ferrari F150?

Looks very similar, and similarly f**king cool, higher front nose though. Named the 150 to celebrate 150 years since Italys unification. Get Schumacher in one!!

[TheGayTent]

Get Schumacher in one!!

[Benj]

Sad thing it, I don't think anyone will ever top Murray Walker. Yes he got confused a bit (a lot), but the passion in his voice was what made it.

[Benj]

Yay, testing starts today, will be interesting to see who goes well on the Pirellis

Loads of pics of new cars on Joe Sawards blog if anyone is interested

[The Nal]

Yay, testing starts today, will be interesting to see who goes well on the Pirellis

Loads of pics of new cars on Joe Sawards blog if anyone is interested

[Benj]

Kubica latest- http://joesaward.wordpress.com/

Seems like folk think he's going to miss the whole season, if he's ever back at all.

In more happy news, the new McLaren looks exciting, will be interesting to see how it goes thursday

Edited February 7, 2011 by Benj

[TheGayTent]

Kubica is the new Naninni unfortunately. Sad.

[Benj]

Kubica is the new Naninni unfortunately. Sad.

Edited February 7, 2011 by Benj

[Gre]

What on earth are those things on the top of the fuel tank/airbox? BBC video

Please someone tell me that they're just for testing?

[Benj]

What on earth are those things on the top of the fuel tank/airbox? BBC video

Please someone tell me that they're just for testing?

Edited February 9, 2011 by Benj

[Halcyon]

Some winter testing stats ...

Ferrari wears the reliability crown after the first two tests of 2011, with Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa able to rack up notably more laps than any of their rivals during the weeks at Valencia and Jerez. But reigning champion Red Bull is not far behind, while Mercedes and Williams have had mixed fortunes - a good amount of running for Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, but a lot more issues for Nico Rosberg and Pastor Maldonado.

Force India, Virgin, McLaren and Hispania's miles in 2010 cars are not counted, so the lists below show only what they have achieved in their 2011 machines.

Teams:

1. Ferrari - 1,981 miles

2. Red Bull - 1,727 miles

3. Mercedes - 1,437 miles

4. Williams - 1,340 miles

5. Renault - 1,323 miles

6. Toro Rosso - 1,316 miles

7. Sauber - 1,041 miles

8. Force India - 726 miles

9. Lotus - 673 miles

10. McLaren - 640 miles

11. Virgin - 594 miles

12. Hispania - 0 miles

Drivers:

1. Alonso - 1,186 miles

2. Schumacher - 932 miles

3. Barrichello - 874 miles

4. Webber - 872 miles

5. Vettel - 855 miles

6. Buemi - 796 miles

7. Massa - 795 miles

8. Perez- 778 miles

9. Kobayashi - 636 miles

10. Alguersuari - 520 miles

11. Rosberg - 505 miles

12. Kubica - 495 miles

13. Maldonado - 466 miles

14. Di Resta - 448 miles

15. Petrov - 405 miles

16. Button - 382 miles

17. Trulli - 350 miles

18. Kovalainen - 323 miles

19. D'Ambrosio - 322 miles

20. Sutil - 278 miles

21. Glock - 272 miles

22. Hamilton - 258 miles

23. Heidfeld - 236 miles

24. Senna - 187 miles

25. Ricciardo - 102 miles

Test one, Valencia

Just three days before suffering the horrendous injuries that could rule him out of all of the 2011 season, Renault's Robert Kubica set the fastest time of the opening week of winter action at Valencia.

Rival teams were generally impressed by the radical new Renault, and Kubica's 1m13.1s on the third and final day of the test confirmed the team was in good shape.

Ferrari could also go home happy, with Fernando Alonso a close second, while Red Bull was inevitably competitive too.

Mercedes seemed to be in trouble at this point, while Toro Rosso and Williams had problems to overcome.

Lotus joined the fray a day later than the rest, and then had a tough run of teething troubles to kick off.

McLaren, Force India, Hispania and Virgin ran 2010 cars at this test so are not counted in the table below.

Combined times from Valencia:

1 KUBICA Renault 1m13.144s

2 ALONSO Ferrari 1m13.307s

3 VETTEL Red Bull 1m13.614s

4 WEBBER Red Bull 1m13.936s

5 MASSA Ferrari 1m14.017s

6 MALDONADO Williams 1m14.299s

7 PEREZ Sauber 1m14.469s

8 SCHUMACHER Mercedes 1m14.537s

9 ROSBERG Mercedes 1m14.645s

10 BUEMI Toro Rosso 1m14.801s

11 KOBAYASHI Sauber 1m15.621s

12 BARRICHELLO Williams 1m16.023s

13 PETROV Renault 1m16.351s

14 ALGUERSUARI Toro Rosso 1m16.474s

15 KOVALAINEN Lotus 1m20.649s

16 TRULLI Lotus no time

Test two, Jerez

The second test at Jerez seemed a lot harder to read, with much wider divergence in programmes among the teams.

Williams and Mercedes in particular shot from the back to the front, with veterans Rubens Barrichello and Michael Schumacher ending the week in a one-two, but having seemingly set those times on relatively low fuel loads.

Renault tried out Nick Heidfeld as a potential Kubica stand-in and he also went on a spurt to lead the way on Saturday with the third-fastest time overall.

There was consistent pace from Ferrari, Toro Rosso and Sauber fared better, and the new McLaren looked quietly promising.

But Red Bull totally hid its potential, focusing on (impressively quick) long runs and avoiding getting into the fight at the front.

The week also saw Force India and Virgin's new cars make their debuts, and the gap between Virgin/Lotus and the older teams seemed to have closed considerably.

Hispania skipped the test to do filming work with Pirelli at Monza.

Jerez test combined times:

1 BARRICHELLO Williams 1m19.832s

2 SCHUMACHER Mercedes 1m20.352s

3 HEIDFELD Renault 1m20.361s

4 MASSA Ferrari 1m20.413s

5 ALONSO Ferrari 1m20.493s

6 KOBAYASHI Sauber 1m20.601s

7 BUTTON McLaren 1m21.009s

8 HAMILTON McLaren 1m21.099s

9 BUEMI Toro Rosso 1m21.213s

10 ALGUERSUARI Toro Rosso 1m21.214s

11 SENNA Renault 1m21.400s

12 PEREZ Sauber 1m21.483s

13 WEBBER Red Bull 1m21.522s

14 VETTEL Red Bull 1m21.574s

15 KOVALAINEN Lotus 1m21.632s

16 RICCIARDO Toro Rosso 1m21.755s

17 SUTIL Force India 1m21.780s

18 ROSBERG Mercedes 1m22.103s

19 GLOCK Virgin 1m22.208s

20 PETROV Renault 1m22.493s

21 MALDONADO Williams 1m22.591s

22 DI RESTA Force India 1m22.945s

23 D'AMBROSIO Virgin 1m22.985s

24 TRULLI Lotus 1m23.216s

[beLIEveR]

Renault have by most accounts produced their best car since 2006, and then go and put Heidfeld and Petrov in it. Both are a country mile ahead of Luca Badoer, but that's about as informative as saying that they would beat Ayrton Senna in a race held this weekend.