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In this episode, we talk discuss about Pre-Season testing that was held on March 12-14 in Bahrain at The Bahrain International Circuit and share our predictions for F1 2021 Season.Topics included in this episode:What is Pre-Season Testing?Day 1Mercedes stay in garageMax Speed!Ferrari engine Issues continue..Alpha Tauri charging through the fieldDay 2Mercedes #1Red Flags Everywhere!Mick and Nikita playing dashing carsVettle sits in the garageAll teams riddled with issuesWilliams not being WilliamsHamilton pulls a VettleDay 3Max Speed!!YukiSmooth Operator smooth operatingEye catching Technical innovationsPredictions for 2021Wildcard Prediction
Summary
**Pre-Season Testing 2021: Key Points and Predictions**
**Overview**
* Pre-season testing for Formula One 2021 was held on March 12-14 at The Bahrain International Circuit. * Teams had three days of testing to validate innovations and collect car data. * New drivers, including Yuki Tsunoda, Mick Schumacher, Nikita Mazepin, and Fernando Alonso, made their appearances.
**Day 1**
* Mercedes faced gearbox issues, with Bottas only completing six laps. * Red Bull showed reliability with Max Verstappen completing 169 laps. * Alpha Tauri, powered by Honda engines, also had a strong day. * Ferrari encountered power unit issues, but Mattia Binotto expressed optimism for the team's performance.
**Day 2**
* Many teams experienced spinning incidents, including Hamilton, Stroll, and Latifi. * Sergio Perez's engine cover was ripped off during a straight. * Haas had issues with Mick Schumacher overrunning his front jack in the pits. * Sebastian Vettel faced gearbox and fuel-related problems, while Charles Leclerc hinted at a leadership role at Ferrari.
**Day 3**
* Teams focused on gathering data and getting drivers comfortable with their cars. * Yuki Tsunoda impressed by finishing second behind Max Verstappen. * Williams showed signs of improvement, with George Russell expressing cautious optimism. * Technical innovations included Alpha Tauri's camera-equipped "fancy nose" for monitoring front wing flexing, Red Bull's higher rake angle and ground effect design, McLaren's diffuser for increased traction, and Alpine's massive airbox and dual rear end covers.
**Predictions**
**Drivers**
* Pierre Gasly: 8th position in Drivers Championship * Daniel Ricciardo: 5th position, maintaining his previous ranking * George Russell: Will finally score points for Williams, improving his position from 19th
**Constructors**
* Fernando Alonso: 7th position in Drivers Championship * Sergio Perez: 4th position, challenging for the top leaderboard * Carlos Sainz: Will finish above Leclerc despite Ferrari's performance limitations # Pre-Season Testing and Predictions for the 2021 F1 Season
* **Day 1:** * Mercedes faced garage issues, limiting their track time. * Max Verstappen set impressive speed, topping the charts. * Ferrari continued to struggle with engine problems. * Alpha Tauri emerged as a potential midfield contender.
* **Day 2:** * Mercedes dominated the day, showcasing their pace and reliability. * Numerous red flags disrupted the sessions, hindering progress for many teams. * Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin engaged in a playful incident, drawing attention. * Sebastian Vettel experienced garage problems, limiting his track time. * All teams faced various technical issues, highlighting the challenges of adapting to the new regulations. * Williams exhibited improved performance compared to previous seasons. * Lewis Hamilton had a minor off-track excursion, reminiscent of Vettel's incidents in the past.
* **Day 3:** * Max Verstappen continued to impress with his speed and consistency. * Yuki Tsunoda demonstrated smooth driving, adapting well to the Alpha Tauri car. * Eye-catching technical innovations were showcased by various teams, hinting at potential advantages.
**Predictions for the 2021 Season:**
* **Driver's Championship:** * Max Verstappen (Red Bull) is seen as the strongest contender to challenge Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) for the title. * Sergio Perez (Red Bull) could play a crucial role in supporting Verstappen's title bid. * Lando Norris (McLaren) is expected to continue his impressive form, potentially challenging for podium finishes. * Fernando Alonso (Alpine) is poised for a strong comeback, aiming to reclaim his past success.
* **Constructor's Championship:** * Red Bull is considered the main challenger to Mercedes' dominance, with a more competitive car and a strong driver lineup. * Alpine is predicted to maintain its position in the midfield, potentially moving closer to the top teams. * Alfa Romeo is expected to improve its performance, benefiting from the rumored improvements in the Ferrari engine. * Aston Martin is anticipated to have a solid season, potentially finishing in the top four. * Williams is projected to make progress, aiming to avoid last place in the standings.
**Wildcard Predictions:**
* George Russell (Williams) could surprise with strong results, potentially finishing in the top 15. * Nico Hulkenberg is likely to make a substitute appearance during the season due to potential COVID-19 cases among drivers.
The hosts conclude the episode by expressing their excitement for the upcoming race weekends and invite listeners to tune in for their ongoing banter and analysis of the 2021 Formula One season.
Raw Transcript with Timestamps
[00:00.000 -> 00:11.920] Hello and welcome back to a brand new episode with Fan Fiction. [00:11.920 -> 00:14.500] We are your hosts, I am Akash. [00:14.500 -> 00:15.500] And I'm Sarang. [00:15.500 -> 00:23.520] And we've got you a new episode on the pre-season testing with Formula One 2021. [00:23.520 -> 00:26.680] We dive into this episode with what's occurred on the [00:26.680 -> 00:33.760] three days, any news coming out of press conferences, and our thoughts on what [00:33.760 -> 00:39.920] these three days have been. If we formed any speculation, stay tuned to see if we [00:39.920 -> 00:45.160] have, and you can listen to us on any of your favorite podcast streaming apps. [00:45.160 -> 00:52.240] Starting off, Sarang, what is pre-season testing? Let's get some [00:52.240 -> 00:58.760] perspective there first. Okay, so all these teams have spent a lot of time in [00:58.760 -> 01:03.160] the last couple of months trying to develop the cars and bring in new [01:03.160 -> 01:06.280] innovations with aerodynamics, engine and try to improve the cars and bring in new innovations with aerodynamics, engine and [01:06.280 -> 01:12.480] try to improve their performance and improve their lap times around the various tracks [01:12.480 -> 01:15.520] that they're going to participate in. [01:15.520 -> 01:30.920] But overall, the only way for them to validate these innovations is by testing them on the track. And there are a lot of limitations that FIA places [01:30.920 -> 01:36.840] in terms of how are the teams allowed to actually test [01:36.840 -> 01:39.240] their cars on track. [01:39.240 -> 01:44.840] And most of this testing is done on simulators. [01:44.840 -> 01:48.640] And these simulators are you know at the [01:48.640 -> 01:54.600] bleeding edge of technology but still they don't give you the same results as [01:54.600 -> 02:05.000] actually testing things in real life. Usually what happens is the testing is structured over two weeks [02:05.840 -> 02:09.840] and each of those sessions has four days. [02:09.840 -> 02:12.080] So these teams have in all eight days, [02:12.080 -> 02:16.200] which is a lot more than what they received this year. [02:16.200 -> 02:19.760] This year, since the last season ended so late, [02:19.760 -> 02:24.360] there was very little time remaining for testing this year. [02:24.360 -> 02:28.000] And essentially there were only three days of testing. [02:28.000 -> 02:30.700] So these teams had to scramble to fit in everything [02:30.700 -> 02:32.280] in those three days, essentially. [02:32.280 -> 02:33.720] So there is less time. [02:33.720 -> 02:35.400] And I think everyone's scrambling [02:35.400 -> 02:39.600] to get most out of their track time, [02:39.600 -> 02:42.320] try and learn their new cars. [02:42.320 -> 02:46.360] I think it's going to be all the more challenging for a few new folks [02:46.360 -> 02:53.240] on the track, right? Like we've got quite a few new drivers on the track with new cars. [02:53.240 -> 03:09.680] The first one up that comes to mind is Yuki Tsunoda coming in from Car Lane Motor Racing racing in Formula 2. Red Bull's sister team or Red Bull's school, if you will, filling in that [03:09.680 -> 03:17.440] second position at Alpha Tauri, right? So big hopes from him. Haas has got a brand new team as well. [03:18.080 -> 03:35.440] Yep, that's right. For a while, Haas has had the same two drivers, Grosjean and Magnusson. [03:35.440 -> 03:42.240] Once you leave FN people just forget you. [03:42.240 -> 03:45.680] They have two new drivers. First is Mick Schumacher, [03:45.680 -> 03:49.280] who is the son of the legendary Michael Schumacher. [03:49.760 -> 03:54.440] And there's another rookie that's joining the team this [03:54.440 -> 03:56.640] year. That's Nikita Mazepin, [03:57.720 -> 04:01.000] who will be partnering Mick Schumacher. [04:01.040 -> 04:02.040] That's true. That's true. [04:02.040 -> 04:07.920] And then we have another new driver, fairly old I would say, [04:07.920 -> 04:17.760] not young. Some guy named Fernando Alonso. Never heard of him. I haven't seen him race much in F1 [04:17.760 -> 04:26.680] last year. So it'll be interesting to see how the rookie performs. A rookie who's come back from his retirement. [04:26.680 -> 04:28.120] Right. [04:28.120 -> 04:32.080] I hear he got into some bicycling, racing, [04:32.080 -> 04:34.320] and he's a rookie there too, [04:34.320 -> 04:36.880] because apparently he got into an accident as well. [04:38.080 -> 04:39.000] Oh yeah. [04:39.000 -> 04:41.960] Oh, well, that was a thing of concern for Alpine for a bit, [04:41.960 -> 04:46.720] because I think he had been hit by a car while cycling [04:46.720 -> 04:53.680] and there were rumors that he had fractured his jaw or something or I think he had probably [04:53.680 -> 05:02.700] just injured his jaw but either ways the old man gathered things up and appeared for testing [05:02.700 -> 05:09.440] in Bahrain so good for him. Yeah it is good to see him back in form on the track in the car. [05:10.080 -> 05:11.960] Lovely new drivers on the track. [05:12.520 -> 05:17.720] Diving into day one, a bit of a sandstorm happening on day one. [05:18.520 -> 05:20.800] Track conditions warm and windy. [05:20.800 -> 05:23.520] Everyone's trying to collect car data, [05:23.520 -> 05:26.440] but struggling to get that grip on [05:26.440 -> 05:31.320] on the track what are some highlights and what are your thoughts on day one [05:31.320 -> 05:39.120] yes so day one generally is when these teams are testing their cars pretty much [05:39.120 -> 05:51.120] for the first time on the track I mean they do get some time before testing to test out their cars [05:51.120 -> 05:59.920] for media days basically but this is pretty much the first time that they are doing like [05:59.920 -> 06:06.080] real laps on the track and really pushing their cars and like making sure that their [06:06.080 -> 06:10.160] innovations that they're working on are actually bringing in results. [06:11.840 -> 06:17.680] Yeah, that's true. And we've seen we've seen everyone struggling not just from a driver's [06:17.680 -> 06:26.240] perspective, but also from the engineering side of things where we've seen a couple of gearbox issues or powertrain issues. [06:26.480 -> 06:31.300] The first ones coming in from heavy lifters like Mercedes itself with [06:31.580 -> 06:36.680] Bottas only putting what six laps and then setting out for the rest of the day. [06:36.900 -> 06:41.600] Make sure Macker who, uh, the, the greater part of the world is looking [06:41.600 -> 06:45.360] forward to see on their track also ran into similar [06:45.360 -> 06:51.960] issues with Haas. Yeah and did you know that Mercedes had actually forgone their [06:51.960 -> 06:58.920] media days and they basically lost the opportunity to you know fire up the [06:58.920 -> 07:11.920] engine and do some initial basic testing for the media days. What basically happened was it was raining really heavily at Silverstone and they decided [07:11.920 -> 07:17.880] that it's just not worth testing anything in this rain because the results are going [07:17.880 -> 07:19.380] to be all over the place. [07:19.380 -> 07:27.160] But essentially that came back to bite them because they wasted so much time on day one because of all the issues. [07:27.160 -> 07:36.040] That's right. Even Hamilton has been struggling on day one. We've seen him somewhat spin on day two, but we'll come to day two. [07:36.040 -> 07:42.920] On day one, it's just not been easy even for heavy lifters like Murph. [07:42.920 -> 07:45.840] Talking about heavy lifters, do you notice how many laps [07:45.840 -> 07:52.000] Red Bull did on day one? It was about 169 laps. Yeah, they've been showing quite some reliability [07:52.000 -> 08:00.720] there. It's a renewed Red Bull because I think they have got this good contention for the title [08:00.720 -> 08:10.240] this year after coming off of a very strong season last year. That to considering that last year pretty much Max was the only driver contributing to these points. [08:10.240 -> 08:13.560] Consider what they could achieve with Sergio Perez this time. [08:13.560 -> 08:19.520] Yeah, I mean, overall from testing, I have been impressed with Sergio's performance as well. [08:19.520 -> 08:28.960] Not to overshadow Red Bull's B-team, Alpha Tauri, although Yuki ran out of fuel and had to end [08:28.960 -> 08:34.560] testing early, I think it was still a good day for both of the teams showing that Honda [08:34.560 -> 08:43.680] engine reliability and putting good number of laps. Gasly sounded very positive after his day one. [08:43.680 -> 08:46.360] So yeah, I mean, I have my fingers crossed for Red Bull. [08:46.360 -> 08:51.400] Oh yeah, Red Bull has been doing pretty good this year in terms of testing. [08:51.400 -> 08:58.340] And another thing that I've heard is Honda basically has come out with a new engine this [08:58.340 -> 09:09.760] year and they say that this is based off a new platform entirely. And since this is pretty much their last year as an engine manufacturer, [09:09.760 -> 09:13.520] they are kind of going all in with this year's engine. [09:14.160 -> 09:21.520] And they claim this, that this new engine is faster than the Mercedes 2020 engine, [09:22.080 -> 09:24.960] which would probably make things a lot interesting. [09:25.000 -> 09:33.000] 2020 engine, which would probably make things a lot interesting. I'd love to see that. I'd love to see that Constructor Champions trophy go to a different team. [09:33.000 -> 09:46.640] Although I don't mind seeing Hamilton on the podium, I'd love to see Max and Carlos be there way more than the men in black that I'm used to seeing last year and the previous [09:46.640 -> 09:47.640] years. [09:47.640 -> 09:48.640] Yes, certainly. [09:48.640 -> 09:56.400] I think pretty much almost all fans all around the world of F1 are longing for the days when [09:56.400 -> 10:01.800] results become a little more unpredictable than what they currently are. [10:01.800 -> 10:06.880] So everyone's definitely rooting for Honda and Red Bull because I feel [10:06.880 -> 10:12.400] that through the past couple of years Red Bull has gained a lot of performance. They have covered a [10:12.400 -> 10:21.920] lot of ground as compared to Mercedes and having a super consistent driver like Max and this year [10:21.920 -> 10:26.240] he has a teammate who would give him the support that he needs [10:26.240 -> 10:32.800] so we can expect good things from Red Bull this year. That's true, well fingers [10:32.800 -> 10:37.360] crossed. Well actually talking about engines let's talk a little bit about [10:37.360 -> 10:43.040] the Ferrari engine. Considering all the issues that Ferrari had last year and [10:43.040 -> 10:50.600] all the power that they had lost last year because of the cheating and then the settlement that they did with [10:50.600 -> 10:56.520] FIA and everything. Mattia Binotto basically claims that they have made up [10:56.520 -> 11:03.040] all the power that they had lost in last year and from what he claims it seems [11:03.040 -> 11:06.940] like they will be more competitive, though probably [11:06.940 -> 11:15.180] not at the front, but still, they'll be pretty close to be at the top of the so-called Formula [11:15.180 -> 11:17.460] 1.5 series that goes on. [11:17.460 -> 11:18.460] Right, right, right. [11:18.460 -> 11:23.620] Yeah, I mean, I chuckled a bit there on their day one performance, because Ferrari came [11:23.620 -> 11:29.240] in with the hopes of driving with their new power unit in hopes of getting some redemption done. [11:29.240 -> 11:35.880] And then I started laughing because the immediate next moment was Leclerc coming to a halt due to power unit issues. [11:35.880 -> 11:46.840] But nonetheless, I mean, I joke here, but nonetheless, I agree with you that they do have that good shot from what Matteo says of being at the top [11:46.840 -> 11:51.280] of the midfield or so-called 1.5 Formula 1. [11:51.280 -> 11:58.760] Yeah, let's hope for Ferrari's sake and for all the legacy that they have that they do [11:58.760 -> 12:06.320] make, you know, they do cover some ground this year and I hate to see them at the sixth position that [12:06.320 -> 12:11.680] they're at right now. Speaking of Ferrari let's also talk a little bit [12:11.680 -> 12:20.000] about their B team which is Alfa Romeo. Alfa Romeo for a couple of years except [12:20.000 -> 12:27.920] for the last year actually was doing pretty good in the rest of, you know, the back of the field basically. [12:27.920 -> 12:30.840] But I think last year they lost a lot of ground [12:30.840 -> 12:35.840] and I'm looking at the performance that Givenazzi put in [12:37.360 -> 12:38.840] on the day one of testing, [12:38.840 -> 12:43.200] I have some renewed hopes for this team. [12:43.200 -> 12:45.580] And considering that he put in around 139 [12:45.580 -> 12:49.680] laps that kind of also shows that they do have the reliability that they need [12:49.680 -> 12:57.920] so I'm hoping that Alpha does a lot better next year. And another good [12:57.920 -> 13:08.080] performance put in was by Lance Stroll. He went fourth fastest on day one, which is quite good. Though, in [13:08.080 -> 13:15.440] quite honesty, the timings that we see for testing are oftentimes not really comparable [13:16.240 -> 13:26.080] because a lot of these teams are doing, you know, different simulations, some are doing long high fuel runs, some are doing [13:26.080 -> 13:33.720] qualification simulations, some are, you know, trying to test their new aero innovation. [13:33.720 -> 13:44.100] So while Stroll was the fourth fastest, we still have to kind of wait to see what kind [13:44.100 -> 13:46.800] of a performance this green Mercedes? [13:47.520 -> 13:49.520] delivers this year [13:49.680 -> 13:52.020] Right. Yeah, yeah, right [13:52.700 -> 13:56.120] It's been an interesting day one. I wouldn't want to [13:56.840 -> 14:03.440] Also take away what Williams did on day one where they only drove their test driver Roy Nisani [14:03.720 -> 14:11.360] He could be that next driver for Williams coming in from the DAMS team in F2. [14:11.360 -> 14:18.800] Williams surprisingly looks promising to me on contrary to what their livery had made me think about them. [14:18.800 -> 14:25.000] I'm hopeful to see what Williams does during the races. [14:25.000 -> 14:30.000] It was an interesting day nonetheless with renewed hopes on day 2. [14:30.000 -> 14:40.000] My two cents there is if day 1 was all about gearbox issues, day 2 was quite a lot about spinning, [14:40.000 -> 14:49.800] with science spinning, Latifi spinning, Hamilton pulled a wet hill and sort of almost beached his car, bringing in the red flags. [14:49.800 -> 14:51.800] What are your thoughts? [14:51.800 -> 14:59.080] Oh yeah, there were a lot of spins. I think it's all got to do with day one being relatively, being a short day. [14:59.080 -> 15:06.160] And most teams having some of the other issues. you know all of these drivers are I [15:06.160 -> 15:10.800] mean obviously they're practicing on their own simulators but still you know [15:10.800 -> 15:17.880] driving these cars at the edge of the performance is a very difficult task and [15:17.880 -> 15:24.200] even if you have been practicing a lot on your simulators it still is a lot [15:24.200 -> 15:25.640] different to actually drive these [15:25.640 -> 15:30.500] cars on the track. It's been so long since they have driven these cars, they're bound [15:30.500 -> 15:36.820] to make mistakes. And I feel it's better to, you know, make these mistakes right now than [15:36.820 -> 15:38.220] after the season starts. [15:38.220 -> 15:47.800] Yeah, and it was interesting to see Hamilton blaming the rear of the car not feeling right on regulation [15:47.800 -> 15:48.800] changes. [15:48.800 -> 15:56.680] Although he may be right, but hey, I am an opinionated guy about Hamilton, although I [15:56.680 -> 16:02.920] like him as a driver now since his seven year streak, but hams ham. [16:02.920 -> 16:08.100] Well, if you've noticed, Botas was also kind of talking about [16:08.100 -> 16:13.660] something similar that the rare end of the Mercedes is not as stable as it [16:13.660 -> 16:19.940] earlier was. Though I'm not entirely sure whether this is just some pre-scripted [16:19.940 -> 16:25.400] words that they're saying just because they want to show that they are not at [16:25.400 -> 16:31.000] the top of the game. I mean Mercedes always does this right like each year we [16:31.000 -> 16:38.840] see during testing they are not always the fastest and come Australia they are [16:38.840 -> 16:45.680] right there at the pole position and not just the pole position there at one two and as like [16:45.680 -> 16:55.640] everybody loves calling this a sandbagging basically just pretend that you don't have [16:55.640 -> 17:01.560] the performance and fool your competitors believing that you're not at the top of the [17:01.560 -> 17:02.560] game. [17:02.560 -> 17:05.440] Another interesting thing that happened on day two is [17:10.480 -> 17:11.040] Perez's engine covered apparently was ripped off on a straight while he was [17:13.480 -> 17:14.360] coming off the back of Latifi and [17:16.880 -> 17:18.200] he was just trying to overtake Latifi and [17:24.960 -> 17:25.160] Yeah, his engine car just blew off and it was shattered into pieces and like it was all over the track. [17:25.160 -> 17:27.920] I think they had to red flag the session again. [17:27.920 -> 17:30.600] There were two red flags in one day. [17:30.600 -> 17:33.240] Basically, they had to hold the whole session, [17:33.240 -> 17:36.720] clean up the track because these pieces, [17:36.720 -> 17:40.400] because most of the body of these cars is carbon fiber [17:40.400 -> 17:42.920] and once carbon fiber shatters, [17:42.920 -> 17:45.580] it creates these tiny know tiny sharp like [17:45.580 -> 17:51.400] pieces which just destroy these tires on the cars so they have to like ensure [17:51.400 -> 17:55.480] that all of these pieces are removed from the road otherwise you know one of [17:55.480 -> 18:01.800] the piece could really harm one of these drivers. Speaking of incidents I mean Haas [18:01.800 -> 18:06.160] was not privy to escaping it either. [18:06.160 -> 18:10.460] Nikita was, I guess, in the zone for racing. [18:10.460 -> 18:15.000] I guess he was almost gonna run off few folks off the track. [18:15.000 -> 18:19.600] Luckily, he didn't. So, yeah, that's positive. [18:19.600 -> 18:26.500] And in the pit lanes too, Haas was having dramas with Mick probably being over excited. [18:26.500 -> 18:35.500] Starting off his car maybe just a second earlier and overrunning his front jack in the pits. [18:35.500 -> 18:38.900] No harm done and no damage is done. So, that's the good part. [18:38.900 -> 18:48.580] But it shows that even if the team is not that ready, both the drivers are in full on action to show [18:48.580 -> 18:55.480] their mettle on the racetrack. But talking of issues, there were issues with Aston Martin [18:55.480 -> 19:01.340] too, right, Sarang? Oh yeah, that's what I was just about to say. When you said that [19:01.340 -> 19:06.740] all drivers are trying to prove their worth on the track. [19:06.740 -> 19:14.000] Unfortunately, Sebastian Vettel did not get this opportunity through the first two days [19:14.000 -> 19:17.740] because he constantly had issues. [19:17.740 -> 19:21.000] I think on day two, he had gearbox issues. [19:21.000 -> 19:28.480] And on day one, I think he had some fuel related issues if I'm not wrong. [19:28.480 -> 19:35.000] But for me a bigger controversy came from his ex-teammate Charles Leclerc. During one [19:35.000 -> 19:41.440] of the drivers conferences he was asked, do you think you are the new team leader for [19:41.440 -> 19:50.560] Ferrari? I mean it's an obvious question from press because he's got a new teammate, Carlos Sainz, in there who's also going to try to prove his mettle. [19:50.560 -> 20:06.880] But his response, his first words were, well, I have more time with Ferrari than Carlos. So, it could be, but I don't think there is a leader. I mean, I sort of see this as a beginning [20:06.880 -> 20:10.480] of a sort of relation, although he tried to cover it up, [20:10.480 -> 20:14.400] but he still went ahead saying that he's got more time [20:14.400 -> 20:18.600] showing that mentally he's probably thinking he's a leader, [20:18.600 -> 20:23.240] even though the team doesn't have any of that stuff. [20:23.240 -> 20:25.200] So overall, I think an interesting, [20:25.200 -> 20:27.960] controversial, fun-filled day two. [20:27.960 -> 20:30.360] I know, I think overall day two was [20:31.320 -> 20:33.280] a little better for everybody [20:33.280 -> 20:36.920] in the sense that teams were able to actually put in [20:36.920 -> 20:41.920] some good laps and they were actually able to [20:42.680 -> 20:49.200] gauge the performances of their cars. And so yeah, I think overall day two was much better. [20:49.200 -> 20:53.600] And to think of it actually, Mercedes had a pretty good day on day two. [20:53.600 -> 20:58.400] After all the speculation that went on in day one with all the gearbox issues, [20:58.400 -> 21:01.200] Valtteri Bottas was at the top of the charts on day two. [21:01.200 -> 21:03.400] So, you know, there you have it. [21:03.400 -> 21:09.960] Mercedes, you cannot underestimate them they still are seven-time world champion [21:09.960 -> 21:18.160] and you still have to give them the due respect. Another person who did really [21:18.160 -> 21:25.880] well on day two was Pierre Gasly as we had talked earlier as well I think Pierre has really found his [21:25.880 -> 21:33.120] home at AlphaTauri. Somehow he has gelled up with the team so well he is in [21:33.120 -> 21:39.520] tune with the car so well that I think we can expect great things from Pierre [21:39.520 -> 21:55.000] this year. He was second on the charts and yeah I feel that AlphaTauri would probably play a larger role than just being a B team at Red Bull this year if Pierre continues to deliver this performance. [21:55.000 -> 21:57.000] Agree, totally agree. [21:57.000 -> 22:00.000] Alright, so let's move on to the day 3 of testing. [22:00.000 -> 22:06.000] Day 1 and day 2 I think most teams were trying to work out all their issues [22:06.000 -> 22:13.520] this was their first time trying to test out their cars and they were trying to [22:13.520 -> 22:18.120] make all the mistakes early on as they could so that you know they don't make [22:18.120 -> 22:26.400] these mistakes when the season begins so relatively, day three was a much better day with a lot fewer incidents [22:27.280 -> 22:36.320] and most of these teams had quite a smooth running as you could see Williams as well [22:36.320 -> 22:48.320] doing decently, Russell in particular doing good and I think in one of the press conferences, he mentioned that Williams would probably have a [22:48.320 -> 22:56.640] kind of a yo-yo effect this year where they might be quite quick on some tracks and really slow on [22:56.640 -> 23:05.840] the others. So that's something to look forward to. I'm kind of tired to see Williams in the 19th and 20th position race after race. [23:05.840 -> 23:12.080] So I'm really hoping that they are at least able to score some points this season because [23:12.080 -> 23:17.440] I think that itself would be a large step for them. [23:17.440 -> 23:21.960] Yeah I'm hoping that Williams makes up ground this year. [23:21.960 -> 23:26.120] And talking about good performances, Yuki Tsunoda is [23:26.120 -> 23:32.840] another driver who really did well on day three I think he came in second [23:32.840 -> 23:41.480] right behind Max and I think that's that's a great feat because Yuki is [23:41.480 -> 23:48.880] it's his rookie year. AlphaTauri is a very competitive team with Pierre Gasly as [23:48.880 -> 23:55.520] his teammate and I think he has a lot to prove. I'm sure he's super excited for this opportunity [23:55.520 -> 24:02.320] because being in Alpha Tauri is pretty much an express ticket to get into Red Bull and [24:02.320 -> 24:07.280] every junior driver wants to go to Red Bull because I think Red Bull is one [24:07.280 -> 24:15.520] of the few teams which one of the few top teams rather which is always eager to pick up these [24:15.520 -> 24:21.120] young drivers like teams like Mercedes and Ferrari are oftentimes really reluctant to [24:21.120 -> 24:26.400] give their second seat to new drivers and I I mean, even if you think about it, right, [24:26.400 -> 24:30.120] like recently they have had all of the drivers [24:30.120 -> 24:33.520] have been so young, even to think of Max, [24:33.520 -> 24:38.520] when Max joined Red Bull, he was barely 18, right? [24:38.840 -> 24:43.440] I think there was a point when he was driving F1 cars [24:43.440 -> 24:47.880] and he didn't have a license to drive a regular [24:47.880 -> 24:55.720] car which speaks for itself. Yeah and Max also had an amazing performance during [24:55.720 -> 25:01.920] this testing. He topped the chart on day one as well as day three. I think that [25:01.920 -> 25:06.880] just comes to show how consistent Max has become these days. I think that just comes to show how consistent Max has become these days. [25:06.880 -> 25:13.800] I think that Hamilton should be a little worried that if Red Bull does deliver a car with which [25:13.800 -> 25:20.640] Max can fight Hamilton, I think he's going to have some problems. [25:20.640 -> 25:31.200] That's true. And it's not just going to be Red Bull because, I mean, at least not 2021, but there is some good hopes coming in from Ferrari as well. [25:31.200 -> 25:40.560] Because with the driver's press conference towards the end when we had team principals talking, Matteo sounded very confident for the car. [25:40.560 -> 25:46.000] At least on the straights, he was self-aware that they probably [25:46.000 -> 25:51.040] don't have a fight for the top this year but they do see themselves contending [25:51.040 -> 26:00.000] good for that midfield and the formula f1.5 position my concerns though are only [26:00.000 -> 26:06.960] with Haas probably because they've openly said that they are not going to be [26:06.960 -> 26:15.100] concentrating on on 2021. I wish I could say that at my job. They are looking [26:15.100 -> 26:20.400] already into 2022. The drivers are eager to prove themselves and we could see [26:20.400 -> 26:27.160] that in day three with Mazepin almost again running into what was a spun Lewis on [26:27.160 -> 26:28.160] the track. [26:28.160 -> 26:34.320] But that just gives me hopes for Williams as well because I can see them finishing at [26:34.320 -> 26:38.440] least ahead of Haas in this season. [26:38.440 -> 26:40.520] So fingers crossed for that. [26:40.520 -> 26:49.200] Overall, day 3, yeah, drivers trying to get more laps in, getting themselves comfortable with their car. [26:49.200 -> 26:51.600] Wrapping thoughts on day 3 from you, Sarang. [26:51.600 -> 26:58.800] Yeah, I think overall day 3 was relatively a dull day from the perspective of audience. [26:58.800 -> 27:03.200] Teams must be really happy because there was no shenanigans. [27:03.200 -> 27:07.520] It was all, you you know all boring as it [27:07.520 -> 27:11.680] should be from their perspective things should be as predictable as possible and [27:11.680 -> 27:15.720] that's how it was so I think overall they must have gathered a lot of good [27:15.720 -> 27:20.720] data which they would be analyzing over the next couple of weeks tuning their [27:20.720 -> 27:28.240] cars getting them ready for for the next race which starts on 28th of March at Bahrain. [27:28.240 -> 27:33.440] So, yeah, I think overall it was a successful day for all the teams. [27:33.440 -> 27:41.040] With three days of testing done, there was definitely some tech that stood out and some innovations that stood out, right, Sarang? [27:41.040 -> 27:46.380] And the first one for me at least was Alpha Tauri's, in quotes, [27:46.380 -> 27:50.560] fancy nose, which is interesting because what they've done is they've housed a [27:50.560 -> 27:56.440] camera in that fancy nose only to monitor this front wing flexing. I mean [27:56.440 -> 28:01.440] it's illegal to have front wing flexing but it's also impossible to avoid it [28:01.440 -> 28:06.160] with high speeds. So they've dropped in a camera there to monitor [28:06.160 -> 28:13.360] the airflow and a front wing flexing for our Alpha Tauri. What are some other innovations [28:13.360 -> 28:18.720] that stood out for you, Sarang? Yeah, I think Red Bull really stood out this time. I think [28:18.720 -> 28:27.120] there has been a lot of talk this year that with the changes in the regulations for the floor a lot of chatter [28:27.120 -> 28:33.520] going on that Red Bull is probably going to gain some advantage here because the way Red Bull [28:33.520 -> 28:42.080] cars are designed they generally have a higher rake. Basically what that means is that they have [28:42.080 -> 28:46.960] the rear end of the car higher as compared to the front of the car, [28:47.920 -> 28:56.400] which gives them a little bit of a ground effect. Ground effect is nothing but a drag that air [28:56.400 -> 29:05.520] produces when it goes under the car, which creates a kind of a suction effect and that really helps the car to stick to the ground and [29:05.520 -> 29:11.360] at the speeds at which these cars are going this ground effect is really [29:11.360 -> 29:16.560] important because it gives them good traction without actually adding any [29:16.560 -> 29:26.540] aerodynamic drag so that way they can go faster and they can take the corners faster which basically translates into [29:26.540 -> 29:33.420] faster lap times. Did McLaren also do something to add something similar to their [29:33.420 -> 29:38.500] benefit there? Oh yeah there's been a lot of talk about this so [29:38.500 -> 29:46.880] McLaren has basically come up with a kind of a red diffuser and that also kind of creates this ground [29:46.880 -> 29:54.320] effect which again kind of really would help them to carry speeds through these [29:54.320 -> 30:01.160] corners and that definitely is gonna shave off some few seconds of their lap [30:01.160 -> 30:09.240] times and with the new Mercedes engine that they're housing in their car I think [30:09.240 -> 30:15.860] they are going to have this extra performance which they would have to compensate with having [30:15.860 -> 30:21.520] better aerodynamics so that they can actually use that extra performance to gain some lap [30:21.520 -> 30:22.520] time. [30:22.520 -> 30:29.840] Talking about ground effect you can see that the field is kind of divided a little in terms [30:29.840 -> 30:38.680] of rake angles and you can see that the cars which are more similar to Mercedes type designs [30:38.680 -> 30:40.600] have a lower rake angle. [30:40.600 -> 30:45.520] And this was actually advantageous for all of these cars in the older regulations [30:45.520 -> 30:52.380] where you were allowed to have slits in your floor which is now banned this year [30:52.380 -> 30:59.640] and with that change on the floor the cars which have a higher rake angle like [30:59.640 -> 31:10.720] Red Bull are gonna gain some advantage or at least that is what everybody's speculating but one interesting thing which I saw was that Mercedes has actually come up [31:10.720 -> 31:17.840] with an innovation to counter the lower raking angle that they have so since [31:17.840 -> 31:27.280] slits were banned on the floor they have come up with this new design where they actually mold the floor into peaks and [31:27.280 -> 31:34.640] valleys so that it simulates the effect of slits on the floor without actually having [31:34.640 -> 31:35.640] slits on the floor. [31:35.640 -> 31:36.640] Oh wow. [31:36.640 -> 31:37.640] Oh wow. [31:37.640 -> 31:44.240] Yeah, we see these innovations coming in from Mercedes every year and it's just, I mean, [31:44.240 -> 31:47.080] it makes me go. Just blows your mind right? [31:47.080 -> 31:53.240] See I am out of words, my brain just slows down yeah. But also talking about [31:53.240 -> 31:58.320] unusual concepts there is Alpine's massive airbox on top of their car which [31:58.320 -> 32:03.960] stood out for me. What they've done is sort of taken a concept of [32:03.960 -> 32:05.840] central line cooling what that essentially means is they've done is sort of taken a concept of central line cooling. [32:05.840 -> 32:10.920] What that essentially means is they've taken all their radiators and as such, [32:10.920 -> 32:15.800] and put it on top of their car with that center air flow duct. [32:16.000 -> 32:20.960] Albeit it raises their center of gravity and it may be a bad thing, [32:21.320 -> 32:27.020] but experts say that it also increases and gives them a best [32:27.020 -> 32:33.300] aero performance so only time is gonna tell how that car is gonna perform is it [32:33.300 -> 32:38.480] gonna be performing as good as it looks oh yeah and did you also notice that [32:38.480 -> 32:46.720] Alpine was actually testing out two different rear ends of the car or rather two different engine [32:46.720 -> 32:54.040] covers of the car where one was pretty sleek engine cover with a larger back [32:54.040 -> 33:01.360] fin and one was a much chunkier engine cover so I guess that they [33:01.360 -> 33:06.140] yeah they kind of know about the higher center of gravity that they have with this [33:06.140 -> 33:08.940] larger air intake. [33:08.940 -> 33:15.660] And I think they are trying out different solutions to make sure that this does not [33:15.660 -> 33:17.220] affect their aero performance. [33:17.220 -> 33:18.220] Agree, agree. [33:18.220 -> 33:25.000] But well, Sarang, after all of this exciting three days, [33:25.520 -> 33:28.520] innovations and fingers crossed on [33:28.520 -> 33:31.440] whatever's gonna happen throughout the rest of the year, [33:31.440 -> 33:35.040] what I wanna ask you is a different form [33:35.040 -> 33:38.360] of our episode ending tradition, [33:38.360 -> 33:43.000] which is what are your top three predictions from drivers [33:43.000 -> 33:52.800] and what are your top three predictions from constructors? Oh well predictions this is going to be interesting let me think [33:52.800 -> 34:10.080] all right number one for me would be Pierre Gasly gets number eight on the Drivers Championship. I feel that Pierre has been gaining a lot of momentum [34:10.080 -> 34:19.320] with his race win last year and overall strong performances throughout the season with Alpha [34:19.320 -> 34:27.440] Tauri improving their performance, him gelling so well with the team as well as Honda [34:27.440 -> 34:32.560] coming up with entirely new design for their engine. I think all these factors [34:32.560 -> 34:40.480] might really help Pierre to beat the other folks and get that 8th position. [34:40.480 -> 34:49.760] The second prediction for me is for Daniel Ricardo. I would predict with him going [34:49.760 -> 34:57.520] to McLaren that's just going to probably improve his confidence. Last year we saw Daniel at the [34:57.520 -> 35:05.440] fifth position at Drivers Championship but since he's changing teams I think he'll continue to hold that position and [35:06.000 -> 35:08.780] I think he might have a couple of [35:09.440 -> 35:16.820] not so good races at the start of the season, but he'll soon get in tune with the car and [35:18.120 -> 35:20.120] bring the fight to [35:20.360 -> 35:22.600] Aston Martin as well as [35:23.280 -> 35:27.200] Alpine and I think he'll maintain his position as [35:27.200 -> 35:32.520] fifth on the board. The third prediction for me would be for George Russell. [35:32.520 -> 35:56.160] I predict that he will finally get his point in the Williams and I hope this is the year for him. And yeah, so he probably will end up not at the 19th position and somewhere a little above probably 17th or 18th. [35:56.160 -> 36:07.200] Well, so for me, the driver predictions go, I mean, I want to start off with my favorite driver on the track who is back, Fernando Alonso. [36:07.200 -> 36:12.640] It's going to be interesting seeing him. But I still think he is going to have a good year. [36:12.640 -> 36:17.600] Just bringing that good experience for him. Bringing that good experience from him. [36:17.600 -> 36:29.240] I think he is going to be 7th on the grid of drivers champions. Next up for me is Perez. He's gonna give that good [36:29.240 -> 36:37.860] fight on that top leaderboard and I see him as P4. And Sainz, although the car is not [36:37.860 -> 36:48.200] gonna perform as good as fans hope, but I think he is gonna get that points. He is gonna finish above Leclerc on the table. [36:48.200 -> 36:49.400] Wow, that's a bold prediction. [36:49.400 -> 36:52.400] But how about Constructors, Sarang? [36:52.400 -> 37:00.100] Oh well, for me, I think Red Bull. I think Red Bull would finally bring the fight to Mercedes. [37:00.100 -> 37:07.640] I still don't, I am not confident that they will win the Constructors' Championship, but [37:07.640 -> 37:14.840] I think finally there would be some fight at the Constructors' Championship with Sergio [37:14.840 -> 37:17.220] Perez joining the team. [37:17.220 -> 37:26.260] And as I talked about earlier, the new engine from Honda, and also considering all the talk that's been going around about Red Bull [37:26.260 -> 37:33.140] having an advantage in terms of having a car that's more suited to the new [37:33.140 -> 37:40.060] regulations. If Red Bull are able to remove all their reliability issues, I [37:40.060 -> 37:48.000] think that this year would finally be the year when we actually see our title fight. [37:48.000 -> 37:54.000] The second prediction for me would be for Alpine. [37:54.000 -> 37:59.000] I think Alpine has been doing good. [37:59.000 -> 38:04.000] They are slowly gaining that momentum year over year. [38:04.000 -> 38:06.560] Last year they were fifth on the [38:06.560 -> 38:12.100] constructors championship and they were actually quite [38:12.100 -> 38:18.180] close to a racing point. So I think that they'll continue to hold the fifth [38:18.180 -> 38:26.280] position that they had last year but this year they probably will be closer to Aston Martin [38:26.280 -> 38:31.080] and McLaren as compared to the last year so probably this is going to be a [38:31.080 -> 38:38.840] strong year for them as well. The third team that I want to talk about is [38:38.840 -> 38:50.440] Alfa Romeo. Alfa Romeo has always been a small team which punches a lot above their weight. [38:50.440 -> 38:58.160] Last year was probably an exception and I would say it was not entirely their fault. [38:58.160 -> 39:03.440] Pretty much everybody knows what happened with the Ferrari engine and that directly [39:03.440 -> 39:06.000] translated into terrible results for all the Ferrari customer teams that directly translated into terrible results [39:06.000 -> 39:10.920] for all the Ferrari customer teams and Alfa Romeo was obviously a victim of the [39:10.920 -> 39:16.760] same issue. If what Mattia has been talking about the improvements in the [39:16.760 -> 39:22.440] Ferrari engine are true I think Alfa would do a lot better this year. Last [39:22.440 -> 39:27.720] year they were 8th and I'm hoping that they, [39:27.720 -> 39:29.800] I don't think that they'll be seventh on the board [39:29.800 -> 39:33.200] because Alphatauri has been doing really good, [39:33.200 -> 39:37.840] but I feel that they would not be a hundred points [39:37.840 -> 39:41.000] behind the seventh position as they were last year. [39:41.000 -> 39:42.780] I think they would be a lot closer, [39:42.780 -> 39:48.400] and I think that they would be the clear winners at the end of the Constructors' table. [39:48.400 -> 39:59.800] Yeah, for me, I think Aston Martin's gonna have a good season. I think it's gonna either, well, let's say, 4th. 4th on the table. [39:59.800 -> 40:09.520] I was gonna say either 3rd or 4th but but let's say fourth on the table. Merck is going to bore me and they are going to continue winning that Constructor title. [40:09.520 -> 40:31.840] So, I think, Sarang, you and I are going to have good contention if Red Bull keeps winning versus to my want from the Championship, Merck keeps winning. My third prediction is for Williams because I'm excited for them having a new technical director, Jensen Button as their technical advisor. [40:31.840 -> 40:44.120] I think they are going to not finish last on the table this year and it's going to be P9 for them on the table with probably Haas. [40:44.120 -> 40:45.640] But I don't know who's gonna be [40:45.640 -> 40:49.080] below them but I think it's gonna be Haas below them. Hey Akash, how about this? [40:49.080 -> 40:54.920] I have an idea. Let's do something different. Let's throw in a wildcard [40:54.920 -> 41:01.240] prediction. What I mean by that is give me the wildest prediction that you can [41:01.240 -> 41:05.440] make and let's see if that comes true. That's [41:05.440 -> 41:10.640] interesting. You know what I'm gonna continue with my optimism on Williams [41:10.640 -> 41:20.760] and I say that out of the 20 drivers Russell finishes 14th or 15th that high [41:20.760 -> 41:31.480] up out of the 20 drivers. What's yours? For me, I think it would be kind of a continuation of last year. I think we are gonna see the super [41:31.880 -> 41:33.400] substitute that's [41:33.400 -> 41:35.480] Nico Hulkenberg back on the track [41:37.120 -> 41:40.480] for sure again this season and [41:41.720 -> 41:45.300] Considering all the COVID waves still going on over the world, [41:45.300 -> 41:48.300] there is still a high chance of some driver catching it [41:48.300 -> 41:54.800] and Nico being in the right position to come and substitute for them. [41:54.800 -> 41:58.800] I'd love to see that. I'd love to see that. [41:58.800 -> 42:00.900] Well, folks, with that, you have it. [42:00.900 -> 42:04.600] This was another episode from Fan Fiction [42:04.600 -> 42:07.440] on our thoughts about the [42:07.440 -> 42:13.600] pre-testing season. Coming forward, we'll dive into the race weeks. It's going to be [42:13.600 -> 42:20.200] so exciting with these new colors and the unpredictableness from the pre-testing that [42:20.200 -> 42:26.160] we take into these weekends. So tune in to hear more about these weekends [42:26.160 -> 42:29.360] and our banter and our thoughts on those races. [42:29.360 -> 42:30.680] And you can again, listen to us [42:30.680 -> 42:33.520] on any of your favorite streaming platforms. [42:33.520 -> 42:35.560] Until next time, bye folks. [42:38.800 -> 42:39.640] Bye-bye. [42:39.640 -> 42:41.640] ♪♪♪ [42:39.440 -> 42:41.440] you