Testing continues today in Valencia with Lotus joining the 11 other teams on the track.
Here are pictures from today’s test. Among the interesting technical features to note are:
- The very low diffuser on the Williams FW33
- Ferrari’s adjustable rear wing open and closed
- Renault’s adjustable rear wing open and closed
Images ?? F1 Fanatic and Julien Leroy / firstlap.be. If you wish to use these images please contact F1 Fanatic to request permission
Kest (@kest)
2nd February 2011, 12:33
Is that a bit of flowvis paint on Alonso rear wing?
PJ
2nd February 2011, 12:38
They had similar paint on in Day 1 to measure the air flow so I presume so.
james
2nd February 2011, 15:36
What paint?
Kest (@kest)
2nd February 2011, 22:02
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/alon_ferr_vale_20113.jpg
Flow visualisation paint. Help show the air flow over an object.
Fixy (@)
2nd February 2011, 16:04
Aaah! That’s what it was!
OEL
3rd February 2011, 7:54
Red Bull used to use it last year in practice.
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd February 2011, 12:34
Those pictures taken early in the morning where the sun is still low give great images.
the-muffin-man
2nd February 2011, 12:55
The pace of the Williams is a bit worrying – have they been having problems?
Senninha25
2nd February 2011, 13:52
They’ve lost many of their 2010 sponsors (RBS, Philips and many others) and are now trying to get back for the lost money via new sponsor deals, and that’s basically the main reason why Maldonado got his seat in the first place.
Mike
2nd February 2011, 22:57
If that was an issue they would be lighting up the timing boards trying to get potential sponsor interested. All the teams are running very slowly at this stage and this test DOES NOT represent the relative pace of the cars.
Skett (@skett)
2nd February 2011, 14:01
They had some problems with their kers yesterday but nothing other than that.
Barichello hinted that they ran yesterday with relatively high amounts of fuel so I wouldn’t worry too much.
“The balance of the car wasn’t really good, but it’s going to be very difficult to have a car that feels good with the amount of fuel that we were running.”
and
“There is more than three seconds between low fuel and what we are running.”
Icemangrins
2nd February 2011, 14:10
Their problem started when they signed drama queen “Rubens”
electrolite (@electrolite)
2nd February 2011, 14:46
Do people post things like this purely to come across as annoying, or do you genuinely mean to say this?
Doug
2nd February 2011, 15:48
@Electrolite
I’m not sure which would be the worse of the two… =S
Icemangrins
2nd February 2011, 19:31
pssssttt….I genuinely meant it.
SeattleChris (@seattlechris)
2nd February 2011, 22:47
Hi there kettle! You’re black! – Pot
Are you not being a drama queen yourself right now? I think so.
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd February 2011, 13:02
Boy, I first thought that picture of the Renault was a Virgin (from the black with red wings). Bad job with the livery there guys!
electrolite (@electrolite)
2nd February 2011, 15:00
Not if you consider Virgin’s livery to be attrative though! I recall it was Keith’s favourite last year.
I’ve changed my mind and I think the Renault does actually look amazing, at least on the track. Kubica’s and Petrov’s helmets seem to make the red bits work. 9th from the bottom, of Kubica is a great one.
Journeyer (@journeyer)
2nd February 2011, 15:50
Not from this angle, it doesn’t.
http://cdn.images.autosport.com/editorial/1296556390.jpg
That just looks atrocious.
electrolite (@electrolite)
2nd February 2011, 16:24
I don’t see the problem from that angle. Oh well, i’ll agree to disagree.
james
2nd February 2011, 15:36
Even I got confused mate!
dexterous (@dexterous)
2nd February 2011, 16:36
It is a virgin technically………..
Mike
2nd February 2011, 23:01
I’m not sure what I think any more, sometimes, at the right angles, the car looks great. But to be honest I’m starting to think this is the shape of the car and not the livery.
The gold likes look, almost like they have been painted in the wrong places.
Gubstar
2nd February 2011, 13:05
Apart from the fact that all the cars look very similar (I bet if they were all painted white it would be even harder this year to tell who is who) I think all the liveries released so far look great. Even the Sauber is a bit better now it has stickers!!
Just a shame this isnt being streamed on the net so that the thousands and thousands of fans can watch. No need for commentary, pundits or anchor, just cctv like shots with sound! Surely that can be done cheaply!
Its 2011 people!!! I know testing is boring, but surely this canbe done. Its supposed to be the pinnacle after all. MUTV show United’s pre season games. BBC need to have a think!!
Talladega Knight
2nd February 2011, 13:20
I think just about every Formula 1 fan would love to see that, however it all comes down that the BBC has with FOM. Or do FOM own the rights to testing?
Anyway I was thinking that the BBC should get all the F1 crew down to one of the tests and put on a show similar to the one that happened during Qualifying for the Japanese GP. So the crew are running in and out of the garages talking to the drivers, introducing the new ones and possibly discussing the changes in their new car. I think that would be brilliant and they would only need to do it the once.
Mark Hitchcock (@mark-hitchcock)
2nd February 2011, 14:10
The bbc are cutting costs wherever they can this year, particularly the sports sections of their website. Add that to the fact that they have already received criticism about the amount they spend on F1 and you can see why they will never cover testing live, even in a very limited capacity.
luigismen (@luigismen)
2nd February 2011, 13:22
In a football match, if all the players were using the same uniform, it would be hard to tell who is who too.
But I know what you are saying, they are looking pretty much equal because of the regulations
BBT
2nd February 2011, 13:06
Have lotus set a time yet?
rob
2nd February 2011, 21:33
no they are still on the track…
Dev
2nd February 2011, 13:07
it would be nice if we get a pic of FI & McLaren if they running double diffuser or not :)
McLarenFanJamm (@mclarenfanjamm)
2nd February 2011, 14:12
Yeah, they only pics of the back of the McLaren are too far away and too dark to make out the shape of the diffuser. Although the photographer is obviously hampered by the cars position on track and his own position relative to it. It’s difficult.
Franton
2nd February 2011, 14:23
What would be the point? They’re running last year’s car still.
BBT
2nd February 2011, 14:41
The point would be to see how the tyres behave with this years down force, what the point of knowing how they work on a car with features that is banned for this year?
Tim
2nd February 2011, 21:09
Last year’s McLaren is a known quantity – the team knows how the car behaved on Bridgestones, so any changes give them pretty good information about the characteristics of the Pirellis.
Whereas, if you run your new car on the new tyres then you’ve got two unknown quantities rather than one.
Andy c
2nd February 2011, 14:44
They are running the 2010 diffuser with blanks in it to mimictge downforce levels of 2011.
Doug
2nd February 2011, 15:52
A photo of the Mclaren in the pits yesterday shows it running one of the late-season iterations of their VAST 2010 diffuser. It didn’t look like it was blanked off…presumably so that they can compare the Pirellis to the Bridgestones whilst keeping everything else as constant as possible on the car. Hence the fact the f-duct’s still there, perhaps…
Victor.
2nd February 2011, 13:10
The Renault looks much better on track than in front of the garage. Also yay for Kubica’s helmet being red again!
Martin
2nd February 2011, 15:08
Yeah, it doesn’t look as bad as it seemed at first, does it?
I miss last year’s yellow livery though. It was beautiful.
;379
2nd February 2011, 13:24
i think on track the red endplates overpower the comparatively more subtle gold lines. To the casual eye it just looks like a black car with bits of red on it
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd February 2011, 14:54
I mistakenly thought it was a Virgin, same black with Red wings livery!
MGP W01
2nd February 2011, 13:25
why does the Mercedes have the w01 wing which is the same as the Brawn Gp front wing?
Please enlighten me why.
BBQ2
2nd February 2011, 13:40
Because, they are testing tyres with a reliable set-up, just as McLaren is using their old car to gather data ….
Oliver
2nd February 2011, 13:41
You don’t say what years BrawnGp front wing.
Fixy (@)
2nd February 2011, 16:43
Brawn GP competed only in ’09. Bu I guess their wing is 2010-spec.
miguelF1O (@)
2nd February 2011, 13:53
Sergio Perez wow his first picture!oh no he ruined it! he cutted the corner…
brabham
2nd February 2011, 13:53
I see toro rosso came to the test with last years car :0 ha!
Henry
2nd February 2011, 17:55
As did Mclaren, Force India, HRT…your point is?
miguelF1O (@)
2nd February 2011, 19:52
he was joking with Toro rosso, the new car is almost identical from the exterior
nemo
2nd February 2011, 14:03
it seems no team is going to great lengths to hide or mask parks of their car this year.. saw teams covering up and hiding parts right up untill the last race last year..?
Todfod (@todfod)
2nd February 2011, 14:27
I think their will be additions in later tests. But up until now, no one has anything revolutionary, other than Renault’s exhaust system. I have a gut feeling that Mclaren has a trick up its sleeve.
Dipak T
2nd February 2011, 14:41
Im guessing that trick is going to be the front fitted exhaust system.
Todfod (@todfod)
2nd February 2011, 14:54
My bet is on a really innovative ARW
BasCB (@bascb)
2nd February 2011, 14:54
I think it is not, possibly something else.
nemo
2nd February 2011, 14:46
i hope so. and i hope it works..
Todfod (@todfod)
2nd February 2011, 14:17
The 2011 cars are nearly 2 seconds off the pace compared to their predecessors. I cannot see the Ferrari and Red Bull put a time lower than the mid 1:12s.
Whats scary is HRT’s performance, they are over 5 seconds off the pace with their last years car.. and I’m pretty sure they will be over 7 seconds off the pace in their new 2011 challenger. And with the utterly untalented Karthikeyan behind the wheel, I honestly wonder how many Sundays we will see an HRT on the grid.
BBT
2nd February 2011, 14:43
so probably a second to 1.5secs of last year come the final day of the test.
Skett
2nd February 2011, 15:45
I don’t think the hrt will be slower than last years. Other cars are slower because they no longer have double diffusers or f-ducts, hrt had neither of these to begin with.
Todfod (@todfod)
2nd February 2011, 16:11
I’m pretty sure HRT had a double diffuser
miguelF1O (@)
2nd February 2011, 19:57
lets hope that hrt time was a mistake and that the track is very dirty and everyone hiding
Argent
2nd February 2011, 14:18
I’m glad Kubica went back to his orange helmet–it looks great!
Bäremans
2nd February 2011, 14:32
Would be cool to see different pics of the cars in the same corner or at the same posittion in a straight at full speed, to compare the hight of the front wings.
Curious to see if this will still be an issue this year.
Dougy_D (@dougy_d)
2nd February 2011, 14:37
Virgin seem to have made excellent progress since 2010. Come on Team Lotus! Show us some real lap times!!
summers (@summers)
2nd February 2011, 14:38
A closer look to Robert’s new helmet:
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/1354/kubicahelmet2011.jpg
Larcem (@)
2nd February 2011, 14:40
Kubica with the new helmet and car looks AWESOME. I also can´t wait for friday, to see the new McLaren. I hope it´s good!
BBT
2nd February 2011, 14:45
Yay! Lotus records a time 1:20.649
BBT
2nd February 2011, 14:47
Maldonado 1st times…
1:24.021
1:21.473
1:21.160
Mark Hitchcock (@mark-hitchcock)
2nd February 2011, 14:49
The red on the Renault makes it look so ugly! That one detail takes a potentially beautiful livery and turns it into one of the worst on the grid.
Peter
2nd February 2011, 15:29
here is the link to sound of lotus renault R31:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnU2GSmisxU
Peter
2nd February 2011, 16:04
…I mean the sound of Renault with its radical exhaust.
Martin H.
2nd February 2011, 15:30
Great pictures! From Argentina, Buenos Aires.
james
2nd February 2011, 15:39
no this test is happening in valencia, which I believe is in south of spain.
Owl
2nd February 2011, 16:13
I think he means he’s from Argentina…
And Valencia is on the east coast of Spain.
james
2nd February 2011, 15:38
Wow! that new mclaren looks awesome!!
Owl
2nd February 2011, 16:14
Looks a lot like last years car…
Funny that.
MEF
2nd February 2011, 19:42
James you clearly know your F1
IDR (@idr)
2nd February 2011, 15:49
Great pics, Keith. Thanks!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/idrs/5409558313/
VXR
2nd February 2011, 16:26
Karthykayan finishes sixth. 1.165 seconds off Alonso’s fastest time. No quick times yet, methinks. LOL
dexterous (@dexterous)
2nd February 2011, 16:41
The Mercedes looks good ……..Schumi abd rosberg being good drivers should join in the fun of the top drivers once race day starts ….it would surely be fun to watch for us
;379
2nd February 2011, 16:42
Just read ( on f1technical.com but a german site is reporting it too) that the new Mclaren is going to have side-pods raised above the the floor (similar to the Torro Rosso but more extreme) with front exhausts that blow into the gap between the two creating an area of high pressure above the floor, which they will use to lower the pressure beneath the floor. Its only speculation but there are people claiming to have contacts who’ve seen the car. Still, we’ll never know till we see it…
GeorgeTuk (@georgetuk)
2nd February 2011, 16:54
They did they were going to be brave, would be nice to see a real risk, and even better if it paid off!
Deurmat
2nd February 2011, 17:13
their car is probally long finished but they want to keep it a secret lol
BBT
2nd February 2011, 19:02
Will be interesting to see what McLaren have….
http://www.f1technical.net/news/15910?sid=d59571ded59e11b29d6cf3a76f650d92
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
2nd February 2011, 19:30
I love that Williams, just because of that incredibly small gearbox they have.
What an amaizing piece of engineering! just looking at the pics, you can see the rear axle is a couple of centimeters behind the rest of the car! It looks weird! But i love it!
US Williams Fan
2nd February 2011, 23:06
They have always strived to do “more with less” being a smaller team.
I like the look too!
verstappen
2nd February 2011, 19:33
Amazing that nobody at HRT just knicked a couple euros of say a local Burger King…
There’s only a Pirelli sticker on the car, if I were a sponsor of Narain, I would be furious that I pay top dollar to have him there and no presence on the car.
But maybe Narain’s sponsors feel that their brands fit better with new Tron-car?
Dan LW
2nd February 2011, 21:42
wer can u watch testing ? by that i mean wot channel or web site?
US Williams Fan
2nd February 2011, 23:08
Keith put up a link to the Williams F1 testing.
I think it was in the preview article for day two of testing.
Not sure if they provide live timing for every team though.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
3rd February 2011, 0:43
Heh, Karthikeyan doesn’t even have a proper helmet design …
Lanky!
3rd February 2011, 10:29
Has anyone else noticed the lack of t-cam on the HRT? what are they trying to achieve with that?
Im also predicting Mercedes doing something funny with their intake again this year, look how far back their t-cam is? Am i right that the t-cam has to be connected to the roll structure? hmm…
Lanky!
3rd February 2011, 10:29
Has anyone else noticed the lack of t-cam on the HRT? what are they trying to achieve with that?
Im also predicting Mercedes doing something funny with their intake again this year, look how far back their t-cam is! Am i right that the t-cam has to be connected to the roll structure? hmm…
kiki
5th February 2011, 0:37
Whose HRT’s driver 2