Oulton Park Renault test

[Gaz]

Right, we haven't got a thread for this one yet so here goes!

Predictions

1. Conway
2. Di Resta
3. Barber
4. Storckenfeldt
5. Jarvis

I'll be up there tomorrow so hopefully will grab a few pics!

Met Alex Storckenfeldt by chance last night. Top geezer, staying over in the Travel Inn where I work! reckons he can take it to Conway this year, lets hope so!

[Paul Rayner]

1) Barber
2) Conway
3) Storckenfeldt
4) Stoddart
5) John Byrne
6) Stuart Gough

Best lap: 1:18.872
12 within a second.

I'll be there later today. No pics though, I haven't got a digital camera.

[jminsh]

Should be interesting to see how Goughy goes on a track he actually knows.

[Gaz]

What I was thinking the other night reading the Brands times jminsh! Wesley Godwin was 17th in pre-season testing at Oulton last year for Hill Speed although his funding ran out following this. I think if Stuart can be anywhere around that mark, perhaps 15th he'll be happy!

[Freddie]

1.) Conway
2.) Murphy
3.) Di Resta
4.) Byrne
5.) Storckenfeldt

[bella]

oh poo! when will they get a test that coincides with my days off, and happens to be within brick chucking distance.

on the other hand, on a day off and someone'll give me a lift. i'll bring sweeties

i expect conway will run off with it again, and murph will be somewhere between 2nd and 4th.

[superMINI]

Anyone reckon Murph could be a wildcard championship contender this year? Maybe not the full champ, but plenty of podiums and a couple of wins?

He seems to have found some form, at least in testing so far.

[Gaz]

He's surprised me definately and Firstair are a good team! I reckon I'd go along with what yer saying superMini, I don't see him being able to take on Wez, Conway etc for the title but I do see him perhaps pinching a couple of wins and a few podiums

[bella]

murph was consistent last year, but further down the times, except that mysterious performance at thruxton where he went like poop off a shovel. now he seems to be consistent, but a little bit faster. i put that down to firstair really. or perhaps just testing syndrome.

yeah, he'll do alright, not sure i've ever seen him overtake but there's nothing wrong with being a defensive driving specialist

[kickstart]

Given all the hype surrounding Suzie Stoddart, how do people think that she will do?

[pmaster]

Anyone know this mornings times yet?

[Gaz]

1. Barber 1.20.479
2. Foster 0.355
3. Conway 0.417
4. Freudenberg! 0.821
5. McIntosh 1.167
6. Hogan
7. O Mahony
8. Byrne
9. Weber
10. Mastretta
11. Jarvis
12. Edwards
13. Stoddart
14. Howard
15. Gornall
16. Tahinci
17. Storckenfeldt
18. Carrapotoso
19. Di Resta
20. Murphy
21. Cheng
22. Hollings
23. Hall
24. Epton
25. Jakes
26. Russell
27. Gonzalez
28. Gough
29. Simpson
30. Dolby
31. Polar
32. Mann

[pmaster]

thanks Gaz

[Paul Rayner]

It's got pretty windy here at Oulton now, and the times have come down even more since this morning (when the fact that it was a bit damp and they're running in odd and even numbered sessions today meant that the top 10 were all even numbered cars). They're running much closer now though,

1) 26 Conway 1:20.137
2) 3 Di Resta 1:20.219
3) 8 Barber 1:20.479 (Morning time - his quickest afternoon so far is a 1:21.052)
4) 34 Foster 1:20.516
5) 24 McIntosh 1:20.579
6) 21 Storckenfeldt 1:20.596
7) 35 Jarvis 1:20.981
8) 9 Stoddart 1:20.990
9) 47 Murphy 1:21.060
10) 43 Carrapatoso 1:21.061

...is how it stands at the moment (another red flag), but they're changing all the time. I wonder who will be first to lap below the 1:20 mark? Gaz, you put a question mark next to Freudenberg. Him and Barber are the only ones in the top 20 not to have improved this afternoon.

[jminsh]

Any news on Goughy this arvo

[thedoctor]

Is there an advantage to having a brand new car in FR?
For example one of Firstairs was written off and has had to be replaced. Also be interting to see how James Gornall gets on with one Jensons old cars.

[jminsh]

Apparently Lewis Hamilton used at least a couple of Tubs last year.

[thedoctor]

not surprising...

[pmaster]

I thought they needed to be "bedded in" to be at their best?

[superMINI]

I don't think it's hype where Suzie;s concerned. Forget she's a girl and fair enough, she's not running right up the front, but near enough, and certainly top 8, if not top 5, which is good going for any driver.

Then remember she IS a girl (crikey, imagine!) in a man's game, and it's more striking just how well she does perform, considering she's at that eternal motor racing disadvantage of having a brain in her head and not her (fireproof) pants...

[Ron Doe]

But why didn't Lewis race at Oulton last year. It's never been PROPERLY explained....?

[cntmunky]

Cos he didnt need to???

[fantasytoca]

I'm sure I heard somewhere it was a sponsor's decision - why risk having to pay out for repairs etc when you don't have to - from a purely financial viewpoint their was absolutely no benefit in Lewis competing in the final meeting.

[pmaster]

mst is not giving me the pm times- anyone got them please?

[Freddie]

Money had nothing to do with Lewis not running at Oulton last year. His backing is huge from Maclaren and damage/costs would have played a small part. He didn't race because he had the title sewn up and he immediately concentrated on F3. His father told me it was a Maclaren decision and not Lewis' and they had to stand by that.