Racing (Car) : Formula 1 2015 Season thread

[MalteseFalcon]

McLaren worried now. Alonso AND Button will both be driving today. If they can't get 100 laps between them today then I'm afraid they might as well just start on designing the 2016 car as they will do crap this season.

[MalteseFalcon]

Catalunya circuit Twitter feed saying Alonso crashed on Turn 4 and had to have an ambulance called on track. He's OK and conscious though apparently, which is excellent news. Even the likes of Hamilton I wouldn't wish that on.

https://twitter.com/Circuitcat_eng/s...65903450066944

---------- Post added at 12:44 ---------- Previous post was at 12:05 ----------

Alonso airlifted to hospital, apparently the car hit a wall coming out of Turn 3. He is awake though, hopefully this is just erring on the side of caution after Bianchi last season.

[andy_m]

http://m.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117773

Now given all clear but McLaren are done with the test.

Some bizarre rumours in Spain that Alonso received an electric shock from his car and went unconscious before the crash.

Very very unconfirmed rumours, I stress.

[MalteseFalcon]

Yes, something weird happened. Had to be something with the car as if it was driver error Button would have driven in the afternoon session.

Day 4 times:

1. Grosjean, Lotus. 1:24.067, 111 laps
2. Rosberg, Mercedes. 1:24.321, 131
3. Kvyat, Red Bull. 1:24.941, 104
4. Nasr, Sauber. 1:24.956, 73
5. Bottas, Williams. 1:25.345, 129
6. Sainz Jr., Toro Rosso. 1:25.604, 88
7. Vettel, Ferrari. 1:26.312, 76
8. Hulkenberg, Force India. 1:26.591, 36
9. Alonso, McLaren. 1:27.956, 20

Total laps by team for Test 2:

1. Mercedes - 446
2. Red Bull - 417
3. Toro Rosso - 411
4. Williams - 407
5. Lotus - 361
6. Ferrari - 345
7. Sauber - 318
8. Force India - 304
9. McLaren - 124

Total laps after 2 tests for teams:

1. Mercedes - 962
2. Toro Rosso - 764
3. Sauber - 701
4. Ferrari - 693
5. Williams - 685
6. Red Bull - 565
7. Lotus - 551
8. Force India - 304
9. McLaren - 203

---------- Post added at 20:35 ---------- Previous post was at 20:28 ----------

Laps by driver (Top 10):

1. Verstappen - 530
2. Rosberg - 505
3. Hamilton - 409
4. Raikkonen - 364
5. Nasr - 353
6. Ericsson - 348
7. Vettel - 329
8. Bottas - 322
9. Maldonado - 310
10. Kvyat - 297

Excluding the 3 reserve drivers who have tested, Hulkenberg is last with 86 laps, then the 2 McLaren drivers.

[MalteseFalcon]

Something not right. Alonso having further tests before being released from hospital is the headline yet the story says he is in intensive care with concussion. Very worrying, I hope this is just a case of them being very cautious after the Bianchi accident last season.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/31585149

[andy_m]

If it did say that it's been updated now. McLaren have said it's overnighter for obs, nothing more.

Merc looking ominous. They've obviously ironed out their reliability issues from last season, and Rosberg's time was posted on medium tyres - Grosjean was on super sorts for just a 3 tenths advantage!

[andy_m]

I'm just trying to make some sense of what the testing so far means for the coming season. Obviously Ferrari look a lot better, and so do Lotus. Red Bull look iffy. McLaren have had an appalling pre-season so far BUT if their times have been with a faulty or even non-existent ERS then they have a potentially very quick car on their hands.

So, the way I see it is this: last year the only team to win races other than Merc were RBR, but these generally came when Merc had reliability issues. The only team that really came close to beating a healthy Merc were Williams. Testing suggests that Merc will be much more reliable this year than last, and that they have found some pace, and are comparable with the Lotus and Ferrari and Red Bull even on prime tyres relative to those teams.

In other words you still can't see past Merc one-two's for most of the season - if anything I think they'll be even more dominant. But the rest of the field will be very competetive. With reliability sorted I think the coming season will be a pretty dull drive to the titles for Hamilton (sorry, Mark) and Merc, but second place in the constructor's championship could conceivably go to Red Bull, Williams, Ferrari or even McLaren if they sort themselves out quickly.

[Hom3r]

Originally Posted by MarkC1984

Something not right. Alonso having further tests before being released from hospital is the headline yet the story says he is in intensive care with concussion. Very worrying, I hope this is just a case of them being very cautious after the Bianchi accident last season.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/31585149

To be honest I just think they're be overly cautious, possible head injury.

As much as I dislike Alonso, it's better safe than sorry.

[MalteseFalcon]

To be honest, I just want it to be a fight not a clear cut winner after half the season. To be honest I am in the camp of ABHV (anyone but Hamilton or Vettel).

[andy_m]

Originally Posted by MarkC1984

To be honest, I just want it to be a fight not a clear cut winner after half the season. To be honest I am in the camp of ABHV (anyone but Hamilton or Vettel).

See you in 2016 then!

[andy_m]

First pic of the new Force India. Looks good. http://www.forceindiaf1.com/Home/News?pageNumber=1

---------- Post added at 15:48 ---------- Previous post was at 15:46 ----------

Manor think they can make Melbourne and Will Stevens will be driving for them. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/31625706

[MalteseFalcon]

Hope Manor do make it. Apparently, Alonso now released from hospital but will not drive this test at all. So Button could be on for all 4 days or they will use another driver to take his place.

[andy_m]

Kevin Magnusson will fill in apparently.

[MalteseFalcon]

Yes, been updated since. All I saw was Alonso released, more info to follow.

[andy_m]

Makes sense. He obviously has good recent experience of this engine formula - let's just hope they can get some running done. I definitely think there's pace in this car.