Looks like Alonso might do it again

[artplumber]

If the car holds together...

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/30012007/3/formula-alonso-fastest-spanish-testing.html

Valencia* - 30/01/2007


1 . F. Alonso - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:12.538 (+ 0.000 ) - 96 laps

2 . K. Raikkonen - Ferrari F2007 - 1:13.533 (+ 0.995 ) - 48 laps

3 . N. Piquet - Renault R27 - 1:13.550 (+ 1.012 ) - 31 laps

4 . F. Montagny - Toyota TF107 - 1:13.672 (+ 1.134 ) - 38 laps

5 . J. Trulli - Toyota TF107 - 1:13.722 (+ 1.184 ) - 54 laps

6 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:13.863 (+ 1.325 ) - 56 laps

7 . G. Fisichella - Renault R27 - 1:13.871 (+ 1.333 ) - 37 laps

8 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA107 - 1:14.018 (+ 1.480 ) - 35 laps

9 . S. Vettel - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:14.047 (+ 1.509 ) - 81 laps

10 . K. Nakajima - Williams Toyota FW28 B - 1:14.527 (+ 1.989 ) - 79 laps

11 . J. Rossiter - Honda RA106 - 1:14.638 (+ 2.100 ) - 43 laps

12 . T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda RA106 - 1:15.684 (+ 3.146 ) - 31 laps

13 . M. Webber - Red Bull Renault RB3 - 1:15.729 (+ 3.191 ) - 32 laps

14 . L. Badoer - Ferrari 248 F1 - 1:16.388 (+ 3.850 ) - 48 laps


Looks like Kimi will be #2 at Ferrari(?!)

End of the year: Alonso, Massa, Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Fisichella

[Joeaksa]

Originally posted by artplumber
If the car holds together...

Looks like Kimi will be #2 at Ferrari(?!)

End of the year: Alonso, Massa, Kovalainen, Raikkonen, Fisichella

Too early to tell much, and a lot more testing and mods to play with.

Agree heavily on "if the car holds together" at McLaren.

[450knotOffice]

Also, note the number of laps. Alonso ran twice as many laps...twice as many to get things straightened out and post a fastest lap.

[Lothar]

I think Kimi will out score Massa. Kimi simply has more talent.

[motion]

Pre-season testing is meaningless. None of the teams will show what they have until the first race

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by motion
Pre-season testing is meaningless. None of the teams will show what they have until the first race

+1

[javadog]

Well,

Given that yesterday was the first time Kimi ran the 2007 car, I wouldn't put much stock in the numbers. Massa will be running today, so that would be a better comparison. Still, who knows what their program is...

JR

[johndglynn]

Originally posted by motion
Pre-season testing is meaningless. None of the teams will show what they have until the first race

+2; up to a point. Some stuff comes out in the mix but you need someone who knows what they are looking at to point it out to you (not saying I am that guy).

Kimi faster than Massa today and I would be surprised if that is not the case for the next few weeks. Shaping up to be one of the best seasons in a long time; it will have to go some to beat the last two.

[911teo]

Today's practice

Valencia* - 31/01/2007


1 . F. Alonso - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:12.582 (+ 0.000 ) - 86 laps

2 . G. Fisichella - Renault R27 - 1:12.737 (+ 0.155 ) - 37 laps

3 . H. Kovalainen - Renault R27 - 1:12.770 (+ 0.188 ) - 43 laps

4 . K. Raikkonen - Ferrari F2007 - 1:12.860 (+ 0.278 ) - 51 laps

5 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:13.012 (+ 0.430 ) - 50 laps

6 . J. Trulli - Toyota TF107 - 1:13.297 (+ 0.715 ) - 47 laps

7 . R. Kubica - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:13.310 (+ 0.728 ) - 42 laps

8 . F. Massa - Ferrari 248 F1 - 1:13.574 (+ 0.992 ) - 48 laps

9 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA107 - 1:13.690 (+ 1.108 ) - 72 laps

10 . J. Rossiter - Honda RA106 - 1:13.732 (+ 1.150 ) - 28 laps

11 . R. Schumacher - Toyota TF107 - 1:13.839 (+ 1.257 ) - 31 laps

12 . P. de la Rosa - McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 - 1:14.286 (+ 1.704 ) - 41 laps

13 . K. Nakajima - Williams Toyota FW28 B - 1:14.401 (+ 1.819 ) - 116 laps

14 . T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda RA106 - 1:14.812 (+ 2.230 ) - 36 laps

15 . D. Coulthard - Red Bull Renault RB3 - 1:15.939 (+ 3.357 ) - 26 laps

16 . G. Van Der Garde - Super Aguri Honda RA106 - 1:26.348 (+ 13.766 ) - 4 laps.


* Times courtesy of Valenciana.

But again it was wet most of thre session.

I think these times are of little value. What's important is the number of laps these guys put together.

I am a huge fan of McLaren Mercedes but I think Kimi is the purest talent out there right now.

I read a couple of weeks ago the article about the interview with Mario Ilien (former engine builder for Mercedes) where he was saying that Kimi destroys his cars.... we'll see this year...

I am looking forward to the new season. It should be fun even though it will be restricted again to 2 drivers as Fisico is nowhere near Alonso nor Kimi.

[911teo]

Originally posted by johndglynn


Kimi faster than Massa today and I would be surprised if that is not the case for the next few weeks. Shaping up to be one of the best seasons in a long time; it will have to go some to beat the last two.

FWIW Massa was lapping in last year's car.

[johndglynn]

Originally posted by 911teo
I read a couple of weeks ago the article about the interview with Mario Ilien (former engine builder for Mercedes) where he was saying that Kimi destroys his cars

Mario reckons he never said that now - see here .

I think Fernando has it in him to go all the way again. Such a tough call between them, they are both fantastic. I have a huge Thierry Thompson print of Kimi's first win in Malyasia overhead my living room fireplace, sad to lose him to the Scuderia.

[artplumber]

Originally posted by 450knotOffice
Also, note the number of laps. Alonso ran twice as many laps...twice as many to get things straightened out and post a fastest lap.

Scott,
Teo beat me to todays numbers, but you can see Alonso is top again.

I agree, Massa was in last year's car (vs Kimi in the '07), and his times were good last year, as good as Schu.

Remember there are many more things than talent that make champions. The car, the ability to manage the race and the car. The interaction between driver and engineering. Kimi's biggest knock (not that I would know personally) in the pundits, is development. If he's not starting out at the top, it will probably get no better - sorry Richard.

EDIT: OTOH I do think the red guys will win the constructors.

[Jims5543]

Looks like Ralhp is the next world champ now.....

This was on a dry track for the first time since they have started testing at Valencia.

Times
1 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:11.297 60 laps
2 G. Fisichella Renault 1:11.621 121 laps
3 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:11.643 108 laps
4 F. Alonso McLaren 1:11.710 95 laps
5 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:11.989 99 laps
6 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:12.360 66 laps
7 P. de la Rosa McLaren 1:12.361 69 laps
8 F. Massa Ferrari 1:12.418 98 laps
9 R. Kubica BMW 1:12.857 20 laps
10 J. Button Honda 1:12.976 77 laps
11 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:13.143 133 laps
12 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:13.450 59 laps
13 J. Rossiter Honda 1:13.728 30 laps
14 M. Webber Red Bull 1:13.796 23 laps
15 K. Nakajima Williams 1:13.945 82 laps

[artplumber]

Valencia* - 02/02/2007


1 . L. Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:11.119 (+ 0.000 ) - 112 laps

2 . K. Raikkonen - Ferrari F2007 - 1:11.855 (+ 0.736 ) - 112 laps

3 . R. Kubica - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:12.242 (+ 1.123 ) - 57 laps

4 . P. de la Rosa - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:12.455 (+ 1.336 ) - 64 laps

5 . G. Fisichella - Renault R27 - 1:12.572 (+ 1.453 ) - 96 laps

6 . S. Vettel - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:12.675 (+ 1.556 ) - 73 laps

7 . H. Kovalainen - Renault R27 - 1:12.679 (+ 1.560 ) - 98 laps

8 . M. Webber - Red Bull Renault RB3 - 1:12.776 (+ 1.657 ) - 23 laps

9 . J. Button - Honda RA107 - 1:12.995 (+ 1.876 ) - 89 laps.

That's pretty lame sarcasm. There are many who have suggested that FA can't do it again, he isn't as fast as KR and Ferrari has a jump on all others. That is clearly not the case. And if you had to choose a driver in an all-cars-equal situation, I'd take FA over a season, even if KR and FM may win a few.