F1 2022 Pre-Season Testing Thread

**Cavallino** · 10th March 2022, 22:53

So Merc showed up with one set of bodywork for the first week of testing. Which, let's assume they spent some CFD time on that.

Then, without knowing how it would perform on track, already had this design in the pipeline which is completely different.

So Mercedes is so confident in their CFD and simulator, they don't need the track anymore?

Why would you use CFD on designs, without seeing how it performs on track or what other teams do?

If Merc is farther along on CFD allocation than we are, I like the path Ferrari has chosen.

**enjaybel3** · 10th March 2022, 23:16

Originally Posted by Greig

In other words, you don't know.

So people can't post unless they "know"? Perhaps you should ban everyone here who isn't a god.

**killer** · 11th March 2022, 01:37

I’m over that Merc design.

I also think I’ve seen enough to know no one sandbags in preseason tests anymore. Especially this year with the new regs.

Everyone’s bawling over those zero pods but no one’s talking about how Hamilton’s helmet fits in the rollbar intake.

We shall see. I don’t see Ferrari being left behind nor Merc running away with the titles just yet.

**JPZ** · 11th March 2022, 02:49

The Mercedes new sidepods not as extreme as I thought they’d be.

Quite relieved to see they’re just smaller sidepods and not completely zero as was speculated.

**ntukza** · 11th March 2022, 03:27

Originally Posted by ferrari1.8t

Its amazing that with such prescriptive regulations Mercedes still came up with a such unique solution compared to everyone else. Even Brawn said they never anticipated this extreme design when creating the new rules. Isn’t it amazing to see that it is always Mercedes that comes up with the best solution and the one that is not even anticipated by rule makers? And eventually that solution always gets a green light from the FIA. Is it just a coincidence, does Mercedes have the brain power that no one else has? Or it is something else? Again, 9 other teams with hundreds of engineers and not one came up with this solution. Very interesting. It is also interesting that in a budget cap era, they can somehow build one car for the release date, a completely different car for the first test and another completely different car for test 2. Will Merc change LuLu and Geroge’s engine every race this year and run at fully party mode all the time? Afterall, their budget seems endless.

Yeah, clearly Merc must have crept up to all the other engineers in the night and sprinkled some voodoo dust while they were sleeping to prevent them from coming up with clever solutions so that only Merc has clever solutions. It's all Merc's doing. If other teams don't produce good cars, it's Merc's fault.

**ntukza** · 11th March 2022, 03:28

Personally, I think Merc have screwed up big time, and they're stumbling from one test to another not knowing what it is exactly they want to do.

**paolo lalli** · 11th March 2022, 03:45

Exactly they have dropped the ball on this one I have one word to best describe there current situation the word is PANICKED for now.

**Super M** · 11th March 2022, 04:26

Originally Posted by ntukza

Personally, I think Merc have screwed up big time, and they're stumbling from one test to another not knowing what it is exactly they want to do.

I like the way you think. But then, i wouldn't put it past them to resolve it come the first race. You know how well they look/appear to struggle, and the all of a sudden, BOOOOM, They're back

**Cavallino** · 11th March 2022, 04:36

Originally Posted by Super M

I like the way you think. But then, i wouldn't put it past them to resolve it come the first race. You know how well they look/appear to struggle, and the all of a sudden, BOOOOM, They're back

i don't know about you guys, but all i saw Hamilton do today was lock up.

**stefa** · 11th March 2022, 06:55

Originally Posted by Tifoso

Help me to recall the last beautiful Ferrari that wasn’t a winner?

To be subjectivly honest, all Ferrari cars a beautiful. Some more some less

**patrese86** · 11th March 2022, 07:24

Positive start to the morning again.

**JacKy** · 11th March 2022, 07:49

LOL!!

Alex Albon was on skysport Stream , then latifi’s Car started to produce some fire on rear tyres.

Albon said nothing to worry about, He knows what they are doing.

Then car’s back on full fire in a second. Caused Red Flag lmfao

**killer** · 11th March 2022, 08:00

Originally Posted by Cavallino

i don't know about you guys, but all i saw Hamilton do today was lock up.

The dread at new Merc designs can be understood—the past 7 years have conditioned everyone. I personally am more focused on our progress. Still early to tell but it has so far looked positive for Ferrari. Reckoning won’t be long now.

**tifosi1993** · 11th March 2022, 08:36

Not sure what to make of it. But it seems both Charles and Russell are on race run, and the F1-75 making the Mercedes look like a mid-field car. The lap time delta is quite substantial.

**PURE PASSION** · 11th March 2022, 08:42

And I say it again, 1 and a half days of testing ,with brand new cars with new concepts that they never run before, and Merc are still hiding????!!!! What's the point?? I don't say that they all should go flat out (we don't do it either) but to run so low in everything and never try your new car in a bit more stress to see hoe it reacts ,this is crazy for me and pure mockery!!!

**PURE PASSION** · 11th March 2022, 08:49

But then again

Leclerc returned to the pits after a long stint on the C3. His times in the last laps had risen in an important way (maybe they are engaged in some tests with the various FS etc.). Russell continues instead, at 15 laps at the moment # F1Testing

So might be in completely different programs

**JacKy** · 11th March 2022, 08:49

Leclerc’ Stints with c3

1:39.590
1:40.477
1:40.977
1:41.075
1:41.576
1:41.876
1:42.380
1:42.279
1:42.732
1:42.966
1:43.461
1:44.100
1:44.684

0.500 drop by everylap

**SS454** · 11th March 2022, 08:50

Originally Posted by PURE PASSION

And I say it again, 1 and a half days of testing ,with brand new cars with new concepts that they never run before, and Merc are still hiding????!!!! What's the point?? I don't say that they all should go flat out (we don't do it either) but to run so low in everything and never try your new car in a bit more stress to see hoe it reacts ,this is crazy for me and pure mockery!!!

It's easy to hide true performance and still collect the data for the team to analyze.

Heavy fuel is an easy one
Lower power modes in certain areas.
Pushing in one section, but taking it easy in another.
They can push hard in the corners, but reduced power on the straights and drop 1 second a lap but still understand tire wear.
They can push hard in the main straights and take it easy in the corners to get straight line performance data.
If the data correlates with the sim, they can do limited running on track and fill in the gaps in the simulator.

When the teams start doing full race simulations, it will give more insight.

**SS454** · 11th March 2022, 08:51

Originally Posted by JacKy

Leclerc’ Stints with c3

1:39.590
1:40.477
1:40.977
1:41.075
1:41.576
1:41.876
1:42.380
1:42.279
1:42.732
1:42.966
1:43.461
1:44.100
1:44.684

0.500 drop by everylap

That's dreadful tire wear. I hope that's just a characteristic of the tire and not the car. However if its the tires, then we are back to the early Pirelli days when drivers will hold back 2 or 3 seconds a lap to save the tires.

**Aziz** · 11th March 2022, 08:56

Originally Posted by JacKy

Leclerc’ Stints with c3

1:39.590
1:40.477
1:40.977
1:41.075
1:41.576
1:41.876
1:42.380
1:42.279
1:42.732
1:42.966
1:43.461
1:44.100
1:44.684

0.500 drop by everylap

abysmal tire wear

**PURE PASSION** · 11th March 2022, 09:04

In Barcelona, they said that we had very good tire wear!!!!!
To lose now 0.5s /lap on C3s just look so abnormal to me!!!

**PURE PASSION** · 11th March 2022, 09:07

Russell's time also on C3.
Quite steady but Quite high also.
So no comparison, Lec seems to be on a different program, maybe testing something
Russell #W13

outlap (C3)
1: 43.091
1: 42.549
1: 42.172
1: 42.555
1: 42.698
1: 42.720
1: 42.535
1: 42.709
1: 42.957
1: 43.715
1: 43.871
1: 43.564
1: 43.764
1: 43.955
1: 53.371 inlap
box (C2)

#Day5 #AM #F1Testing
#F1 @MercedesAMGF1

**JacKy** · 11th March 2022, 09:11

Originally Posted by PURE PASSION

Russell's time also on C3.
Quite steady but Quite high also.
So no comparison, Lec seems to be on a different program, maybe testing something
Russell #W13

Thanks for information

**Aziz** · 11th March 2022, 09:14

Leclerc's average time from that stint: 42.12

Russel's average: 43.06

Both is based on 14 timed laps, excluding in and out laps.

Leclerc started quicker, but also degraded faster, Merc was more steady.

**tifosi1993** · 11th March 2022, 09:17

Originally Posted by JacKy

Leclerc’ Stints with c3

1:39.590
1:40.477
1:40.977
1:41.075
1:41.576
1:41.876
1:42.380
1:42.279
1:42.732
1:42.966
1:43.461
1:44.100
1:44.684

0.500 drop by everylap

His tyres were 4-5 laps older than Russell's.

**PURE PASSION** · 11th March 2022, 09:19

Originally Posted by JacKy

Thanks for information

**PURE PASSION** · 11th March 2022, 09:22

Vettels stint was quite interesting and probably faster then Leclerc s!!!
Stint του Vettel (C3) #AMR22

outlap
1: 38.948
1: 39.873
1: 40.546
1: 40.816
1: 41.394
1: 41.646
1: 41.780
1: 42.006
1: 42.645
1: 42.659
1: 42.890
1: 42.877
1: 43.458
1: 43.469
1: 43.807
inlap

#Day5 #AM #F1Testing
#F1 @AstonMartinF1