Jerez Lap Times

[AlexHillTVR]

Jerez day one 2013
Fastest time: Jenson Button (McLaren) 1:18.861

Jerez day one 2014
Fastest time: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:27.104

Sure they are taking it easy on the first day with such radical changes to the formula, and we knew the new cars would be off the pace from last year, but is an 8.2 second gap really what we are going to be looking at on a short track like Jerez?

What times do you expect to see the cars making by the end of the week? Roughly 8 seconds was the difference between F1 2013 and GP2 in qualifying around Monaco which boasts a similar lap time.

Discuss!

[AlexS]

I think a more telling stat is less than 100 laps in total for all the cars, compared to 600 last year.

[Vaud]

Discuss on day 3...

[AlexHillTVR]

I'm personally expecting that once they start putting in some performance work we'll be seeing times 2-3 seconds off last year.

[Some Gump]

Symptom of the changes imo. Wlliams did 1 timed lap. One. Last year, everyone did loads - bound to have daft gaps when all they are really doing is getting thngs warm and leaning on things a little bit..

Yes, i think the cars will be slower - esp in qualifying pace (tyres, power). The gap might be smaller in the race though (depending non tyre deg).

[rdjohn]

The last day of testing in Bahrain, compared to last years Q1 times will be more telling.

It does seem odd that these massively complex cars will end up being significantly slower over a race distance if they have to conserve both fuel and tyres.

[GroundEffect]

The numbers getting thrown around by the teams is roughly 3-4 seconds off last years pace when on full blast.

[Likes Fast Cars]

If we have any more re-writes of the Regs the safety car will be faster than the race cars.

[Vocal Minority]

I don't think there is a point in reading anything into any time from the whole test.

For example Red Bull have said explicitly they are just doing systems work this week.

I think drivers will just be getting used to the dynamics of the new engine, and making sure all the little bits on the car work as they are meant to.

[Likes Fast Cars]

Vocal Minority said:

just doing systems work this week.

I think drivers will just be getting used to the dynamics of the new engine, and making sure all the little bits on the car work as they are meant to.

And don’t forget “customising” the cocks (i.e. crashing into barriers) to make the cars more aesthetically pleasing.

[touching cloth]

Not that it much matters in light of the overall disparity, but Button's time last year can also be ignored, the suspension was fitted wrong and the car was artificially low.

[PaulG40]

Some Gump said:

Symptom of the changes imo. Wlliams did 1 timed lap. One. Last year, everyone did loads - bound to have daft gaps when all they are really doing is getting thngs warm and leaning on things a little bit..

Yes, i think the cars will be slower - esp in qualifying pace (tyres, power). The gap might be smaller in the race though (depending non tyre deg).

I agree, the pace will be slower but I do suspect that the gap/pace as we move through the season will reduce dramatically.

I think Day 3 will show some more accurate times regarding pace. Are the cars going for flat out lap times currently or just out there getting some reliability miles under there belt, i.e. not attacking the corners, backing off on the straights, full of fuel, etc?