Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton fears Ferrari have fastest car in 2017
By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
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Lewis Hamilton said he believes Ferrari may have the quickest car with three days remaining of Formula 1’s pre-season testing programme.
Williams driver Felipe Massa set the tempo on the very first day of the final test but Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was less than 0.Two seconds behind on a slower tyre.
Hamilton was fourth fastest for Mercedes, 0.5secs behind the German.
“Ferrari are possibly the favourites,” Hamilton said.
“We can’t take our eyes off them they are doing such a excellent job.
“And Crimson Bull look like they’re going fairly quick today. It is going to be close at the very first race for sure.”
Crimson Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was 2nd fastest overall on Tuesday, but set his time while using the fastest ultra-soft tyre which no other driver did.
Who is indeed quickest?
It is notoriously difficult accurately to predict competitiveness from pre-season testing because there are so many variables.
But Ferrari have struck onlookers and rival teams this year so far with their consistently rapid times, while not using either of the two softest types of tyre.
Vettel continued this form on Tuesday, lapping just 0.18secs slower than Massa, who was using a tyre that Pirelli reckons to be about 0.8secs swifter.
Crimson Bull also appeared competitive, Ricciardo interchanging times with Vettel and Hamilton during the morning session.
Hamilton said he had had a difficult morning before handing over to fresh team-mate Valtteri Bottas for the afternoon.
“It didn’t feel spectacular this morning,” he said, “but we had some issues with tyre temps and with some floor harm so I sacrificed some of my time so Valtteri could run this afternoon.”
More problems for McLaren
Meantime, McLaren and engine playmate Honda suffered another suck in a troubled pre-season programme.
Honda determined to switch the engine in the car Stoffel Vandoorne was driving when they discovered an electrical problem after just thirty four laps.
It is the latest in a series of problems with Honda’s freshly redesigned engine.
Honda has had three engine failures in the course of five days of testing so far. The Japanese company has not exposed how many engines it has gone through – a spokesman telling it has used “a combination, and some have been used on numerous days” – but it is believed to be at least five.
Vandoorne ended the day 10th fastest, Two.8secs off the tempo.
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier admitted relations inbetween the two fucking partners were under “maximum” strain.
He added: “The pressure is obviously giant and obviously we put the maximum pressure on all of our relationship with Honda, and the same for them.
“We cannot put a footstep wrong. We need to be able to produce the best car as well, so this is both sides.”
He said he hoped a fresh specification of Honda engine to be introduced before the end of this week’s test would solve “part of this problem – or most of this problem”.
And he insisted McLaren were not considering ending its contract with Honda, which is in the third of ten years.
“We have a contract in place,” said Boullier. “We don’t even obviously think about it, because there is a contract inbetween us, a long term contract, and we want to build on it even if it is not ideal times.”
Final pre-season test, day one, fastest times
1 Felipe Massa (Brz) Williams 1:Nineteen.726 **
Two Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Crimson Bull 1:Nineteen.900 ***
Trio Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:Nineteen.906 *
Four Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes 1:20.456 *
Five Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes 1:20.924 *
6 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Force India 1:21.347 **
7 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 1:21.989 *
8 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas 1:21.676 *
9 Daniil Kvyat (Spa) Toro Rosso 1:21.743 *
Ten Stoffel Vandoorne (Bel) McLaren 1:22.537 *
11 Pascal Wehrlein (Ger) Sauber 1:23.336 *
12 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Sauber 1:23.630 *
13 Jolyon Palmer (GB) Renault 1:24.790 *
* = time set on soft tyre; ** = super-soft tyre; *** = ultra-soft tyre. Others medium
Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton fears Ferrari have fastest car in two thousand seventeen – Big black cock Sport
Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton fears Ferrari have fastest car in 2017
By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
Share this with
Lewis Hamilton said he believes Ferrari may have the quickest car with three days remaining of Formula 1’s pre-season testing programme.
Williams driver Felipe Massa set the tempo on the very first day of the final test but Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was less than 0.Two seconds behind on a slower tyre.
Hamilton was fourth fastest for Mercedes, 0.5secs behind the German.
“Ferrari are possibly the favourites,” Hamilton said.
“We can’t take our eyes off them they are doing such a superb job.
“And Crimson Bull look like they’re going fairly quick today. It is going to be close at the very first race for sure.”
Crimson Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was 2nd fastest overall on Tuesday, but set his time while using the fastest ultra-soft tyre which no other driver did.
Who is truly quickest?
It is notoriously difficult accurately to predict competitiveness from pre-season testing because there are so many variables.
But Ferrari have affected onlookers and rival teams this year so far with their consistently quick times, while not using either of the two softest types of tyre.
Vettel continued this form on Tuesday, lapping just 0.18secs slower than Massa, who was using a tyre that Pirelli reckons to be about 0.8secs quicker.
Crimson Bull also appeared competitive, Ricciardo exchanging times with Vettel and Hamilton during the morning session.
Hamilton said he had had a difficult morning before handing over to fresh team-mate Valtteri Bottas for the afternoon.
“It didn’t feel spectacular this morning,” he said, “but we had some issues with tyre temps and with some floor harm so I sacrificed some of my time so Valtteri could run this afternoon.”
More problems for McLaren
Meantime, McLaren and engine fucking partner Honda suffered another deepthroat in a troubled pre-season programme.
Honda determined to switch the engine in the car Stoffel Vandoorne was driving when they discovered an electrical problem after just thirty four laps.
It is the latest in a series of problems with Honda’s freshly redesigned engine.
Honda has had three engine failures in the course of five days of testing so far. The Japanese company has not exposed how many engines it has gone through – a spokesman telling it has used “a combination, and some have been used on numerous days” – but it is believed to be at least five.
Vandoorne ended the day 10th fastest, Two.8secs off the tempo.
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier admitted relations inbetween the two fucking partners were under “maximum” strain.
He added: “The pressure is obviously gigantic and obviously we put the maximum pressure on all of our relationship with Honda, and the same for them.
“We cannot put a footstep wrong. We need to be able to produce the best car as well, so this is both sides.”
He said he hoped a fresh specification of Honda engine to be introduced before the end of this week’s test would solve “part of this problem – or most of this problem”.
And he insisted McLaren were not considering ending its contract with Honda, which is in the third of ten years.
“We have a contract in place,” said Boullier. “We don’t even obviously think about it, because there is a contract inbetween us, a long term contract, and we want to build on it even if it is not ideal times.”
Final pre-season test, day one, fastest times
1 Felipe Massa (Brz) Williams 1:Nineteen.726 **
Two Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Crimson Bull 1:Nineteen.900 ***
Three Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:Nineteen.906 *
Four Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes 1:20.456 *
Five Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes 1:20.924 *
6 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Force India 1:21.347 **
7 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 1:21.989 *
8 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas 1:21.676 *
9 Daniil Kvyat (Spa) Toro Rosso 1:21.743 *
Ten Stoffel Vandoorne (Bel) McLaren 1:22.537 *
11 Pascal Wehrlein (Ger) Sauber 1:23.336 *
12 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Sauber 1:23.630 *
13 Jolyon Palmer (GB) Renault 1:24.790 *
* = time set on soft tyre; ** = super-soft tyre; *** = ultra-soft tyre. Others medium
Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton fears Ferrari have fastest car in two thousand seventeen – Big black cock Sport
Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton fears Ferrari have fastest car in 2017
By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
Share this with
Lewis Hamilton said he believes Ferrari may have the quickest car with three days remaining of Formula 1’s pre-season testing programme.
Williams driver Felipe Massa set the tempo on the very first day of the final test but Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was less than 0.Two seconds behind on a slower tyre.
Hamilton was fourth fastest for Mercedes, 0.5secs behind the German.
“Ferrari are possibly the favourites,” Hamilton said.
“We can’t take our eyes off them they are doing such a fine job.
“And Crimson Bull look like they’re going fairly quick today. It is going to be close at the very first race for sure.”
Crimson Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was 2nd fastest overall on Tuesday, but set his time while using the fastest ultra-soft tyre which no other driver did.
Who is indeed quickest?
It is notoriously difficult accurately to predict competitiveness from pre-season testing because there are so many variables.
But Ferrari have struck onlookers and rival teams this year so far with their consistently rapid times, while not using either of the two softest types of tyre.
Vettel continued this form on Tuesday, lapping just 0.18secs slower than Massa, who was using a tyre that Pirelli reckons to be about 0.8secs quicker.
Crimson Bull also appeared competitive, Ricciardo interchanging times with Vettel and Hamilton during the morning session.
Hamilton said he had had a difficult morning before handing over to fresh team-mate Valtteri Bottas for the afternoon.
“It didn’t feel spectacular this morning,” he said, “but we had some issues with tyre temps and with some floor harm so I sacrificed some of my time so Valtteri could run this afternoon.”
More problems for McLaren
Meantime, McLaren and engine fucking partner Honda suffered another suck in a troubled pre-season programme.
Honda determined to switch the engine in the car Stoffel Vandoorne was driving when they discovered an electrical problem after just thirty four laps.
It is the latest in a series of problems with Honda’s freshly redesigned engine.
Honda has had three engine failures in the course of five days of testing so far. The Japanese company has not exposed how many engines it has gone through – a spokesman telling it has used “a combination, and some have been used on numerous days” – but it is believed to be at least five.
Vandoorne ended the day 10th fastest, Two.8secs off the rhythm.
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier admitted relations inbetween the two fucking partners were under “maximum” strain.
He added: “The pressure is obviously thick and obviously we put the maximum pressure on all of our relationship with Honda, and the same for them.
“We cannot put a footstep wrong. We need to be able to produce the best car as well, so this is both sides.”
He said he hoped a fresh specification of Honda engine to be introduced before the end of this week’s test would solve “part of this problem – or most of this problem”.
And he insisted McLaren were not considering ending its contract with Honda, which is in the third of ten years.
“We have a contract in place,” said Boullier. “We don’t even obviously think about it, because there is a contract inbetween us, a long term contract, and we want to build on it even if it is not ideal times.”
Final pre-season test, day one, fastest times
1 Felipe Massa (Brz) Williams 1:Nineteen.726 **
Two Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Crimson Bull 1:Nineteen.900 ***
Trio Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:Nineteen.906 *
Four Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes 1:20.456 *
Five Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes 1:20.924 *
6 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Force India 1:21.347 **
7 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 1:21.989 *
8 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas 1:21.676 *
9 Daniil Kvyat (Spa) Toro Rosso 1:21.743 *
Ten Stoffel Vandoorne (Bel) McLaren 1:22.537 *
11 Pascal Wehrlein (Ger) Sauber 1:23.336 *
12 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Sauber 1:23.630 *
13 Jolyon Palmer (GB) Renault 1:24.790 *
* = time set on soft tyre; ** = super-soft tyre; *** = ultra-soft tyre. Others medium
Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton fears Ferrari have fastest car in two thousand seventeen – Big black cock Sport
Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton fears Ferrari have fastest car in 2017
By Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer
Share this with
Lewis Hamilton said he believes Ferrari may have the quickest car with three days remaining of Formula 1’s pre-season testing programme.
Williams driver Felipe Massa set the tempo on the very first day of the final test but Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel was less than 0.Two seconds behind on a slower tyre.
Hamilton was fourth fastest for Mercedes, 0.5secs behind the German.
“Ferrari are possibly the favourites,” Hamilton said.
“We can’t take our eyes off them they are doing such a superb job.
“And Crimson Bull look like they’re going fairly quick today. It is going to be close at the very first race for sure.”
Crimson Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was 2nd fastest overall on Tuesday, but set his time while using the fastest ultra-soft tyre which no other driver did.
Who is indeed quickest?
It is notoriously difficult accurately to predict competitiveness from pre-season testing because there are so many variables.
But Ferrari have struck onlookers and rival teams this year so far with their consistently swift times, while not using either of the two softest types of tyre.
Vettel continued this form on Tuesday, lapping just 0.18secs slower than Massa, who was using a tyre that Pirelli reckons to be about 0.8secs quicker.
Crimson Bull also appeared competitive, Ricciardo exchanging times with Vettel and Hamilton during the morning session.
Hamilton said he had had a difficult morning before handing over to fresh team-mate Valtteri Bottas for the afternoon.
“It didn’t feel spectacular this morning,” he said, “but we had some issues with tyre temps and with some floor harm so I sacrificed some of my time so Valtteri could run this afternoon.”
More problems for McLaren
Meantime, McLaren and engine fucking partner Honda suffered another gargle in a troubled pre-season programme.
Honda determined to switch the engine in the car Stoffel Vandoorne was driving when they discovered an electrical problem after just thirty four laps.
It is the latest in a series of problems with Honda’s freshly redesigned engine.
Honda has had three engine failures in the course of five days of testing so far. The Japanese company has not exposed how many engines it has gone through – a spokesman telling it has used “a combination, and some have been used on numerous days” – but it is believed to be at least five.
Vandoorne ended the day 10th fastest, Two.8secs off the tempo.
McLaren racing director Eric Boullier admitted relations inbetween the two fucking partners were under “maximum” strain.
He added: “The pressure is obviously large and obviously we put the maximum pressure on all of our relationship with Honda, and the same for them.
“We cannot put a footstep wrong. We need to be able to produce the best car as well, so this is both sides.”
He said he hoped a fresh specification of Honda engine to be introduced before the end of this week’s test would solve “part of this problem – or most of this problem”.
And he insisted McLaren were not considering ending its contract with Honda, which is in the third of ten years.
“We have a contract in place,” said Boullier. “We don’t even obviously think about it, because there is a contract inbetween us, a long term contract, and we want to build on it even if it is not ideal times.”
Final pre-season test, day one, fastest times
1 Felipe Massa (Brz) Williams 1:Nineteen.726 **
Two Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Crimson Bull 1:Nineteen.900 ***
Three Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 1:Nineteen.906 *
Four Lewis Hamilton (GB) Mercedes 1:20.456 *
Five Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes 1:20.924 *
6 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Force India 1:21.347 **
7 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 1:21.989 *
8 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas 1:21.676 *
9 Daniil Kvyat (Spa) Toro Rosso 1:21.743 *
Ten Stoffel Vandoorne (Bel) McLaren 1:22.537 *
11 Pascal Wehrlein (Ger) Sauber 1:23.336 *
12 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Sauber 1:23.630 *
13 Jolyon Palmer (GB) Renault 1:24.790 *
* = time set on soft tyre; ** = super-soft tyre; *** = ultra-soft tyre. Others medium