Bottom post of the previous page:
Actually they didnt (beat last year's pole time)..... by a margin of near enough 1.7 seconds. In fact the top half of the grid last year were all faster than Max's fastest test time. They were way inside last years fastest race lap, but these guys in testing were on full qualy sims with the questionable DRS and track limit issues. (Fastest race lap was a 32 something.)
Max's fastest test time was a 1:28.960
Lewis got pole last year with a 1:27.264
In fact lets throw in the qualifying times by team last year.... Only Ferrari Williams Alfa and Haas were slower than the time Max set in testing.
Mercedes – 1:27.264
Red Bull – 1:27.678
Racing Point (now Aston Martin) – 1:28.332
Renault (now Alpine) – 1:28.417
AlphaTauri – 1:28.448
McLaren – 1:28.542
Ferrari – 1:29.137
Williams – 1:29.234
Alfa Romeo – 1:29.491
Haas – 1:30.111
It will be interesting to see what the qualy times are next weekend and how they compare to last year and indeed this years testing. Then all the sandbags will be out and modes turned up to the max, plus they will have further updates and development from what they found in testing.
Just sayin'.....