2011 F1 testing day 2: Valencia

89 comments on “2011 F1 testing day 2: Valencia”

1. 

   S.J.M (@sjm)
   2nd February 2011, 0:17

   Plan is to get up early, go to the gym and be back intime to catch 90% of the testing.

   Interested to see what the Lotus looks like in the flesh and guess how far, if any, theyve gone up the grid based purley on their times tomorrow. I love the insanity and speculation of testing, keeps us on our toes and something to talk about.
   1. 

      SeattleChris (@seattlechris)
      2nd February 2011, 7:07

      Do they air the testing sessions in Europe?
      1. 

         S.J.M (@sjm)
         2nd February 2011, 10:08

         No, but i have about 5-8 tabs open on my browser for the text based services. If only we had video :(
2. 

   US Williams Fan
   2nd February 2011, 0:18

   Thanks for the update! good to see all 12 teams testing today.

   minor typo: “With Lotus set to join the tst ” tst = test I’m sure.

   Also, thanks for the Williams link. My favorite team… you think I would know that they have live timing….. but was not aware of that.
   1. 

      Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
      2nd February 2011, 1:00

      No, it’s tst. The word has been offficially changed. It happened overnight. Didn’t you hear about it?
      1. 

         US Williams Fan
         2nd February 2011, 2:20

         Thanks Prisoner Monkeys!

         Usually the good people a Webster’s Dictionary call my cell whenever they change a word. Guess they are getting lazy. :)
         1. 

            US Williams Fan
            2nd February 2011, 2:25

            a=at

            whoops!
            1. 

               Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
               2nd February 2011, 2:35

               No, that’s another change they’ve made. We say ‘a’ instead of ‘at’ now.
            2. 

               Adrian J (@adrian-j)
               2nd February 2011, 13:32

               And summit instead of something… ;-)
            3. 

               Fixy (@)
               2nd February 2011, 15:13

               During this tst I am a home.
         2. 

            BBQ2
            2nd February 2011, 8:47

            PM, stop pulling the legs of our US F1 fan ;)
3. 

   sdtaylor91 (@sdtaylor91)
   2nd February 2011, 0:30

   HRT really should have signed their second driver by now, very professional. I’m starting to doubt whether they’ll actually have their car ready for the bahrain test. With such little development time because of the toyota dispute they’ll almost certainly be the slowest this year as well.
   1. 

      Dipak T
      2nd February 2011, 0:36

      Surly its obvious? Kartikeyans gonna cane it for all its worth until it breaks down, hop in the next car and carry on going!
   2. 

      Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
      2nd February 2011, 1:03

      HRT really should have signed their second driver by now, very professional.

      There is nothing in the rules to say that teams must have two drivers present at every test.

      I’m starting to doubt whether they’ll actually have their car ready for the bahrain test.

      According to Adam Cooper, development of the F111 chassis is “much further along than you might think”.
      1. 

         Gridlock
         2nd February 2011, 2:01

         They’re holding the second seat open until liuzzi’s court case is avoided, I reckon. But that’s just speculation.
         1. 

            Polishboy808
            2nd February 2011, 3:20

            Oh, and does your avatar have anything to do with the movie inception?
            1. 

               Polishboy808
               2nd February 2011, 3:22

               wrong spot, that question was directed at you PM.
            2. 

               Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
               2nd February 2011, 6:19

               does your avatar have anything to do with the movie inception?

               It does. It’s Cobb’s totem, the spinning top.
      2. 

         Adrian J (@adrian-j)
         2nd February 2011, 13:34

         Considering that they announced that they were building a new car 75 days before the first race…and according to Mike Gasgoyne Lotus Racing had 80 days to design and develop the T127…I’d say they’ve got the time…
4. 

   Polishboy808 (@polishboy808)
   2nd February 2011, 1:25

   Does Kubica have a new helmet? It seems fit for him to change his helmet if he colored it based on last years car, when this years car has a very different paint job.
   1. 

      Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
      2nd February 2011, 2:37

      Yeah, he’s got a red and carbon fibre-print one now. As lead driver, he’s also got the red camera mounting on his car, so the red endplates and wing mirrors won’t look totally out of place.

      Come to think of it, Petrov has red on his helmet and his camera mounting will be yellow, which is close enought to the gold to blend in a little.
      1. 

         Polishboy808 (@polishboy808)
         2nd February 2011, 2:48

         Do you have any pics of the helmet?
         1. 

            tomek_inc
            2nd February 2011, 5:43

            http://www.renault-f1.fr/?Nouveaux-casques-pour-Robert
      2. 

         Julian
         2nd February 2011, 12:18

         I love Kubica’s helmet (last year and this years). They remind me of a lego man :)
   2. 

      Fixy (@)
      2nd February 2011, 15:14

      My favourite was his start-of-2006 one.
5. 

   Dave Blanc
   2nd February 2011, 1:57

   Anyone manage to get any live webcasts of the testing yesterday?
   1. 

      BasCB
      2nd February 2011, 7:53

      only live timings so far, and several text versions covering (on bbc and others).
6. 

   Gridlock
   2nd February 2011, 2:03

   Does Anthony Davidson appear anywhere else in Formula 1’s record books, or is this the unfortunate extent of his impact on the sport?
   1. 

      Tom L.
      2nd February 2011, 7:13

      Last driver to date to hit a groundhog, perhaps?
7. 

   wasiF1 (@wasif1)
   2nd February 2011, 2:03

   Shame this season I won’t be able to catch too much testing because of my work & uni. Interestingly only Williams is the only team that is doing the live timing with no other team.
8. 

   himmatsj (@himmatsj)
   2nd February 2011, 2:08

   Aha….at last we get to see the Lotus in action. On a quick note, d’Ambrosio in the Virgin got himself respectably in the midfield in the first test, so I’m hoping for something more polisted from Lotus.
9. 

   Gridlock
   2nd February 2011, 2:14

   Keith, could you ask the Scuderia how they’re going to practice giving Massa team orders if they’ve only got one car at the track? Cheers.

   Also, if you see Fernando tell him we’re all looking forward to the new Pirates of the Caribbean film too.
   1. 

      US Williams Fan
      2nd February 2011, 2:23

      hahaha.
   2. 

      Spaulding (@spaulding)
      2nd February 2011, 4:53

      I was so thinking of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum when I saw Fernando’s little beard thing for the first time.
      1. 

         SeattleChris (@seattlechris)
         2nd February 2011, 7:13

         I was thinking how he’s two time world champion, rich and how I’m in no way jealous and/or bored with my own life.
10. 

    Spaulding (@spaulding)
    2nd February 2011, 4:51

    I love how HRT have and will continue to have no idea what their car is capable of as they have kept exactly zero of their previous drivers (baring a surprise visit from our favorite snails pace pay driver, Yamamoto) and gain relatively little talent. If I were them, I think I would have tried to hire one of the test/unemployed drivers with serious experience to test the car for 2-3 days during the second or third set of testing. I’m just hoping that their last place finish wasn’t a low fuel, qualifying simulation run…
    1. 

       Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
       2nd February 2011, 6:32

       At least Karthikeyan gets experience on the new Pirellis.
    2. 

       Todfod (@todfod)
       2nd February 2011, 6:58

       Karthikeyan was within 5 seconds of Vettel’s time… they were probably running a Q3 setup on the car.
       1. 

          BasCB
          2nd February 2011, 7:55

          No, Vettel was going it slow with the new car not to damage anything.
          1. 

             BBT
             2nd February 2011, 8:57

             He certainly wasn’t going slow.
             Not as quick as he could maybe.
          2. 

             mateuss
             2nd February 2011, 14:46

             I thought he meant HRT had Q3 setup, lol.
             1. 

                Todfod (@todfod)
                2nd February 2011, 16:10

                That is what i meant. Karthikeyan would be more than 8 secs off the pace if the red bull were running a Q3 setup
11. 

    BBT
    2nd February 2011, 9:01

    Kubica straight in there with a 1:18.230
12. 

    Daniel
    2nd February 2011, 9:24

    Does anybody know anything about why Mercedes staff is still sleeping? :))
13. 

    AH
    2nd February 2011, 9:39

    Karun Chhandhok has arrived wearing Team Lotus’s colours
14. 

    AH
    2nd February 2011, 9:45

    Vetel is flying; 1:13.802
    1. 

       BBT
       2nd February 2011, 9:54

       the lap before was even better 1:13.614
       1. 

          AH
          2nd February 2011, 9:57

          True ;-)
15. 

    sw6569 (@sw6569)
    2nd February 2011, 9:57

    Now from memory, am I right in thinking that this track doesn’t really test the cars? i.e. its better to wait until a more representative track is being used to guess who’s fast and who’s not?
    1. 

       renzo
       2nd February 2011, 10:14

       true!
16. 

    BBT
    2nd February 2011, 9:58

    Hamilton 1st lap of 2011 = 1:16.446
    1. 

       Alex Blundell
       2nd February 2011, 10:29

       Got to remember this is a red herring as it’s the old car and any times set by either McLaren or Force India is basically null and void at the moment.
       1. 

          BBT
          2nd February 2011, 10:40

          Yes, I know, surely gotta be worrying for Mclaren if they are slower in last years car
          1. 

             Tim
             2nd February 2011, 10:52

             Not really, it’s just a test and the priority has to be getting mileage on the new tyres and testing any new parts.

             Quick times are pretty low priority, especially when using a car that was a proven front runner.
          2. 

             bad_whippet
             2nd February 2011, 16:10

             Just to add, the car they’re using IS 2010’s, but they’ve removed the double diffuser as well as simulating 2011 downforce (a combination of removing some aero parts and adding others).

             And yes, they are of course on Pirelli’s.
17. 

    the Edge
    2nd February 2011, 10:06

    i’ve been thinking about Renaults new exhaust…

    its fine testing it at valencia in 15’c weather but I wonder what will happen in the dessert, perhaps BLACK wasn’t such a great colour to choose after all, them drivers are going to bake out there even without the FFE
    1. 

       S.J.M (@sjm)
       2nd February 2011, 10:18

       Yeah, but they will probably argue that its been tested to X degrees and run for X amount of time to prove that it will be ok. Im sure it probably will, they wouldnt have put it on like that if wouldnt.

       But this is F1, and as Murray Walker will tell you, where anything can happen, and it usually does. Black, desert suns and new “inovative” exhaust system will be what everyone will be watching…
       1. 

          Sandman
          2nd February 2011, 10:49

          Why the quotation marks? It really is innovative, even though it wasn’t presented by one of the top teams.

          And whether it works or not, is a different matter.
          1. 

             BBQ2
             2nd February 2011, 11:00

             Yeah Sandman, if they did not copy it from the MP4-26 ….. Arrgggghhhh!! :(
             1. 

                Glorstensen (@glorstensen)
                2nd February 2011, 11:25

                Yeah BBQ2, if MP4-26 did not copy it from the R31.
             2. 

                Cyclops_PL (@cyclops_pl)
                2nd February 2011, 11:38

                How can you copy something from a car that is still in the factory?
             3. 

                Patrickl (@patrickl)
                2nd February 2011, 14:25

                “How can you copy something from a car that is still in the factory?”

                By taking on someone from the other team?

                Same happenend with Toyota in 2009. They got the double diffuser idea from a guy they hired from Honda.
             4. 

                Sandman
                2nd February 2011, 15:37

                Still, if they managed to run it first, im guessing it was a genuine idea. Its not THAT revolutionary if you think about it, its “just” an evolution of blown diffusor.
18. 

    the Edge
    2nd February 2011, 10:24

    Keith, how many laps has Lewis done?
19. 

    costas
    2nd February 2011, 10:46

    live timing with lap-by-lap timing for every drivers (click on name) http://bit.ly/fyEscA
    1. 

       mvi
       2nd February 2011, 10:57

       A most useful site. Thanks for that.
       1. 

          the Edge
          2nd February 2011, 11:05

          yep, now i know you can click on the driver for lap times that is pretty darn good, thanks
    2. 

       Mister Nillionaire
       2nd February 2011, 11:10

       Thank you for this. It’s easily the best one out there.
    3. 

       Patrickl (@patrickl)
       2nd February 2011, 15:06

       That’s great. Ho do you get that data?
20. 

    Todfod (@todfod)
    2nd February 2011, 11:16

    I know we shouldn’t read too much into testing times. But am I safe to assume that Red Bull will be one of the front runners again?
    1. 

       the Edge
       2nd February 2011, 11:22

       i think mclaren, redbull, renault, mercedes ferrari

       but i’ve been know to be wrong
       1. 

          Bäremans
          2nd February 2011, 11:26

          Would be cool if you’re right. Imagine 5 out of 12 teams being true front runners and contenders for the title.
          1. 

             the Edge
             2nd February 2011, 11:29

             that would be good to watch but i actually meant it as a pecking order….maybe its just wishful thinking
          2. 

             Todfod (@todfod)
             2nd February 2011, 11:32

             That would be great… 6 to 7 different race winners, and different cars strong on different types of circuits. I think if we could get a season with as many title contenders as last year, it could be the best season of all time, especially because the last race isn’t in Abu Dhabi anymore.
    2. 

       S.J.M (@sjm)
       2nd February 2011, 11:27

       unless they go and do a Mclaren for the first 9 races of 2009. Id expect that the grids grouping wont change at the front, Mclaren, Ferrari and RBR leading the way, with Renault & Mercedes following them up.

       But all will come clear in Bahrain.
21. 

    the Edge
    2nd February 2011, 11:36

    your right on the money there SJM, until Bahrain Q3 were never really gonna know anything
22. 

    Cyclops_PL (@cyclops_pl)
    2nd February 2011, 11:37

    Am I mistaken, or Kubica is running two cars today? Photos on formula1.com show him driving number 9 and 10 cars.
23. 

    BBT
    2nd February 2011, 12:18

    di Resta goes faster than Hulkenberg with a 1:13.844
    1. 

       manB
       2nd February 2011, 12:56

       He is looking very good. I mean being rookie he has done decent job even though the car is 2010 car
24. 

    BBT
    2nd February 2011, 12:19

    Alonso top
25. 

    BBT
    2nd February 2011, 12:24

    When are Force India launching their 2011 car?
    1. 

       S.J.M (@sjm)
       2nd February 2011, 12:28

       Not sure, but given how long it took to announce their driver lineup, i wouldnt like to say ;)
    2. 

       electrolite (@electrolite)
       2nd February 2011, 12:50

       It’s going to be at the Jerez test, i’m pretty sure.
26. 

    S.J.M (@sjm)
    2nd February 2011, 12:58

    Have Lotus-Renault descided that Black & gold the wrong choice and now trying to use Team Lotus’s livery? :D

    http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-photos/6455/formula-1-test-at-circuito-ricardo-tormo-2-february-2011/169097/#169097
27. 

    JUGNU
    2nd February 2011, 13:07

    SJM

    Good one.
28. 

    JUGNU
    2nd February 2011, 13:20

    What are Lotus(green) timings? msfree site is only showing top 11.
    1. 

       Andrew White
       2nd February 2011, 13:24

       Heikki has only done 6 recon laps and hasn’t actually set a timed lap yet, apparently due to brake problems.
       1. 

          BasCB (@bascb)
          2nd February 2011, 14:58

          They posted a tweet saying that is the end of the testing for today, apparently a power steering problem they have to get repaired in the UK over night!
29. 

    the Edge
    2nd February 2011, 13:42

    just read vettels happy to stay at redbull and is not interested in switching to ferrari – i bet he is, after all he has a personality of his own and he’s no where arrogant enough to join the red team

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