Schumacher feels 'potential' in W03
Michael Schumacher believes the new Mercedes W03 has potential after giving the car its first public outing on Tuesday.
Though the car had run previously at Silverstone and again at Barcelona on Sunday, it was only officially launched in the pit lane on Tuesday morning ahead of the start of the second test. After Schumacher completed 51 laps with a best time of 1:24.150 he was asked how the car felt during the first day at the Circuit de Catalunya.
"Reasonably positive," Schumacher said. "This is the fourth day basically that we're in the car and it's actually the first day that we had a little issue on the hydraulics today, so it runs pretty well in terms of reliability. I have good potential, a good feeling inside the car, difficult to give an exact feeling because of the rule changes - what it is worth that I'm feeling we will find out later in the week - but potential is good."
Schumacher also echoed the sentiments of Norbert Haug when he said that the team would be focusing on gradual progress....
Vettel fastest on opening morning
Sebastian Vettel set the fastest time on the first morning of this week's Barcelona test with a time of 1:23.343 in his Red Bull.
He set his best lap just before 13:00 after a chilly but clear start at the Circuit de Catalunya had kept lap times fairly high early on. Force India's Nico Hulkenberg was closest to Vettel's time with a 1:23.440, ahead of Lewis Hamilton's McLaren, Daniel Ricciardo's Toro Rosso and Fernando Alonso's Ferrari.
Testing got underway at 09:00 after Mercedes launched its new car, the W03, in the pit lane. The 2012 Mercedes had already completed a full day of testing at the circuit on Sunday, but this was the first time it has appeared alongside its rivals. Michael Schumacher set the sixth fastest time with a 1:24.150, just ahead of Sergio Perez's Sauber with a 1:24.219....
F1 rules are 'never clear' - Brawn
Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn has said the regulations in Formula One are never 100% clear and he suspects teams will continue to make the most of exhaust-blown aerodynamics in 2012.
The FIA have effectively banned exhaust-blown diffusers this year by limiting the positioning and angling of the exhaust pipes at the rear of the car. However, several teams have already been seen testing different solutions that appear to direct the exhaust gases towards specific parts of the car.
Asked if the rules were clear this year, Brawn said: "They're never clear. I've never known a season in Formula One when they are clear. You start with what you think is an understanding of the regulations and then somebody has a clever interpretation and that's the nature of the business. But there are boundaries and there are limits that we always try to maintain. There are already debates going on about engine mappings and exhaust positions, that started already, so not unusual for Formula One."...
Wednesday debut for Petrov
Vitaly Petrov will make his debut for Caterham on Wednesday after the team announced its driver schedule for the second test.
Petrov joined Caterham on Friday last week, replacing Jarno Trulli who had only participated on one day during the Jerez test. Petrov's new team-mate Heikki Kovalainen will open the test in Barcelona before handing over to Petrov for days two and three. Kovalainen will then end the test for Caterham on Friday.
Among the front-running teams, Sebastian Vettel will drive the RB8 on the opening two days, while Lewis Hamilton will be in the McLaren and Felipe Massa in the Ferrari for the same period. Michael Schumacher will drive the new W03 in public for the first time following its launch on Tuesday and will be in the car again on Thursday, with Nico Rosberg running on Wednesday and Friday....
Button to beat Hamilton - Moss
Sir Stirling Moss has backed Jenson Button to get the better of Lewis Hamilton in the intra-team battle at McLaren once again this season.
2011 was the first time in his Formula One career that Hamilton had been beaten by his team-mate across a whole season as Button finished as runner-up to Sebastian Vettel. When asked for his opinions on who would come out on top between the two McLaren drivers this season, Moss said that he expected Button's experience would see him prevail once again.
"Well Lewis does funny things doesn't he, so one can't be sure," Moss said. "I think that I would put my money actually on Jenson. Yes I would. I think that Lewis is terrific, he really is exceptionally quick but I think that Jenson will think about certain things better than he does; when to go in for a change of tyres when it's raining or whether not to, all of those sorts of things. I think he's got a better understanding of it. I think experience is a lot of it, an awful lot of it."...
| Rate Celebrity Photos! |
