Anyone running light?

[Adam43]

1 1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:24.718
2 2 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:24.826
3 7 Jarno Trulli Renault 1:25.757
4 9 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:25.786
5 8 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:25.853
6 4 Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW 1:25.882
7 3 Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW 1:26.206
8 5 David Coulthard McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.215
9 14 Mark Webber Jaguar-Cosworth 1:26.312
10 6 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:26.579
11 11 Giancarlo Fisichella Sauber-Petronas 1:26.601
12 10 Takuma Sato BAR-Honda 1:26.967
13 12 Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 1:26.969
16 16 Cristiano da Matta Toyota 1:27.710
17 15 Christian Klien Jaguar-Cosworth 1:27.724
18 17 Olivier Panis Toyota 1:27.807
19 18 Nick Heidfeld Jordan-Ford 1:27.826
21 20 Gianmaria Bruni Minardi-Cosworth 1:28.991
22 21 Zsolt Baumgartner Minardi-Cosworth 1:29.708
23 19 Giorgio Pantano Jordan-Ford 1:30.061

http://www.formula1.com/race/result/714/10.html

OK, is anyone running light (or particularly heavy)? It only takes one lap to be quick.

We shall never know, for definite, but maybe we can guess.

At the moment I guess Button had less fuel than others and Williams were running much more than most (as they have been known to do in the past).

Ferrari might have been lightish, but I am not so sure. Michael was trying (as his flying showed).

And for Toyota's sake I hope they strapped ann extra tank to the back

[Korr]

Ferrari might be running really light just to play mind games with the competition.

Lord help them if they are not!

And look at Button! That guy must have been running on fumes!

I hope not; I'd love to see a big fight for 2 and 3rd place this year...Williams, McLaren, Renault and BAR!

[ralf fan]

lets hope the top 2 were running light....

[Irv the Swerve]

Its pure speculation, but you would hope that Ferrari were running light and Mc and Williams a bit heavyish. Hard to tell with Button or Renault just yet, I reckon they were running similar loads to each other but difficult to judge in relation to Ferrari.

[Glen]

I very much doubt that any team would compromise their race weekend for a cheap headline. The new qualifying format means that there is effectively no distinct qualifying set-up, so there isn't really a legitimate reason to configure thae car in any other way than race trim. There could be some variation in planned strategy for the race, which might lead to some variation in fuel loads, but more or less they will all be doing the best they can, surely.

[Adam43]

I agree with you Glen. Why would you comprimise the weekend? Although I do suspect that some teams do! (not Ferrari though).

Also while the others might not be light I get the feeling Williams generally practice with more fuel in.

[Super Tourer]

What about Webber, I don't remember the Jag being on William's pace in pre-season testing, and they did tend to run him lighter in practice and qualifying last year.

[Adam43]

I can't beleive that such a professional and top team like Jaguar would run someone light at their home GP to make themselves look good in the short term.

[Led ZeppF1]

OK, is anyone running light (or particularly heavy)? It only takes one lap to be quick.

We shall never know, for definite, but maybe we can guess. [/B][/QUOTE]

We will know. Tomorrow.

But I hope your predictions is right. I didn't want to watch '2002's season' all over again.

[Knowlesy]

Looking round various forums, I'm amazed to read so many people writing the season off and vowing not to watch the sport again!

Roll on qualifying!

[Red]

Hmm, not sure yet how this "one engine" rule affects friday testing sessions. I'd say that everyone set the rev limiter a couple revs lower. Now, how much?

PS: Yeah, 2002 season can be improved, I'm sure they can do better than only 15 wins

[Adam43]

With 18 races they have more chance

[Glen]

Originally posted by knowlesy
Looking round various forums, I'm amazed to read so many people writing the season off and vowing not to watch the sport again!

Roll on qualifying!

That's outrageous, isn't it? For a start there are quite a few reasons that this might not be a true relection of race pace, even just for this race... The circuit is a street one, and it is always dirty to start with - as it gets rubbered-in it may well come to the Michelin tyres. also, the Michelins might be better in the race (Renault are reputed to have a very good car for tyre-wear for example). And we don't know what they were testing, and whether or not the tyre that gave Ferrari the quick times is durabe enough for their intended strategy.

And that's just here and now - as soon as we get to Malaysia the Michelins will be back in it big style.

And furthermore (!) - why is it only ok with some folk if Ferrari are struggling? they are the best team in F1, and if we don't have them right up there battling for wins it is much more boring.

[Led ZeppF1]

Originally posted by Red
PS: Yeah, 2002 season can be improved, I'm sure they can do better than only 15 wins

Oh no, not again.

[BootsOntheSide]

Remember that Ferrari seemed to be the fastest in Melbourne last year, and they didn't prove to be over the course of the season. The circuit seems to suit them.

A team like Ferrari would never run light unless they feel there's a strategic reason to. BAR and Jaguar on the other hand might.

It's likely that several teams have run on low revs so as to save the engines. Ferrari could be extra-confident of their reliability.

[Korr]

And furthermore (!) - why is it only ok with some folk if Ferrari are struggling? they are the best team in F1, and if we don't have them right up there battling for wins it is much more boring.

As much as I would love to see Schumacher score his seventh and final WDC, it wouldn't break my heart too terribly much to have the WDC go to the last race like last year, with Ferrari, McLaren, Williams and Renault fighting tooth and nail. A Raikonnen WDC for 2004 would sit just fine with me.

And a Ferrari/Raikonnen win in 2005 would that much better.

[Red]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Ferrari could be extra-confident of their reliability.

They are, of course, and for good reasons. However, the fact that others are not is not a reason for celebration, is it?

[Kicking-back]

McLaren and Williams are making positive noises though.

Ron says his team were running quite conservatively and just checking tires and that the "real action begins tomorrow."

I'm inclined to agree.

Throughout the winter we've heard how Friday laptimes are relatively meaningless - but now, because we've been starved of F1 action for months, most of us are trying to hyper-analyse the Friday times.

I wouldn't hand the trophies over just yet!

[Adam43]

As the thread title suggests. We still know little of relative performances, race pace, track dependence, temperature dependence...

[Kicking-back]

I'd imagine over at the Ferrari-supporting At**s F1 forums, they're crowning MS with a seventh title around now!

[Son of Jor-El]

Originally posted by Glen
And furthermore (!) - why is it only ok with some folk if Ferrari are struggling? they are the best team in F1, and if we don't have them right up there battling for wins it is much more boring.

What you are saying here is very much a matter of opinion.
I'm declaring otherwise. I find it extremely boring to see those fast red things ALWAYS at the top. Admittedly, they had a bit of a struggle last year, but previous history states that they have been at the top,for far too long for my liking. I'm not "bashing" but I think it's very bad for one team to dominate the WDC and WCC for soo long. It's soul destroying.
There's no point in playing a game if you always win, there will be no competition.
And from the results of these two practice sessions the old order aren't exactly going to be "battling" for race wins, they'll breeze it.

Rant over, phew!

On topic, of course!
I think(and hope) that Williams and the Macs are just restricting engine use, and hopefully we'll see a decent competitive race on Sunday morning.

[ralf fan]

Originally posted by knowlesy
Looking round various forums, I'm amazed to read so many people writing the season off and vowing not to watch the sport again!

lets just pray we dont have 2002 all over again.... we will know the positions of the various teams only in uly and on race day.. besides Ferrari have always been quick in Australia... front row last year as well remember...

BTW.... how come your visiting other forums... are you cheating on the MODs knowlesy...

[garcon]

It's ok ralf - we've always known knowlesy knows we know knowlesy can't stay faithful to us. It's the fact he keeps coming back that concerns us...

Let's face it, anyone who genuinely believes the season is set after two practice sessions either knows nothing whatsoever about F1 or is deaf and blind or is just plain stupid. Or all three.

Mind you, forgive me if my decorum falters for a moment...

ONE WHOLE SECOND!!! YEE HAA!!! CCOOMMMMEEEEEOOOONNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahem. Thankyou.

[Redblurr]

does it matter if Schumi was light? I heard that it was his first lap that beat last year pole and the second got the lap record.

[Adam43]

Saving engines?
Here is a list of how many laps everyone has done on Friday.
M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 15
BARRICHELLO Ferrari 22
TRULLI Renault 23
BUTTON BAR 15
ALONSO Renault 22
R.SCHUMACHER Williams 26
MONTOYA Williams 19
COULTHARD McLaren 17
WEBBER Jaguar 17
RAIKKONEN McLaren 18
FISICHELLA Sauber 27
SATO BAR 14
MASSA Sauber 25
ZONTA Toyota 25
DAVIDSON BAR 11
PANIS Toyota 11
KLIEN Jaguar 20
DA MATTA 16
HEIDFELD Jordan 15
WIRDHEIM Jaguar 30
BRUNI Minardi 18
BAUMGARTNER Minardi 9
PANTANO Jordan 18
GLOCK Jordan 4

Now is doesn't give an idea of rev limits, which has a big effect, so I am unsure how much we can tell from this. Still it is generally less than last year IIRC.