Thought it'd be a good idea to create a thread to compile the views of the people who have seen the cars on track. I've compiled all the at the track information from people posting on the forum and ordered it team by team.

Red Bull.

Jerez - 1st test

'Red Bull: Really nice pace. Stable, good under braking and early on the throtle. Looks like a nice evolution from last year.'

'Cars that looked better were the Lotus, followed by Toro Rosso & RedBull. '

'Impressions of today... Vettel/RB8 and Hamilton/MP4-27 combinations looked supreme today, as did Grosjean in the Lotus. Vettel did a few runs almost in tandem with Rosberg's EBD Merc, so can confirm now that RB are not blowing the exhausts, it's just the Renault engines own overrun (Lotus, Williams and Caterham sounded a lot similar today as well). It did sound different to the last 2 days though...'

Barcelona - 2nd test


McLaren Mercedes.

Jerez - 1st test

'Best looking car award goes to McLaren hands down.'

'Fun driver of the morning goes to Hamilton. Some nice slides and locks ;)'

'McLaren: Similar to red bull. Looked faster than the Merc.'

'McLaren didn't look so great, similar to Ferrari, maybe a bit better but also with different behaviours...'

'Alonso and Hamilton were the ones pushing harder. It´s hard to say why, but they always look like beeing in the limit'

Barcelona - 2nd test

@eddstrawF1, says that the McLaren is looking very strong down at Turn 1. 'On the power fractionally before Vettel and can be very aggressive on braking and turn in.' Both cars look very good though he reports.

Ferrari

Jerez - 1st test

'Ferrari: ok.... i couldn´t watch it as much as i wanted because it was in the garage most of the morning. They had a stint early in the morning (around 10:15 or so) and looked......... bad. I mean, Alonso looked like pushing hard but there was a lot of understeer in the car. As he made a few laps things got sorted. But then I watched two laps before leaving the circuit with more heat and suddenly it looked much better. Particularly i liked the way it went into the corners after the braking zone. as an Alonso fan I would love to say something more, but i just couldnt see the car enough.;)'

'Now Ferrari... they didn't look that much faster in Alonso's hands, but some of the more nervy moments seen with Massa had been ironed out by Alonso and whatever setup progress had been made. I think they're in trouble, most runs that they were running in close company with another car they were quickly caught, or Alonso would just slow to let them pass. Traction still no better, and cars like the Red Bull and McLaren were leaps ahead in getting out of corners.'

'Ferrari handling looked different on almost every run they did, most of times it looked a bit sluggish, but on other stints it looked well planted.'

'Alonso and Hamilton were the ones pushing harder. It´s hard to say why, but they always look like beeing in the limit.'

Barcelona - 2nd test

Alonso looks to be struggling a bit. I cant hear or see timing but his car is all kinds of unstable through turns 1/2/3. Snap oversteer too.


Mercedes AMG

Jerez - 1st test

'Mercedes: They seemed to be doing something with the old blown diffuser. Sound changed a lot from stint to stint. Didn´t impress even if it was last year´s car.'

Barcelona - 2nd test


Lotus F1 Team

'Renault: Clearly lacks grip in the back. I spotted some slides, blocks rear under braking, etc.'

'Cars that looked better were the Lotus, followed by Toro Rosso & RedBull.'

'Grosjean in particular was driving supremely, lap after lap achieving perfect lines, with hints of induced oversteer in the chicane to help turn-in.'

Barcelona - 2nd test

-


Sahara Force India

Jerez - 1st test

-

Barcelona - 2nd test


Sauber

Jerez - 1st test

'Sauber: Planted and fast. Looked pretty good in Perez´s hands. Better than the renault IMO.'

'Perez looked jittery still in places as he did yesterday, and Vergne in the STR was solid but unremarkable (as was Ricciardo). '

Barcelona - 2nd test


Toro Rosso

Jerez - 1st test

'Toro rosso: Felt nervous. Slower changing direction and prone to overstear. Seems to lack downforce'

'Perez looked jittery still in places as he did yesterday, and Vergne in the STR was solid but unremarkable (as was Ricciardo). '

Barcelona - 2nd test


Williams

Jerez - 1st test

'Williams: Similar to sauber, but when they pushed the car it began to slide more. I would say slower than the Sauber.'

'Senna in the Williams was another one nailing his lines, and looked a bit more comfortable than Pastor (could be setups, fuel loads etc.)'

Barcelona - 2nd test


Caterham

Jerez - 1st test

'Caterham looked good in VDG's hands, he had a few moments (and an off apparently when I was waiting to get in the paddock...) but mainly seemed confident and assured behind the wheel, especially for someone who has not sat in an F1 car for so long, and had such little prep from joining the team. The car definitely seems a bit step forward from last year's, today's times not really being a reflection of that due to other factors.'

'Caterham: Looked ok, but slow. Much better than last years, but clearly slower. Very undramatic.'

Barcelona - 2nd test


HRT

Jerez - 1st test

-

Barcelona - 2nd test


Marussia

Jerez - 1st test

-

Barcelona - 2nd test




Thanks to Atic Atac, DanardiF1, @jameypricephoto, @eddstrawf1 & muelte.

I'll continue to add to each team as more on track viewing is posted.

great idea for a thread

only 1 member was on track?

Danardi was there I believe.

Thanks mate!!

24 February i going to Barca,i will tell you i see on track!!

Thanks, I already contacted him to post here.

I'll be at the circuit tomorrow. I'll be happy to share my thoughts and photos when I get back.

Thanks - and have a great day!

Jerome d'Ambrosio's comments (premium)

For those who haven't got it could someone give us the gist?

Red Bull looking good.

McLaren looking equally as good - but a little stiffer over the kerbs due to their traditional aero philosophy.

Lotus looking like they might surprise.

Toro Rosso and Sauber look OK (nothing is really said about them in any detail); Williams "doesn't look that good"; Ferrari was not on track at the time due to the F2012's hydraulic problems.

Great thanks

When a content is "plus", I think it's fair to pay for it if you wanna read it.

As I'm not that interested in D'Ambrosio thoughts, I'm not gonna pay for it but if it was Heidfeld, then I would. I remember in 2010(or last year, don't remember which) that Nick was almost spot on on everything when came Melbourne.

AUTOSPORT's digital product manager:

Just a suggestion: why dont you format the 1st post like this:

Red Bull
"bla bla bla" DanardiF1 on 08/02/2012
"bla bla bla" Atec Atoc on 09/02/2012

McLaren
"bla bla bla" DanardiF1 on 08/02/2012


Etc.

I know it will give you some work, but it's just a suggestion ;)

Refreshing to see a company taking a 'common sense' approach to something ... just wish more did

Good thread btw

I agree something like this would make the thread very useful, as at the moment you have to scroll through people saying it's a great idea for a thread

Could the mods add the year to the thread title. Please, please?

"Track Observations for 2012 Winter Testing" would be great for future references. Am i the only one who likes to dig up old threads?

Mark Webber said to Heikki Kulta (Turun Sanomat) that Red bull is looking very good but so is Lotus and at the moment they are in top 3 definately.he also agreed Ferrari doesn't look so strong...but it's early days so far

Is Ferrari in the same spot McLaren were in last year (for different reasons, of course)?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97453

I'll compile the data at work in my lunch later on today

It´s strange. Almost everyone praises lotus, but from my personal point of view they seemed to be lacking rear end grip badly.

Anyway, it can be due to watching the car with different configs at different times of the day..... who knows.

its likely that

Or could it be down to RG's inexperience?

Might be a good idea to update the first post with data.

I must say this is a fantastic idea for a thread! I hope the mods don't merge this with the winter testing thread. This one has enough juice to stand on its own

Yeah i'll compile it into the first post

I second this.

Thirded. Good idea to compile it here.

Maybe. I saw him blocking rears twice under braking and it looked more like a brake balance issue. Other drivers had blocks while braking and they were "standard". (smoke and missing the apex). The lotus seemed to have some inestability under braking and problems putting the power down. Front end looked good though

If I've learnt anything, is that mods will refuse to merge the 3 billion threads about Raikkonen or Hamilton but they will merge everything else that contains the same sequence of letters anywhere in the thread as another thread

I also thought it was a good idea, but reading it now it really isn't much different to the Winter Testing thread, mostly generic chatting about testing. It only will have enough juice if people stop that and leave the thread for genuine trackside observations. Please do, it would make a great thread

From muelte in Ferrari thread today:



http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?show...t&p=5523228

EDIT: Damn you HPT

*Updated ^*

good work thanks

It's more work, but it's quite important to know when and by whom the observation was made.

Do we really need that?

Can't wait to read today's edition!

Im looking forward to todays evaluation might be difficult with lack of running from RB and Ferrari, be nice to hear what the williams was like considering the long stint it was doing.

So many eager people.....hope the feedback is accurate enough

Nice work Brandz07

Guess ill go to the front of the queue for some of our inside info...

Do non-forumer observations count? Here's Peter Windsor on day 2: http://peterwindsor.com/2012/02/08/notes-from-jerez-testing/

Mark Webber:

"If Grosjean can do those laptimes then we will all have to watch Kimi (Raikkonen)."

http://www.f1zone.net/news/lotus-quietly-c...2012-car/12194/

Its a shame he's underestimating Grosjean. He might well prove to be the benchmark for the team.

Didn´t Kimi drive two days this week?