Mercedes: Test plan will pay off

Fri, 27 Jan 12:11:00 2012

Mercedes GP remains confident that it has made the right decision in opting to delay running of its new car until the second pre-season Formula 1 test, even though it is the only frontrunning outfit to adopt such a tactic.

2011 Abu Dhabi GP Mercedes Michael Schumacher - 0

The Brackley-based team announced last year that its 2012 contender would only hit the track at the second test in Barcelona. At the time, it was widely expected other outfits would follow suit because of the extra development time made available by skipping the first test.

However, even though its main rivals in the end stuck to their original plans to get cars out for the opening test in Jerez, Mercedes-Benz vice president of motorsport Norbert Haug is sanguine about his team's plan.

"If you have half-a-year's timeframe to develop a car, then 10 days can be crucial," Haug told AUTOSPORT in an exclusive interview. "That was our decision. We want to test the proper car, finalised in each and every detail. That's why we need development time.

"It's important to point out that it was a conscious decision. I know that all of the other teams will be there with their car [at Jerez] but this is not unusual. Other teams that have been in a catch-up process have decided to go run first at the second test, so this is not a new event.

"We fully appreciate that the other teams have different plans and are ready at the first test. But we are not delayed, we are just following our process, and then we will see what the outcome will be."

Pre-season testing is limited to only 12 days, meaning that Mercedes will have just eight days to get on top of its new car before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Haug added that the team has big ambitions for the first test as well, with its hoping to put mileage on new parts and also get valuable data on Pirelli's new 2012 tyres.

"We will have a couple of parts to learn from at the first test," he said. "We can use the new generation of tyres, which is a good way to draw a baseline because you have the data with the old tyres to compare it to.

"We need to learn more about the behaviour of the tyres on our car."

AutoSport

Comment 140 - 159 of 159

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  1. touronroute and wizzo, you have proved tonight what­ cowards you really are.
    LIARS!

    From ., on Tue 31 Jan 8:38PM

  2. @ Ron. I've no idea pal. I've never met wizzo­ but if the stories are true then she's better off­ without the haemorrhoid troll.
    Rumour has it that­ wizzo is an hermaphrodite and that's why liarroute­ likes him so much.

    From ., on Tue 31 Jan 2:33PM

  3. Dr toutou ITT I find all this talk of wizzo's­ missus gargling very unpalatable but can you tell me if­ it is true or not please.

    Thanks

    Big Ron

    From Ron. English, on Tue 31 Jan 9:33AM

  4. Liars come out to play, liars run away, liars NBA.

    From ., on Tue 31 Jan 6:47AM

  5. run run run run away....
    Will it be multi id attack­ tomorrow by clueless wizzo and hardman (NOT!)­ touronroute?

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 9:39PM

  6. touronroute and wizzo both liars and cowards. Proven­ fact!

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 8:55PM

  7. Wizzo you can say you know who I am but believe me you­ don't.

    From Ron. English, on Mon 30 Jan 8:32PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    "We all know" Ron English? Now who can that­ be I wonder...I know.

    From officialf1superintendent, on Mon 30 Jan 8:01PM

  9. Errr what is going on 'ere then?

    Paul Hancock is­ Robben Benson???? Don't somehow think so. We­ all know robben is wizzo.

    Why does the idiot use all­ those full stops? I put a full stop after Ron because­ it is an abbreviation of my full name, so what is­ robben short for. Oh of course, I know, robben is­ short for wizzo. lol

    From Ron. English, on Mon 30 Jan 7:24PM

  10. Williams FW14b what is the difference between a (ride­ height suspension) and a (CONTROLLED reactive height­ system operated by a hydraulic piston?????.

    Robben.­ Benson.Oxfordshire

    From paulhancock1123, on Mon 30 Jan 6:54PM

  11. Blue colored idiot,T is not allowed to post on a public­ board your slum postcode.
    From­ officialf1superintendent, on Mon 30 Jan­ 5:14PM
    .
    What??? Why not?? DA3 8NZ now that is a­ valid postcode, is the sky gonna open up and a bolt of­ lightning strike me? I am waiting wizzo.

    Touronturd­ can't post anyone's post code because he­ don't know them SIMPLES idiot. Stop making­ excuses for him, that just makes you look even more­ pathetic wizzo and I didn't think that was­ possible.

    From Ron. English, on Mon 30 Jan 6:52PM

  12. Touché.
    The idiots have fled.

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 6:41PM

  13. copper for the last time i am NOT WILLIAMS!
    Stop­ clutching at straws and hiding behind multi ids and­ just use two posts to put down the first part of my­ postcode you bullsh@tter.
    You couldn't even name­ the county i live in.......

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 5:43PM

  14. not a very good copper are you?
    posts 141 + 142 show i­ can manage a simple task. Idiot!

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 5:36PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Keep thumbing Williams lol I know who you really are.

    From officialf1superintendent, on Mon 30 Jan 5:35PM

  16. It's so easy..........

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 5:32PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    New here blue chump? Not even one letter or number­ allowed.

    From officialf1superintendent, on Mon 30 Jan 5:26PM

  18. 11

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 5:21PM

  19. (eg) GU

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 5:20PM

  20. ok copper. do the letter(s) on one post and the numbers­ on another post. Easy,,, even a 5 year old could work­ that one out. Stop making excuse idiotroute.

    From ., on Mon 30 Jan 5:19PM
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