[PapaofGags]

Shamelessly stolen from SKY..  By Pete Gill

So what's the pecking order?
With the usual caveats about reduced running, unknown fuel loads, varied engine settings, different tyres, and contrasting performance targets, here's how we think the pecking order runs ahead of the new season:
* A clear top three of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes with the world champions out in front but with their advantage perhaps greater in race trim than qualifying.
* Renault as the best of the rest, albeit amid concerns that the top three have moved further away from the chasing pack, although several team bosses denied that was the case on Friday night.
* McLaren as the wild card in the pack as a result of their unreliability but with the team still confident their chassis and engine package can deliver a profitable season once a happy compromise is achieved between the Renault unit and the MCL33's tight packaging.
* A closely-packed midfield, with Force India's position particularly ambiguous until they deliver their full 2018 package. Haas could well be fifth in the order while Williams look likely to start the season in the lower half of the midfield.
* Sauber cut adrift at the back but with respectable reliability and Leclerc around tenths ahead of Ericsson.
Roll on March 23-25 when all the questions will be answered.

[morini]

Shamelessly stolen from SKY..  By Pete Gill

So what's the pecking order?
With the usual caveats about reduced running, unknown fuel loads, varied engine settings, different tyres, and contrasting performance targets, here's how we think the pecking order runs ahead of the new season:
* A clear top three of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes with the world champions out in front but with their advantage perhaps greater in race trim than qualifying.
* Renault as the best of the rest, albeit amid concerns that the top three have moved further away from the chasing pack, although several team bosses denied that was the case on Friday night.
* McLaren as the wild card in the pack as a result of their unreliability but with the team still confident their chassis and engine package can deliver a profitable season once a happy compromise is achieved between the Renault unit and the MCL33's tight packaging.
* A closely-packed midfield, with Force India's position particularly ambiguous until they deliver their full 2018 package. Haas could well be fifth in the order while Williams look likely to start the season in the lower half of the midfield.
* Sauber cut adrift at the back but with respectable reliability and Leclerc around tenths ahead of Ericsson.
Roll on March 23-25 when all the questions will be answered.

I felt the need to say what I thought about Pete the Sky journo's "article". He gets paid for this FFS!

[PapaofGags]

Hi Morini, Jody's write up was much better, maybe he should write for SKY?

[Jody Barton]

Papa and I farted my comment out off of the top of my head.

[morini]

Hi Morini, Jody's write up was much better, maybe he should write for SKY?  

Couldn't be much worse! But he'd be speculating as well  Either way, it is all incredibly irritating as they are always barking up the wrong rabbit hole. Never learn the lessons do they? Watch the testing, enjoy the sights, sounds and smells - yes. Draw any meaningful conclusions - no.

Look at the time it took the muppet to publish that "article". Tells you all you need to know about the content. The whole Sky sports website is clickbait and I am as guilty as anyone for giving it any attention.

[Jody Barton]

You say that Morini, but over the last 10 years the long stint pace has been generally a good indicator of pecking order, give or take a few tenths. Last season the long runs indicated Merc had problems, and that Ferrari had race pace but maybe not quite the one lap pace.

So you can take some things out of winter testing. True, it's never super accurate, but it does give indicators. The indications are that Mercedes are out front, with RBR and Ferrari not too far behind. Then a whole muddle of cars a way back fighting over the best of the rest. I think we won't know how the midfield is shaking out until we hit Canada probably.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Papa and I farted my comment out off of the top of my head.

That's how I do with all mine, lol - but thought your analysis of Haas, a bit of a bold claim, not doubting how you got there, but back runner, to jumping to 5 ish would be astonishing given what they are up against, though they do have a great driver lineup, Kmag and this French kid, not sure how you feel about him? never came up in that bit lol,

[morini]

You say that Morini, but over the last 10 years the long stint pace has been generally a good indicator of pecking order, give or take a few tenths. Last season the long runs indicated Merc had problems, and that Ferrari had race pace but maybe not quite the one lap pace.

So you can take some things out of winter testing. True, it's never super accurate, but it does give indicators. The indications are that Mercedes are out front, with RBR and Ferrari not too far behind. Then a whole muddle of cars a way back fighting over the best of the rest. I think we won't know how the midfield is shaking out until we hit Canada probably.

Out of interest, did you read the Sky "article" I am referring to? The point I'm trying to make here is more to do with the way Sky sports website operates than the general pointless hysteria over pre-season testing. Though I stand by all my previous comments that if anyone thinks any of the contending teams are going to show their true potential in open testing they are truly deluded.

I'll make my own mind up when the season starts. Refuse to listen to any of the media analysis (particularly Sky, who don't do journalism of any description). They are only interested in clicks to their website (to which all of the advertisements littered all over the the site attests).

[Jody Barton]

Hey Fog, k-mags long runs for Haas looked good actually. The French gimp wasn't great actually, although fair play to Moanjean he put in some fast single laps. I'm not putting them fifth by the way, I'm putting them in the mix for 4th. Along with Renault (who is my top pick) Force India (who you'd be dumb to bet against) and Toro Rosso... and I can't believe I'm typing that. I still can't quite believe Toro Rosso are where they seem to be, just don't believe it. But it seems they are in the mix, I don't know how, and I still expect the Toro Rosso to explode on the grid in Australia, but those are the teams that seem to be fighting for the best of the rest. Gawd knows where McLaren is, just don't get it, could be in the mix for the top 4 or the wooden spoon. Although Williams and Sauber look like they'll be scrapping around the back of the grid.

---

Yeah Morini I read it, and it was hot air and waffle, but that's sky. There will be better analysis over the next few days, from more reputable sites and sources. Yeah, but the Sky article isn't great, doesn't mean you can't take things from Winter testing.

[PapaofGags]

Quote Jody > "I farted my comment out off of the top of my head"

My God imagine what you could do if you put your mind to it !