So they're still running the old diffuser-guess we'll just have to wait for the next test,then.

If we have some dry running today and the car is quick,at least we can be sure they've overcome the extreme understeer and weight distribution problems from the last test.

Why is everyone expecting aero mods at this stage?
Surely they're developing the mechanical package (learning about the tyres, suspension mods, weight distribution etc.).

I expect to see new aero bits in Barcelona at the earliest.

rosberg commented that they will unveil more of the new car on the jerez test

according to BBC weather, tomorrow should be the driest day from the 4-day test session

No, he didn't say that. He said the veil on car performances will be lifted a bit more, in general.
And even if he meant the W01 only, it doesn't mean it's about new aero bits.

W01 - front suspension

so you really think mercedes haven't designed a new diffuser and FW for the new season?

Do I? Read the last line of my post.

Relax people Ross Brawn literally called the current W01 car an 'interim car'.

your point, but still, driving an interim car till the last test session seems a little bit odd to me

Aren't there new attachments along either side of the nose and different mirror mountings? Maybe just didn't notice them before but they look new additions to me but maybe not.

Edit: No, I can answer my own question, I just checked, none of that is new.

You won't see mechanical developments.

And it's certainly not uncommon to bring new aero only at the last test. It has happened before.

Brawn already clearly stated, during the team launch much earlier that they will only add the upgraded aero later, for Bahrain. They do not intend to add them at this point. Will probably see it when they run the 2nd car next week onwards perhaps? Brawn already declared that they are only running the car at these test with basic bits as they are focusing on testing the car's fundamentals at this point. He said what will be seen only represent the fundamentals of the car.

Personally, I feel Merc was a bit sly with this. Let me explain:

Red bull chose to delay their debut with a week to further develop their car. Mercedes is only delaying the bits they feel delaying: The aero.

Put it this way: Lets say Red bull used their extra week to focus on their aero package (not an unreasonable assumption), but their engine and suspension was already well developed. They wasted a week of testing those parts by skipping last week's test. They could just have slapped on last years bits and got on with testing other aspects such as suspension, tyre behaviour, drivetrain, etc.

This, as far as I can work out, is what Merc are doing. Testing what they can, and delaying what's neccesary.

That, or the Merc boys were playing way too much donkey-kong.

Merc are not being sly, they are doing what the majority of teams have done every year in testing. RB simply were not ready in time. The extra week to develop is just an excuse.

bit OT - schumacher signed deal with Navyboot and Jetset, which leads to a total annual income of € 21 mill. , making schu the best earner of 2010
(AMuS)

rosberg the only man on track now

There is some truth to that. Remember that this is Ross Brawn we're talking about. Very renowned strategist and strategy is applied to everything from race, development, resource management etc etc.. All teams do it.

No team would want to reveal what they've got to the competition provided it's practical to hide it without hindering development. Even if this is not deliberate and timing is pure coincidence, it is convenient for the team to have it revealed late. When Brawn mentioned that they're holding back the bits til later it was already a clear indication that the master strategist was at work. It didn't mean that the parts are just sitting idly at the factory. It's certainly undergoing development still, but the choice of timing of such things are driven by strategy, whenever possible.

Nico's car stopped on the circuit with a mechanical problem. Better have them now than in the race, however I hope they stop happening soon.

Though irrelevant at this stage (interim and ilegal engine cover) I've noticed they've exposed the exhausts even more. On the other hand the exhausts pipes themselves sported a different shape (oblique cut rather than straight).

Could just be due to the weather, and not being fully wired with all the watertight milspec connectors, who knows. Bit strange that they have not told us, normally you hear something, oil leak, whatever.

Not a word about what brought the car to a halt in the official press release:
http://www.mercedes-gp.com/newsread.asp?mgp=j%BA%A5%99lUw

Let's hope it was indeed due to lapping on the rain the whole day which might have caused some electrical malfunction. Or maybe they've gone for the running out of fuel test today.

Could they be any more vague in that debrief... At least Nico sounds vaguely positive. But to say the details of the test was vague is praising it, because there weren't any. Only "It started to rain, and the schedule changed accordingly" - or something to that tune.

Here's a great shot from the rear end showing the changes to the exhaust:
http://images.gpupdate.net/large/145320.jpg

Changes around the airbox:

Valencia
Jerez

The air ducts on either side have been moved forward.

What's that on the top of Schumacher's helmet?

http://www.motorsport-total.com/bilder/201...z1265881839.jpg

wire/cable from helmet i gues

same diffuser

Ah so the good old stop-the-2nd-car button is back in action and works perfectly! no need for team orders there so to see.

Frans is back. Fun times ahead

way to win the wcc

Was watching @ T3 - Schumacher is incredibly smooth in his driving. Kubica found it hard to make the same lines in every lap.
1 minute ago by Trayan Sarafov

I wouldn't call Schumacher smooth actually. But in this context, I think the comment is more to do with consistency rather than smoothness. Since the Hamilton's and Schumachers of this world can be wild while still utterly in control.

he manages to find a consistent line at T3 compared to other drivers (RK)

I suspect they are running a triple-diffuser.... (illegal of course)

they may have triple one in garage but atm merc is using 09 one

Any place putting up Schumacher's stints?

eddstrawF1: Schumacher is in the 1m25s at the moment on track with, apparently, a lot of fuel onboard. It could be the start of the long run

http://www.mercedes-gp.com/newsread.asp?mg...%94%7C%8D%8E%81

nice, managed to pull 124 laps with no reliability issues

Embarrassing day for Schumi. Slower than Rosberg, slower than Button and consistently slower than Alonso. 2010 is looking bleak to me

There's no ironic smiley there, so I can only assume you're being serious.

Such an utter lack of perspective is rather scary.

I trust the numbers. Schumi did a nice long run but it was slower than Alonso's long run. And ending the day slower than barbie yesterday can't be a good thing.

Button's short stints on the other hand were probably super low fuel. But being slower (for any reason) than a crappy driver like Button is embarrassing.

Yeah because its so logical for me to troll a schumacher thread.

edit:
And pointing out a bad test is hardly being a drama queen. Merc is clearly not up to speed this year.

The good news was that Schumacher did 100+ laps without any problems (with the car or with his health).

Must be a lot more embarrassing being a fan that doesn't want to understand the car has a year-old diffuser stuck on.

I know they have older aero parts but why aren't they testing the newer aero parts already? Valencia I could understand since its a mechanical grip track, but Jerez is more aero oriented. Putting it off isn't a good thing. Thinking that they will make a omgXBOXhuge difference is just wishful thinking.

And how do you know the test went badly? Do you know fuel loads, test programs?

Yes, Alonso's long run was more impressive than Schumacher's, yet we don't know the fuel loads there either. Yes, Alonso's run was longer, but we don't know if Schumacher didn't carry fuel enough for a race distance while Alonso didn't. Or what tyres they were on (not just the type but whether it was used or not) etc. etc. Not to mention the fact Merc is still running 2009 diffuser and front wing. There could many factors. Of course it's a possibility that Ferrari is simply a faster car. Good for them then, but you are acting as if everybody was better than Mercedes. And do you honestly think Schumacher focused on beating Rosberg's time from yesterday? If he had wanted to beat that he would have beaten that. Judging from Kobayashi's time the track was ca. 1 sec quicker today, which means if you take the lap times at face value then Rosberg should be 1.1 sec/lap quicker than Schumacher. Do you honestly believe in that? I don't. I believe more that they were simply on a different program.

Ofcourse I don't know. But looking at the times available and the length of the stints, its looking likely that right now the merc is off the pace. It would be a great disappointment to me if Schumacher is in the midfield instead of fighting for wins. It might produce amazing performances from Schumi but I really want him to win (even if its like 2004 all over again).