With pre-season testing over, the results are in. Its been very close with no one seemingly having a clear advantage unlike last year where Brawn GP dominated testing. Its difficult to know who is the quickest because of the different fuel loads all the teams were running through out testing. On a full tank of fuel, a team could have as much as 160kg of fuel on board which would be roughly 5 to 6 seconds a lap slower than with qualifying fuel in.
What the long runs seem to show is that Mclaren and Ferrari seem to be a bit in front, with Red Bull and Mercedez just behind. Maybe a couple of tenths of a second a lap from them are Sauber, Force India and Williams with Torro Rosso a tenth or two behind them and Renault a few tenths further back.
I believe 2010 will be one of those years we look back upon with fond memories. One of those years that the competition and quality of the racing was so high that it stood out amongst the rest. Years like ‘87 when you had Prost versus the Williams duo of Mansell and Piquet with a young Aryton Senna in a Lotus. 2007 was also a classic year when we had both Ferrari drivers versus the two Mclarens with Kimi Raikkonen winning the championship by a single point.
First of all we have the greatest driver ever back in the fry with Michael Shumacher reunited with Ross Brawn at Mercedez. Brawn has said its the Michael of old, which means that if Mercedez can deliver the car, there could be an unprecedented eight title for the 41 year old German.
Then there are the last two world champions, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton in the Mclaren. I would like to think that Jenson has the capability to take on Hamilton in his own team, although he will have his work cut out.
With Ferrari, there is 2 times world champion, Fernando Alonso back in a competitive car. He is raring to go and looks very relaxed during preseason testing. He is relishing driving the scarlet car.
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