In-Season Test #1 - Day #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

IN-SEASON TEST #1 - DAY #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

Test Location: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - Montmelo, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

    Max Verstappen was fastest on the first day of the first in-season test of 2018. The Dutch driver finished on top with a 1:17.528 and racked up 148 laps for the Austrian team.

    Close behind in the times was Carlos Sainz with a 1:17.562. Sainz, who is being tipped to join Red Bull next year, completed 119 laps in the Renault.

    Toro Rosso had limited running after needing to change their power unit because of a problem with their chassis. Sean Gelael was running for them and finished the session in 12th with a 1:21.935 and completed a total of 50 laps.

    Both Force India and McLaren ran two cars during the session. The second cars were used to test for Pirelli's 2019 programme. McLaren also ran 3 drivers in total with 2 drivers doing the tyre resting duties.

    McLaren's main car was driven by Stoffel Vandoorne, who finished in 7th with a 1:18.981. The second car saw youngster Lando Norris drive in the AM while Oliver Turvey, who is currently competing in Formula E, took over for the PM session. Norris finished in 10th and Turvey 13th. Between the two of them, they completed a total of 134 laps.

    Force India chose current F2 driver George Russell for the tyre testing duties, while Nicholas Latifi ran in the main car. Latifi finished up in 5th with a 1:18.530 and 107 laps while Russell finished further down in 11th with a 1:21.478 and 123 laps.

    Former Formula 2 driver, Oliver Rowland, ran for Williams and finished 9th in the session, just behind Antonio Giovinazzi, who was running for Sauber. Giovinazzi set a fastest time of 1:19.693 while Rowland did a 1:20.009.

TIMES:

1. Max Verstappen - 1:17.528 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands / 148 Laps

2. Carlos Sainz - 1:17.562 / Renault-Renault / Spain / 119 Laps

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:17.659 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / 136 Laps

4. Romain Grosjean - 1:18.449 / Haas-Ferrari / France / 129 Laps

5. Nicholas Latifi - 1:18.530 / Force India-Mercedes / Canada / 107 Laps

6. Lewis Hamilton - 1:18.543 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / 151 Laps

7. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:18.981 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium / 85 Laps

8. Antonio Giovinazzi - 1:19.693 / Sauber-Ferrari / Italy / 135 Laps

9. Oliver Rowland - 1:20.009 / Williams-Mercedes / Great Britain / 121 Laps

10. Lando Norris (AM) - 1:20.997 / McLaren-Renault / Great Britain / 76 Laps*

11. George Russell - 1:21.478 / Force India-Mercedes / Great Britain / 123 Laps*

12. Sean Gelael - 1:21.935 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / Indonesia / 50 Laps

13. Oliver Turvey (PM) - 1:23.070 / McLaren-Renault / Great Britain / 58 Laps*

* - Notes drivers were testing for Pirelli's 2019 programme

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Pirelli Reveals 2 New Compounds

PIRELLI REVEALS HYPER-SOFT AND SUPER-HARD COMPOUNDS

    Pirelli has extended its range of slick tyre options for the 2018 Formula 1 season with the introduction of hyper-soft and super-hard compounds.

    Seven different dry weather compounds will be available to teams next year, as well as the intermediate and wet tyres for wet conditions.

    All the compounds will be a step softer than their 2017 counterparts.

    “We realize that, under the unique circumstances of this year, some of our 2017 compounds were perhaps conservative,” said Pirelli’s Head of Car Racing, Mario Isola.

    “The tyres we have created for 2018 address this, in line with the objective of having around two pit stops at most races.

    However, the fundamental design concept of the tyres hasn’t changed next year, preserving the attributes that all drivers have appreciated this year and allowing them to push hard from the start to the finish of each sting."

    “The new range consists of faster tyres that should lead to even harder and more spectacular racing in 2018.”

    The hyper-soft tyre was designed for circuits like Monaco, where maximum mechanical grip is required. The super-hard compound, however, isn’t likely to be seen during a race next year, with some claiming the tyre will only be used for demonstration events.

    Teams got a chance to trial the new tyres during the post season tests last week.

    The colours of the tyres have been switched to make room for the new compounds. The super-hard tyre will be orange, which was used for the hard compound this season. The hard tyre will now be blue, while the medium, softs, super-softs, and ultra-softs remaining white, yellow, red, and purple respectively. The hyper-soft compound will be pink.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Wider Tyres for Faster Cars in 2017

WIDER TYRES FOR 2017

    It may still be Pirelli supplying them, but Formula 1 tyres in 2017 are going to be very different. We’ve yet to see tyres fitting next year’s specifications out on track, with those Pascal Wehrlein tested at Silverstone still the 2016 tyre size, but that will change when Pirelli’s testing plan starts in August.

    Next year’s tyres will be wider. Pirelli’s objective was to meet F1’s target of improving lap times by around four seconds a lap – no easy feat. The answer was to make the tyres twenty five percent wider, to increase the “contact patch” (the area in contact with the ground).

    The size won’t be the only change. The make up of each of the compounds will be changed, though Pirelli are still experimenting with the exact constructions.

    Wehrlein trailed potential compounds at the Silverstone test.

    “We were also able to get some data about potential 2017 compounds and constructions within a 2016 tyre size,” said Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director. “This has given us a number of interesting areas to work on.”

    The experimental compounds will be in 2017 sizes next month, when Pirelli’s testing begins. Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull will all take part in blind tests, working with a hybrid car that Pirelli expects next year’s machines to be like. The information collected will be given to all the teams, to ensure fairness.

    “We will be on the track for the first time in the first four days of August,” Hembery told F1.com. “Working with a hybrid car and not with an exact 2017 car. But that will give us a good guideline of how the tyres are performing. And that will give a lot of answers to a lot of questions. There is, of course, already a huge amount of work and indoor testing going on in our factory. I am hopeful that we will give the sport what it wants in 2017.”

    Pirelli are aiming to have the final version of the 2017 tyres ready by pre-season testing, but changes may have to be made if their guess work on what the new cars will look like doesn’t match up to the real thing.

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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
No copyright infringement intended
Sources: F1.com, Pirelli press release
Follow us on Twitter @Bethonie_Boost & @F1Insider78

Wet Weather Tyre Test - Re-Cap & Times

Pirelli are to get set analysing the results of the two days of wet tyre testing held this week.

Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull all took to the Paul Ricard circuit in the south of France to test the prototype tyres.

The test wasn’t perfect, with temperatures consistently low throughout both days, but the circuit’s sophisticated sprinkler system allowed Pirelli to mimic a wide range of wet conditions.

A number of different wet tyre prototypes were tested as Pirelli work on a combination of different compounds, tread depths, and configurations.

It was a “blind test”, meaning the walls of the tyres didn’t carry any colour markings and the teams didn’t know which specifications they were testing.

Pirelli will continue to work on the development of the tyres off track, but say they are sure they have a good compound for extreme wet conditions.

Further conclusions will be released once proper analysis has been conducted.

Criticism from Kimi Raikkonen, one of the five drivers that took part in the test, did not worry Pirelli, as the Finn was testing different prototypes in full wet conditions.

Speed was not an important factor in the test, but Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was fastest over the two day test. The German completed 134 laps overall.

Stoffel Vandoorne, who was driving for McLaren on both days, had his testing cut short on the first day, due to an engine failure, unsurprising given the test was completed using the unaltered 2015 specifications for the car.

The next outing for Pirelli will be the first pre-season test in Barcelona on February 22-25.

Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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Follow us on Twitter @F1Insider78 

Bahrain Testing Day 1 - Re-Cap.

Thanks to all who joined me last night on Twitter for my live commentary of Day 1 at Bahrain International Circuit! Here's a quick re-cap of what happened. Also, I'm live right now on Twitter for Day 2 and also chatting on Autosport.com in the live Forum Chat under Day 2 of Bahrain testing.

Re-Cap: Day 1 at Bahrain International Circuit started out with a few woes as the session was delayed while waiting for enough Marshalls to be around the circuit and then Fernando Alonso's Ferrari stopped out on track, before he was able to bring it back to the garage. Redbull had to delay their run as well as Toro Rosso, with theirs being due to some sort of oil leaks. Sutil in the Sauber also stopped on the circuit, and had be to removed and taken back to the pits. Other than that, things ran pretty smoothly and here are your times!

Fastest Times:

1. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:36.880 / Force India.
2. Fernando Alonso - 1:37.879/ Ferari.
3. Lewis Hamilton - 1:37.908 / Mercedes.
4. Kevin Magnussen - 1:38.295 / McLaren.
5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:40.224 / Redbull.
6. Adrian Sutil - 1:40.443 / Sauber.
7. Robin Frijns - 1:42.534 / Caterham.
8. Danill Kvyat - 1:44.346 / Toro Rosso.
9. Romain Grosjean - 1:44.832 / Lotus.
10. Felipe Massa - No Time Set / Williams.
11. Jules Bianchi - No Time Set / Marussia.

Article Written By: AMy Hawk.
No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Young Drivers Testing Re-Cap

Day 1 was a good day for Kevin Magnussen who set fasest time in the McLaren, topping Force India's Paul Di Resta, who was just barely slower than him! A lot of people are asking if any of these youngsters are fighting for a real drive in F1, and the answer is never easy. Mark Webber's Red Bull seat will likely be given to Daniel Ricciardo from Toro Rosso. And if that happens, it's then the question "Well, who gets Daniel's old seat?"

Formula 1 is unpredictable, and there's a lot more drivers than just Ricciardo who are interested in replacing Webber. Lotus indeed wants to keep Raikkonen, who most people thought would instantly be 2014's new Red Bull driver, partnering Sebastian Vettel. But it looks more likely we could have an underdog or rookie replacing the Australian Driver.

Day 1 Times:

1. Kevin Magnussen - 1:33.602 / McLaren
2. Paul Di Resta - 1:33.774 / Force India
3. Antonio Felix Da Costa - 1:33.821 / Red Bull
4. James Calado - 1:33.986 / Force India
5. Daniel Juncadella - 1:34.098 / Williams
6. Johnny Cecotto - 1:34.193 / Toro Rosso
7. Robin Frijns - 1:34.236 / Sauber
8. Nicolas Prost - 1:34.810 / Lotus
9. Davide Rigon - 1:34.874 / Ferrari
10. Alexander Rossi - 1:35.651 / Caterham
11. Tio Ellinas - 1:36.676 / Marussia
12. Max Chilton - 1:38.347 / Marussia


Day 2 Times: 

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:32.972 / Toro Rosso
2. Carlos Sainz Jr. - 1:33.016 / Toro Rosso
3. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:33.187 / Redbull
4. Davide Valsecchi - 1:33.554 / Lotus
5. Oliver Turvey - 1:33.864 / McLaren
6. James Calado - 1:33.957 / Force India
7. Antonio Felix Da Costa - 1:33.958 / Red Bull
8. Davide Rigon - 1:34.053 / Ferarri
9. Pastor Maldonado - 1:34.116 / Williams
10. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:34.224 / Sauber
11. Daniel Juncadella - 1:34.631 / Williams
12. Robin Frijns - 1:34.731 / Sauber
13. Will Stevens - 1:36.082 / Caterham
14. Paul Di Resta - 1:36.356 / Force India
15. Rodolfo Gonzalez - 1:37.949 / Marussia


Day 3 Times:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:32.894 / Red Bull
2. Adrian Sutil - 1:33.242 / Force India
3. Nicolas Prost - 1:33.256 / Lotus
4. Carlos Sainz Jr. - 1:33.546 / Red Bull
5. Davide Rigon - 1:33.592 / Ferrari
6. Felipe Massa - 1:33.624 / Ferrari 
7. Jean-Eric Vergne - 1:33.647 / Toro Rosso
8. Gary Paffett - 1:34.924 / McLaren
9. Susie Wolff - 1:35.093 / Williams
10. Giedo Van Der Garde - 1:35.155 / Caterham
11. Daniil Kvyat - 1:35.281 - Toro Rosso
12. Charles Pic - 1:35.576 / Caterham
13. Kimiya Sato - 1:35.642 / Sauber
14. Rodolfo Gonzalez - 1:36.339 / Marussia
15. James Calado - 1:36.451 / Force India
16. Jules Bianchi - 1:36.744 / Marussia


Article Written By: Amy Hawk.

Young driver Test Line-Up.

The three days of the Young Drivers Test are among us, and of course we have the new "Tyre testing" going on during it. This was not meant to happen, until of course all the tyre explosions happened. So, it was agreed Pirelli could hold testing during the 3 days of YDT.

Each team picked at least 2-3 people who would be driving for the tests. Most teams opted not to use their own current drivers, while some did. 

LINE-UP:

EDIT: Kimi Raikkonen and Mark Webber will no longer be driving due to test rules and regulations. Red Bull EDIT: Da Costa drove all day yesterday instead, and will drive again this morning (Thursday.) Ricciardo will drive in the afternoon. Friday will see Sainz Jr. In the morning and Vettel in the afternoon.

Redbull:

Wednesday: Antonio Felix da Costa = All Day
Thursday: Antonio Felix da Costa = Morning / Daniel Ricciardo = Afternoon.
Friday: Carlos Sainz Jr. = Morning. / Sebastian Vettel = Afternoon.

Ferarri:

Wednesday: Davide Rigon = All Day.
Thursday: Davide Rigon = All Day.
Friday: Felipe Massa = Morning / Davide Rigon = Afternoon.

Lotus:

Wednesday: Nicolas Prost = All Day.
Thursday: Davide Valsecchi = All Day.
Friday: TBA.

McLaren:

Wednesday: Kevin Magnussen = All Day.
Thursday: Oliver Turvey = All Day.
Friday: Gary Paffett = All Day.

Force India:

Wednesday: TBA.
Thursday: TBA.
Friday: TBA.

Torro Rosso:

Wednesday: Johnny Cecotto = All Day.
Thursday: Carlos Sainz Jr. = Morning / Daniel Ricciardo = Afternoon.
Friday: Jean-Eric Vergne = Morning / Daniil Kvyat = Afternoon.

Sauber:

Wednesday: Robin Frijns = All Day.
Thursday: Robin Frijns = Morning / Nico Hulkenberg = Afternoon.
Friday: Kimiya Sato = All Day.

Williams:

Wednesday: Daniel Juncadella = All Day.
Thursday: Pastor Maldonado = All Day.
Friday: Susie Wolff = All Day.

Marussia: 

Wednesday: Tio Ellinas = Morning. / Max Chilton = Afternoon.
Thursday: Rodolfo Gonzalez = All Day.
Friday: Rodolfo Gonzalez = Morning / Jules Bianchi = Afternoon.

Caterham:

Wednesday: Alexander Rossi = All Day.
Thursday: Will Stevens = All Day.
Friday: Giedo Van Der Garde = TBA / Charles Pic = TBA.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk