Schuey breaks Imola lap record...uh oh, or ,so what?

[chunterer]

I've rwad this morning that Schu smashed the Imola lap record late yesterday posting a 1m 20's something or other.

DC was 2nd quickest well over a second off, but in turn only couple 10ths ahead of Monster.

What does this mean?

During off season/testing, Ferrari not hitherto thought to have advantage with 2003 or new car and Schu and other Ferrari team members said they feared Williams and Renault.

Did they send out Schu on ultra low fuel or have they been keeping quiet about it's potential deliberately up until now?

Rubinho actually quite bullish about his chances and those of the new car, however he was behind the Mclaren and Williams yesterday.

I still believe a Williams will win it this year, prob JPM and Ferrari will only be consistently competitive if Bridgstone have developed a decent dry tyre that can cope with heat.

What can we make of all this folks, i really don't wanna see thge Red cars winning again!!

[Knowlesy]

Ferrari would be worried if it didn't break the record to be honest.

[chunterer]

Yeah, sounds about right, but isn't that the case when they're at Fiorano?!!

Schu actually did mid 1m 19's, my mistake!

[Splatz the Cow]

We leads to the question: When was the las time Ferrari didn't break the lap record in pre-season testing?

[steve_r]

Rubens was in last years car.

[chunterer]

Yes Splatz agreed!

I'm hoping that the time was set on low fuel as a last ditch attempt to instill some confidence in the team pre Melbourne and to at least try and worry the others!

Also as it was cold weather at Imola it would suit Bridgestone tyres more than Michelins, therefore having abearing on the times perhaps?

[Smokey 6 litre]

i think this is more then so what rather than uh oh, i justbhope they all weren't trying to go for ultra-quick time otherwise this season is going to be worse then 2002.

[chunterer]

Well i certainly hope not Smokey!!

it could be another typical case of off season baloney? We won't know for sure until next weekend, but i wouldn't have thought that Ferrari will be far off whatever the case?

[Frank_White]

knowlesy, i think your signature quote rings very true.

if not for alcohol how would we all manage?

[Bononi]

Well it can't be a measurement, but as the team has assured the continuity, we can expect a tough fight this season.

[Frank_White]

i refuse to believe that after a whole year, a major manufacturer like bridgestone has not cured its problem with hot conditions!

[Inigo Montoya]

Originally posted by Splatz the Cow
We leads to the question: When was the las time Ferrari didn't break the lap record in pre-season testing?

And when is the last time Ferrari didn't win the WCC?

[Red]

Originally posted by chunterer
[...]

I'm hoping that the time was set on low fuel

[...]

Confirmed. It was on low fuel load, I'm 100% sure of that. Then again, EVERY track record is set on low fuel load, qual trims.

[Gt_R]

Hahah..i find it amusing how cynical people are towards "Ferrari breaks record..big deal..".

I agree that testings are pretty much inaccurate comparison, and that teams play mind games... but the desires of some to paint Ferrari as a "glory grabber" in pre-season is funny.

When's the last time Ferrari din't break records? Hmm...last check, Williams and Mclarens broke lap records at pre-season testings every year recently too. And what happened? They screwed up 02, then again struggled in 03. Hmmm...

i never find the trend of breaking lap records a problem. Honestly, any team should really be worried if they can't easily make their new cars go faster than that of the previous years. Those millions of bucks HAD to go somewhere

[Armco Bender]

Think about it,if they continue to knock off 1 second a lap every year(for a 1m 20sec lap),in 80 years time when they test,the front of the car will crash into the back of the car as it leaves the start line.

[Kicking-back]

It seems that Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Renault are evenly matched - they can break the record if they go for a quick lap, they can run reasonably reliable long stints if that's their programme.

Here's to a good season.

[Inigo Montoya]

I think the Mac's are far behind the pace of Williams and Ferrari. THere is a nice piece on Gazzetta today, where Coulthard says he wouldn't be surprised to be behind the Renault this year.

[garcon]

It's a nice little psychological thing to get people talking about Ferrari again after a winter of Williams and McLaren talk. And it'll shut the idiots up who were claiming Ferrari will be down the middle of the grid somewhere...

As far as testing times go - and this counts for every session we've had this year - I really couldn't care less. The only times that matter are a week from now in Melbourne.

[Redblurr]

Middle of the grid and the Schumi "has lost it talk" another lesson for JPM and co this year

[Knowlesy]

Originally posted by Armco Bender
Think about it,if they continue to knock off 1 second a lap every year(for a 1m 20sec lap),in 80 years time when they test,the front of the car will crash into the back of the car as it leaves the start line.

I often think about this......just where is the limit for lap times with F1 cars in the future? Will we end up lapping at 1 second?!?

[beau]

Originally posted by knowlesy
I often think about this......just where is the limit for lap times with F1 cars in the future? Will we end up lapping at 1 second?!?

if so how many laps willl we end up with

[jetsetter]

Originally posted by knowlesy
I often think about this......just where is the limit for lap times with F1 cars in the future? Will we end up lapping at 1 second?!?

It's the same with every sport where there has to be a limit of how quick they can go, we have drag cars covering a quarter mile in four seconds & ahletes running 100 metres in nine seconds. If they all continue to get quicker we'll have sports where they'll finish before they start.

[Redblurr]

Not just an empty tank and cold weather.

http://www.bridgestone-eu.com/articles.asp?ID=50591

Hisao Suganuma, Bridgestone Motorsport's Technical Manager was particularly pleased
commenting: “Whilst much of the credit for yesterday's record breaking time by Michael should rightly go to Ferrari, it was also an exciting culmination of the huge amounts of hard work put in by all the Bridgestone teams and our tyre engineers. What's more, Michael's time came at the end of a simulated race run which shows the competitiveness of the Bridgestone tyres from start to finish.
Obviously we don't know just how competitive we will be until the first race in Melbourne next Sunday but recent results suggest our rivals will have a battle on their hands. What's more, there will be further developments to come throughout the season.”

[Gt_R]

Wow.. BS is quick to claim some credit to it huh?

Honestly, the pressure is on BS. Michael and Ferrari had proven themselves to be hugely great and capable of winning the championship. It's a year that would be lost or won by the tyres.. and i hope there won't be a repeat of Ferrari suddenly find themselves trapped in 8th due to 7 other Michelin drivers having greater tyres.