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Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 3, 2017 12:27:59 GMT
Here's a handy review of the last few days of testing off the BBC website. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/39144660Will certainly be interesting to see if the Mercs are/are not holding things back, Ferrari's pace is sustainable and develops during the season, Red Bull can challenge Ferrari and even Mercedes and who will be best of the rest? Also have McLaren gone backwards again this season given their reliability problems at these sessions. Doesn't seem they made a wise move hooking up with Honda again or for that matter maybe even ditching Ron Dennis as well.
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Mar 3, 2017 15:32:08 GMT
Dirty thats a good article that sums up this weeksite testing. I really hope Honda can get out of their slump and be competitive.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 8, 2017 16:11:47 GMT
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Mar 8, 2017 21:10:57 GMT
Cheers Dirty. Current word is that Ferrari have some new ingenious side pod arrangement that's giving them an advantage and they are sandbagging a bit. Oh dear McLaren Honda 2.5 ish seconds off the soft tyre pace Final day two times 1) Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) - 1:19.310 supersoft 2) Felipe Massa (Williams) - 1:19.420 ultrasoft 3) Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) - 1:20.406 - soft 4) Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 1:20.432 - soft 5) Lance Stroll (Williams) - 1:20.579 - supersoft 6) Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) - 1:20.702 - soft 7) Nico Hulkenberg (Renault) - 1:21.213 - supersoft 8) Sergio Perez (Force India) 1:21.297 - supersoft 9) Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso) - 1:21.872 - soft 10) Romain Grosjean (Haas) - 1:21.887 - ultrasoft 11) Pascal Wehrlein (Sauber) - 1:23.000 - soft 12) Fernando Alonso (McLaren) - 1:23.041 - soft 13) Marcus Ericsson (Sauber) - 1:23.384 - soft 14) Jolyon Palmer (Renault) - 1:24.774 - supersoft
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F1 2017
Mar 8, 2017 22:33:53 GMT
via mobile
Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 8, 2017 22:33:53 GMT
Yeah Del Ferarri do seem to be dark horses for this season if they get luck and the breaks could very well spoil Mercedes party this season. McLaren are the biggest disappointment at the moment. I think realistically if the Honda engines are still p*** poor by mid season they really need to consider an alternative for 2018. Mercedes is probably no go but Renault is a good possibility esp if they're competitive but would Red Bull want a potentially stronger (financially) competitor with similar equipment next year? Also will a dire season see Alonso move on too? Hope not.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 9, 2017 15:12:40 GMT
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Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 10, 2017 12:46:02 GMT
Here's this morning's action from Barcelona. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/formula1/39197101Things still don't look very good for McLaren/Alonso either. Surely that situation has to change they seemed more with it this time last year with cars which only really gave Mercedes an advantage too.
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Post by Gene Hunt on Mar 10, 2017 13:06:53 GMT
Oh dear. McLaren are in a right pickle here. Alonso says the car itself is brilliant to drive, but it is already down 30kph on the straights at Barcelona. That is a massive margin. Not only that but they are already suffering reliability issues. Not good times at McLaren at all.
Gene.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 10, 2017 15:03:54 GMT
Yeah not good at all for McLaren. Thought they were turning a corner last year by grinding out some decent-ish results until the last quarter of the season but again how much of this was down to the car performing or the work of the team and (as I think likely) Alonso and Button driving the skin out of the car. Think they'll have to ride this season out but say by Canada/Silverstone things are no different McLaren should seriously consider ending their relationship with Honda. It hasn't and doesn't seem to be delivering and Honda were pretty dire as a works team from 2005-08 too until Brawn went independent and the rest is say history. Wether going with a works engine supplier like Renault or building their own engine is the way to go I don't know but something needs to improve and fast for them as Force India, Toro Rosso and even Renault and Haas seem ahead of them at the moment. Also will McLaren live to regret the coup against Ron Dennis too... he has experience they might well need right now.
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Post by Windy Miller on Mar 10, 2017 16:26:14 GMT
Very sad to learn John Surtees has died, aged 83 www.motorsport.com/f1/news/john-surtees-dies-aged-83-881533/A true legend of the sport who won both the Formula 1 and motorcycling world championships. He won four 500cc motorcycling titles - in 1956, 1958, 1959 and 1960 - and the F1 crown with Ferrari in 1964. A fantastic bloke whom I much admired. RIP
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