2021 Winter Testing One

[Nitrodaze]

The regulations for 2021 introduced several small changes to the cars. The most significant is the narrowing of the chassis floor, which has the effect of reducing the inherent ground effect at the backend of the car. Consequently reducing effective downforce significantly. Every team has presented a new car with all sorts of gizmo to recover the lost downforce at the rear. The question really is, which chassis platform sufferers the most from the narrower floor? Do the rake cars benefit or suffer more than flat cars like the Mercedes?

I guess we shall find out at winter testing, which runs from March 12th to 14th. Is the narrow floor enough to cause a brawn effect with one car suddenly storming ahead of the familiar front runners?

[airshifter]

The floor changes could have an impact, and with so many cars taking different approaches, it could shake things up more than we are expecting.

I'm looking forward to finding out which direction it all takes. I'm ready to see some cars on track!

[Nitrodaze]

Mercedes with gearbox problems. They have missed most of the mornings running. umm!

[Nitrodaze]

It is looking like a three days testing is optimistic for a proper preparation for a new season.

[F1nKS]

Verstappen leading the way so far with Norris and Ricardo coming in at #2 and #3.

[Nitrodaze]

Verstappen leading the way so far with Norris and Ricardo coming in at #2 and #3.

Shocker for Mercedes! Aston Martin also a slow start but Stroll in fourth. The reduced spending seems to be showing at Mercedes or is it the lack of rake?

[truefan72]

Shocker for Mercedes! Aston Martin also a slow start but Stroll in fourth. The reduced spending seems to be showing at Mercedes or is it the lack of rake?

My guess is that Mercedes are working out their kinks and probably hiding a bit of their speed.
These cars, in terms of the powertrain and many components are pretty much the same as 2020.
Norris in the Mclaren was just .125 behind the RBR on Hards vs Verstappen's Mediums, and that's with the Mercedes engine etc bolted unto that car's chassis.
So i don't suspect there are any major issues with the Mercedes.
We'll see how they get on tomorrow and Sunday.

[truefan72]

just a slightly insignificant point.
In watching the FOM timing on the screen and in the app, they got 3 teams with a blue icon next to the name which seems confusing. Why could they not make the Williams a yellow color. They already have it from Renault last year so it's not as if they gotta come up with something new. Just a mild annoyance with 3 blue icons

[F1nKS]

Mercedes is sand bagging.

[airshifter]

Merc is well known for sandbagging, but with such limited testing this year they won't be able to do it for long!

I hope the track conditions improve, or we might all be guessing until the first race.

[F1nKS]

And just like that Mercedes on top on Day 2 of testing:

1. Bottas 1:30:289
2. Gasly 1:30:413
3. Stroll 1:30:460
4. Norris 1:30:586

[Nitrodaze]

Did anyone notice, it seems Mercedes is running a racked car this season? For a brief moment there, when Hamilton beached the car, a side camera shot of the car seem to show a clear rake under the car. Or was the front buried in the sand or something?

[Nitrodaze]

Mclaren is making waves with a cool new diffuser. Everyone took their diffusers off, Mclaren redesigned theirs within the rules. Smart thinking!

Ferrari looks quicker this season. They are 0.299 seconds on medium tyres from the Redbull of Perez on soft tyres. This would suggest that Ferrari are probably as quick as the Redbull, if not quicker. Redbull has turned up this season more prepared than ever. They look the quickest at the moment but l think we have not seen the raw paces of these cars. Hence, it is still a bit difficult to say what the actual pecking order is. But clearly, Mclaren has closed up to the sharp end of the grid. Alpine find that they are really fighting the much improved Alpha Tauri this season. Both are within touching distance of Mclaren.

One thing is clear, Mercedes are on their back foot, so is Aston Martin. Williams looks like they have not made a big step forward. Haas looks very slow. Alfa Romeo looks faster this season. It is unclear where Mercedes are at the moment. If we go into the first race in two weeks as it is at the moment. We would have to say Redbull is the team to beat, closely followed by Ferrari and Mclaren, with Mercedes somewhere at the top of the midfield.

Knowing Mercedes, they would find something over that two weeks period and return to the sharp end of the grid. But l would be surprised if they can overhaul the Redbull which is looking bulletproof at the moment.

[The Black Knight]

Yuki Tsunoda is the driver that’s exciting me the most this season. Every now and then a driver joins that immediately raises the eyebrow. Russell and LeClerc are the most recent example of that kind of driver. Looking the way Tsunoda is driving that car in testing he looks a very exciting prospect indeed. Can’t wait to see him when the gloves go off.

Mercedes looking better but look like they’re sandbagging as they always do in testing but not looking as dominant as usual. I’m sick of Mercedes winning so come on someone else. 7 different winners in 7 races again please 😃

[Nitrodaze]

Yuki Tsunoda is the driver that’s exciting me the most this season. Every now and then a driver joins that immediately raises the eyebrow. Russell and LeClerc are the most recent example of that kind of driver. Looking the way Tsunoda is driving that car in testing he looks a very exciting prospect indeed. Can’t wait to see him when the gloves go off.

Mercedes looking better but look like they’re sandbagging as they always do in testing but not looking as dominant as usual. I’m sick of Mercedes winning so come on someone else. 7 different winners in 7 races again please 😃
Too early to comment on Yuki. He is not yet close enough to Gasly to raise my eyebrows. But he is super fast and a tough racer, hence l expect to see good things from him.

[The Black Knight]

Too early to comment on Yuki. He is not yet close enough to Gasly to raise my eyebrows. But he is super fast and a tough racer, hence l expect to see good things from him.

Too early to draw final conclusions but he looked class in F2 last year and be looked like he has massive pace today in testing. He looks easily on Gasly’s pace if not ahead.

[Nitrodaze]

Too early to draw final conclusions but he looked class in F2 last year and be looked like he has massive pace today in testing. He looks easily on Gasly’s pace if not ahead.

I would be well impressed if he can give Gasly the slightest bother. This is testing so we would have to see how he copes with a proper season. But l see enough to suggest that he may surpass all previous F1 Japanese drivers. I am very curious to see how he gets along.

[F1nKS]

Too early to comment on Yuki. He is not yet close enough to Gasly to raise my eyebrows. But he is super fast and a tough racer, hence l expect to see good things from him.

Yuki was faster than Gasly today and finished 2nd behind Max. I don't put that much stock in testing, but that does catch my eye.

[Nitrodaze]

Yuki was faster than Gasly today and finished 2nd behind Max. I don't put that much stock in testing, but that does catch my eye.

Yep. l agree. He impressed today. He has speed and he has all the hallmarks of a star of the future. But l would ease off putting pressure on him. If he can repeat this during the season, then yeah, let's shout about it.

[F1nKS]

Yep. l agree. He impressed today. He has speed and he has all the hallmarks of a star of the future. But l would ease off putting pressure on him. If he can repeat this during the season, then yeah, let's shout about it.

With him at Alpha Tauri there really is not any pressure on him. He is playing with house money. But Gasly might start feeling the pressure if Yuki does put on good performances.

I'm also suprised at Checo. I was really hoping he would be closer to Max.

[Nitrodaze]

With him at Alpha Tauri there really is not any pressure on him. He is playing with house money. But Gasly might start feeling the pressure if Yuki does put on good performances.

I'm also suprised at Checo. I was really hoping he would be closer to Max.

As it got darker it got cooler, track conditions improved considerably as a result. Perez is right up there with Max. Very close actually.

[F1nKS]

As it got darker it got cooler, track conditions improved considerably as a result. Perez is right up there with Max. Very close actually.

That would be good. I hope so.

I think I heard that Mercedes did not do any of their allotted shakedown testing prior to 3 days of testing. They are staying in Bahrain and doing it this week. So the issues Mercedes had are probably not indicative of what their race state will be. If this is true, it only reinforces my opinion that Mercedes was not showing their complete hand yet.

[Nitrodaze]

That would be good. I hope so.

I think I heard that Mercedes did not do any of their allotted shakedown testing prior to 3 days of testing. They are staying in Bahrain and doing it this week. So the issues Mercedes had are probably not indicative of what their race state will be. If this is true, it only reinforces my opinion that Mercedes was not showing their complete hand yet.

Now, that would not surprise me. They do not want to put all their aero bits out there for the copycats until the business of racing commences. I think they may be running a slight rake this season it appears.

[F1nKS]

As it got darker it got cooler, track conditions improved considerably as a result. Perez is right up there with Max. Very close actually.

F1 has charts from the runs that confirms exactly what you were saying.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.6-key-things-our-data-tells-us-from-pre-season-testing-including-why-it.4fuw9PfcWuLtnunCePHDmp.html

Also, there is indication that Ferrari could be scary if you believe that chart.

[JackCTU]

I think Ferrari were very much under the radar over the the three day test. The one thing that impressed me the most was the huge step Honda have made, the 2021 Honda engine sounds different.

[N. Jones]

Does everyone think Merc is sandbagging or is legitimately having issues?

[Nitrodaze]

Does everyone think Merc is sandbagging or is legitimately having issues?

Nope, they are not sandbagging. Their problems are real, but they will sort it out before next weekend. But l think they will be faster than Redbull when they get going. That said, it would be something if they win the first race of this season. Redbull is the favourite to win next weekend.