TEST ROUND UP BARCELONA (msa) :
- Brawn GP almost always did stints of 23 laps, which equals to around 45 kg of fuel. The more laps they do the faster they get. Glock: ''Their traction is incredible.''
Apart from the diffusor, the big front splitter (the extension of the floor) is the other weapon of the BGP001. It's a great replacement for the traditional barge boards, it creates more downforce than the little barge boards in front of the sidepods that are still allowed, and it creates less drag as well. It's one of the solutions that's been studied thoroughly for months. Already in April 2008, work in one of the Honda windtunnels was completely dedicated to 2009.
The fact the Mercedes F0108W engine (+ 45 bhp) has come to replace that of Honda is obviously a great boost as well. Simulations (in Brackley) with comparative data regarding cornering speeds, acceleration and topspeeds point out that even with last year's car Button and Barrichello would have made it to Q3 during each GP in case they would have had a different engine.
- Behind Brawn GP, Ferrari, Toyota and BMW Sauber are more or less on the same level. Rampf: ''I think that's the right assessment. Brawn is faster than the rest of the field.'' The Technical Director doesn't think ex-Honda have been driving underweight: ''I wouldn't trust that.''
- Vasselon on what can be learnt from winter testing: ''The new regulations have brought everyone together. Surprisingly the regulatons have effectuated the exact opposite of what we all expected.''
Rampf agrees: ''I actually expected things to be different. After so many things have changed I would have thought the field to have been pulled apart. But in the past the concepts of the car varied a lot more. The many small deflectors used to have great influence (on the differences in performance - AFCA).''
- Rampf hopes that, with a clear reduction of all these bits and bobs on the car, BMW Sauber's biggest weakness from last year - the inaccurateness when further developing the car - is now something of the past: ''Overall, the circumstances are better because the cars are less complex. From an engineering point of view the challenge isn't smaller but there are less parts on the car that indirectly create downforce. The development is done with a 60% model, some things work on the model but do not necessarily work on track with the real car.''
- BMW Sauber, Ferrari and Toyota did their laps with similar fuel levels last week. Ferrari was always underway with 50 kg, Toyota with less but in any case no one really carried out qualifying simulations (well Raikkonen actually did a few 3 lap stints prior to starting a race simulation - AFCA).
- Ferrari and BMW Sauber were equipped with KERS, others like Toyota, Williams and Red Bull weren't. This blurs the picture as far as tyre wear is concerned. Over the long run Toyota was in front. Michael (who could only attend a part of the test having a fever) has some daring comments: ''Over the long run we're in front of BMW Sauber as well. We're somewhere in the middle. And at Jerez we still have some new parts to come. They might not bring a second, but at least something.''
In Williams' case, the difference in performance between a fast low fuel lap and the final lap of a 28-lap long run was only 0.7 seconds. Toyota only did stints of 18 laps and with 1:21.0's at the end of them they were just as fast as Williams were at the end of their 28 lap stint.
- For BMW Sauber these comparisons are less favourable because the tyre wear is higher due to having KERS on board. This week a decision will be taken as to whether or not KERS will be taken to Australia. Rampf didn't want to reveal anything in Spain: ''I can't anticipate the decision.'' The fact that the team that was willing to have KERS this year already at all costs, still hasn't made up its mind isn't a very good sign...
Rampf explains though that it wasn't too hard finding a set-up with KERS: ''It was relatively easy. We've tested all the (set-up) versions and all the different weight distribution configurations. Having more weight towards the back is more stressful for the reartyres: that's very more normal physics. You're trying to find a balance: if you lack ballast then there's less room to play with the wieght distribution.''
Red Bull showed how much a difference can make having KERS on board or not. At Barcelona the tyres were less worn than at Jerez a week earlier.
- Red Bull and Williams are closely behind Toyota, Ferrari and BMW Sauber. Renault and Toro Rosso a bit behind that. But RBR think they're top 3 worthy, in front of BMW Sauber and Williams. Marko: ''Our evolution parts came late - only on Wednesday and Thursday. Now there's a lot of calculating and analysing going on as to which configuration brings what amount of time. On Thursday we'll be packing up.''
- McLaren has another four days of testing left. Despite Haug saying it may take six races or more to come on top of their problems, Rampf doesn't believe the Woking-based team has completely gone the wrong way aerodynamically: ''I wouldn't quite trust that either...''
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