Barcelona Test... How relevant will it be?

[Matt2101]

Apologies if this has been started, couldnt find a thread on a quick scan through.
So the teams begin a 3 day test tomorrow with a variety of new and old machinery, and new and established drivers.
Is it worth reading much into it at this stage? Personally I find this part of the year as interesting as the racing itself sometimes, particularly with the unusual thrown in, such as Sebastien Loeb completing his first proper F1 test around other cars. I'd love to see him be competitive, but I imagine any running he does will be purely to evaluate the boring stuff the regular drivers find too mundane.
Bruno Senna in a Honda should be interesting as well, especially in a comparison to Wurz and Button.
I'll be keeping an eye on the internet for news from it that's for sure!

[10 Pence Short]

Times wise, it'll mean absolutely zero.

It's an opportunity to try out some new bits and do some system checks for some teams, an opportunity to evaluate drivers for others.

[MrKipling43]

Matt2101 said:

Bruno Senna in a Honda should be interesting as well, especially in a comparison to Wurz and Button.

Again though, Senna's times relative to anyone (including team mates) are meaningless since they'll all be doing different programmes.

This test will be - in as much as an F1 test can be - a case of 'lobbing' some bits from next year's car on this year's chassis and seeing if they behave as predicted on the supercomputers and in the wind tunnels. A toe dipped in the water of next year's regulations if you will, a chance to see if their sums are right.

Edited by MrKipling43 on Sunday 16th November 23:11