f1 testing - Ferrari Owners' Club

F1 Ramblas
by Winston D'Arcy

18.2.07

Last week's F1 official testing last week in Barcelona was significant in that all of the teams were there and all ran their 2007 cars. It's difficult to draw any final conclusions (I still blush to think of my prediction that Honda would win the 2006 Constructors' Championship), but it's still of interest because a trend is definitely emerging. The driver situations are 95.8% settled and all of the teams are on Bridgestone tyres following Michelin's withdrawal in a Gallic huff at the end of last year.

If any tifoso was rubbing his hands in glee thinking this would give Ferrari an advantage this was quickly quelled when Bridgestone stated they were introducing a new type of tyre, not only harder than this year's but a different construction too.

The drivers reported that the harder tyres made the cars slide more and several have said they are having to adapt their driving styles, including Raikkonen and Kubica but, ominously, Alonso, who used to turn in very aggressively does not seem to have had a problem. Maybe he adopted that style to suit his Renault. Interestingly that team has said that they can understand why the mass-dampers did not work for Bridgestone teams "as their fronts are too wide" perhaps implying that this led to the ban as Ferrari were disadvantaged. Whatever, Renault clearly feel that they were unfairly discriminated against last year.

Of more relevance for the future is Massa's view that the new tyres will make overtaking harder - oh great! Felipe says this is because it makes braking distances longer and the the driver has to be smoother and less aggressive in the corners for fear of locking the front or losing the back. It's clear that less mechanical grip is a bad thing not only because of the aforementioned problem, but also because of the increased emphasis it places on aero performance which is the exact opposite to what's required for good racing.

A control tyre means that one variable is eliminated which is unfortunate because generally, the more variables, the better the racing. Bridgestone are taking a "hard" and "soft" compound to each race and the teams must use both in the race. This might re-introduce the sort of variable Schuey and Ross are so good at taking advantage of. Oh, I forgot ....

It's hard to draw any firm conclusions from the test as we have no way of knowing what strategies the teams were on, let alone the drivers. I had to smile when Crazy Dave Coolthud went quickest of all on the final day in his Adrian Newey designed Dead Bull RB3 Renault as, after a previously disappointing showing, his speed coincided with team owner Dietrich Mateschitz 's visit to the circuit, pure coincidence shurely!

Dead Bull seem to be going for some form of comedy award, as their "Extreme Sports Yoof" team now not only has the oldest driver on the grid, but he's been joined by 30 year old Mark Webber. Most people of their drivers' ages are more interested in jobs, houses, kids and schools than in skateboarding and swigging sugary stimulants. As previously reported, Coolthud has sternly said that underachievers must go this year - this after 13 seasons in the sport and no title. Webber has been slagging off his previous team, claiming that Williams will be little more that a Toyota 'B' team, quite what this says about his new team vis a vis Renault I'm not sure - unless he was being ironic.

The fizzy pop 'B' (or is it 'C') team Scuderia Toro Rosso have taken over the Ferrari engine supply which has been bolted in the back of a car which looks identical to their sister team's RB3. The F1 rules state that a team cannot race a car the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of which belong to another team. However, a team can race a car who's IPR belongs to a non-competing manufacturer, such as Lola. This had led to the device of the IPRs of the RB3/STR2 belonging to a third party, apart from Red Bull Racing and STR.

A similar strategem has been used so that Super Aguri can race last year's Honda. Neither Williams or Spyker are happy at this state of affairs, claiming it's just a device to get round the rules. An outbreak of court action in Melbourne looks quite possible. "Customer" cars are allowed next year and this may well see the demise of the independents, but what is the alternative for keeping the grid size up?

Anyway back on track, I decided to take the mean of the best times per day for both of each team's drivers. For most teams this meant the mean of six times (three days x two drivers). I ignored "extra" drivers. I'm pleased to say that this analysis produced a conclusion not dissimilar to that of Renault Technical Director Pat Symonds.

At the moment McLaren seem to be slightly ahead of Ferrari and BMW who are very close. Massa was quicker than Raikkonen and generally has been throughout the winter. Jean Todt has confirmed that there is no designated Number 1 at Ferrari next season leaving both drivers free to fight for supremacy. Oddly, Michael Schumacher has turned up at a few of the tests and is reportedly heavily involved, though what that involvement is and what his future role in Ferrari will be has yet to be defined. Can't think Kimi's very chuffed about it, as someone said it'd be like going out with someone and having their ex-boyfriend or girlfriend hanging around.

Newcomer Lewis Hamilton has so far been on a par or slightly quicker than Alonso at McLaren - a brilliant achievement for the British novice. Heidfeld and Kubica are neck-and-neck for BMW. Rookie Kovalainen is ahead of underachieving team mate Fisichella. Williams are ahead of both new engine supplier Toyota and Honda - what must those two teams be thinking! Then we get Red Bull and Super Aguri with last year's Honda.

Unsurprisingly Spyker and Toro Rosso bring up the rear, though it was the first time the STR had turned a wheel and Spyker have had very little running. Hmm, I've just realised that the slowest two teams have Ferrari engines. So here's my ranking based on last week. Doesn't look too bad a prediction for the season to me, though I expect Williams will drop down the list and Honda and STR will rise a bit. Ferrari, of course, will leap ahead and take both titles! Forza Ferrari!