F1 Testing Gossip

It is never easy to work out which teams are the favourites in F1 testing – particularly this year as fuel loads can vary as much as 150kg, resulting in differences of over 4seconds per lap! The persistent rain in Jerez has not helped either. However there are rumblings on the Internet about Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren and the other main contenders.

According to the gossip, Ferrari may have the fastest car but currently have an issue with fuel consumption.
Williams have a surprisingly good car and some feel it may be an equal for this year’s McLaren. You would have to assume, however that as soon as the McLaren development machine gets going this won’t last for long.
Red Bull are supposedly a bit disappointed with the speed of their car, which doesn’t mean it is slow necessarily but they had hoped for a larger step over their 2009 car design than they achieved.
The Mercedes GP car is rumoured to be ‘OK’ but nothing sensational.
Sauber and Toro Rosso are trying to impress with their speed, doing low fuel runs … however both are believed to be looking for more sponsorship money!
Lotus drivers say their car lacks a lot of down-force and you can see by just looking at the design that it is more GP2 than F1. Some more Computational Fluid Dynamics needed!
Renault is expected to be average.
Force India have set some good times but again may be trying to impress some potential sponsors. It seems unlikely they have found the necessary down-force given their budget restrictions.
Virgin had a hiccup with their front wing however seem closest of the new teams to the pace of the main pack.
USF1 is negotiating with the FIA to miss 4 races in 2010 and Campos has been taken over by Jose Ramon Carabante who has put ex-Spyker chief Colin Kolles in charge. Campos should make the grid for the first race.

Only 3 weeks and a day until the first race!!