planetf1.com

2018 F1 Pre-season Tests dates:
Barcelona - 26th February - 1st March (1st 4-day test)
Barcelona - 6th March - 9th March (2nd 4-day test)

Haas - 14th February
Williams - 15th February
Red Bull - 19th February
Sauber - 20th February
Renault - 20th February
Ferrari - 22nd February
Mercedes - 22nd February
McLaren - 23rd February
Force India - 26th February
Toro Rosso - 26th February

_________________
Feel The Fourth

Ferrari have become the first team to reveal the launch date for their 2018 challenger.
https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/234626/ferrari-to-launch-2018-car-on-february-22nd

I wonder if Toro Rosso would be the last team to reveal or postpone their car's launch!

_________________
Feel The Fourth

Could you put the first test date in the OP as well, I know it's a little o/t but it was the first thing I asked myself when reading it and I think it might be useful to highlight when testing gets started and for the inevitable teams that launch on that morning you'll be able to just put- '1st Test' and we'll be able to see the date in the same post if you see what I mean.

_________________
"Clark came through at the end of the first lap so far ahead that we in the pits were convinced that the rest of the field must have been wiped out in an accident."
-Eddie Dennis, describing the dominance of Jim Clark in the Lotus 49 at Spa 1967

Done.

_________________
Feel The Fourth

Reading this just reminds me once again what a ludicrously small amount of testing the teams get these days...

_________________
PF1 PICK 10 COMPETITION (3 wins, 12 podiums): 2017: 19th| 2016: 3rd| 2015: 4th
PF1 TOP THREE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): 2017: 2nd| 2015: 1st
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 United States Champion! (world #2)

yea but that adds to the teams challenge , if the car works out of the box they start with an advantage , looking forward to mclaren times and the Renault comparison, and where will Honda toro roso be

If the last three years are anything to go by, in the garage with the covers off.

_________________
PF1 PICK 10 COMPETITION (3 wins, 12 podiums): 2017: 19th| 2016: 3rd| 2015: 4th
PF1 TOP THREE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): 2017: 2nd| 2015: 1st
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 United States Champion! (world #2)

Ouch! I'm still holding out hope that Honda comes good (I doubt McLaren share my hopes).

_________________
Where I'm going, I don't need roads

I'm okay with them coming good, as long as Renault comes better...

_________________
PF1 PICK 10 COMPETITION (3 wins, 12 podiums): 2017: 19th| 2016: 3rd| 2015: 4th
PF1 TOP THREE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): 2017: 2nd| 2015: 1st
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 United States Champion! (world #2)

Problem is Alonso will be using a Renault engine so we all know how this will go. Honda will produce a world beater and be fighting for podiums with Toro Rosso while Renault will go backwards.

(https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comme ... _ive_seen/)

_________________
PF1 PICK 10 COMPETITION (3 wins, 12 podiums): 2017: 19th| 2016: 3rd| 2015: 4th
PF1 TOP THREE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): 2017: 2nd| 2015: 1st
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 United States Champion! (world #2)

At the Barca tests which parts of the circuit are open to spectators?

According to their website it's open to the public 9th March 2018 but please double check first...


Winter testing will be interesting this year that's for sure.

Dont forget the huge amount of simulator work they do these days. I don't know if they can test the precise effect of eg a new wing component or suspension part on their sims, but if not they will be able to do so soon I bet..

Or at least the rich teams that is..

Atleast some news!

Mercedes will be launching their caron the same day as Ferrari:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-motor-f1-mercedes/mercedes-to-launch-2018-f1-car-on-same-day-as-ferrari-idUSKBN1F71BJ?rpc=401&

_________________
Feel The Fourth

McLaren will be launching the MCL33 on the 23rd Feb.

McLaren will launch its MCL33 on February 23 whereas Toro Rosso on February 25:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/toro-rosso-sets-launch-date-for-2018-f1-car-996933/

_________________
Feel The Fourth

As per TSM Sportz, here's a list of the driver salaries for the 2018 season in ascending order:
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/905045/F1-2018-salary-paid-most-driver-salaries-Lewis-Hamilton-sportgalleries

20. Sergey Sirotkin ? (No info given)
19. Charles Leclerc ($150,000)
18. Brendon Hartley (€350,000)
17. Pierre Gasly (€400,000)
16. Marcus Ericsson ($500,000)
15. Carlos Sainz Jr. ($700,000)
14. Lance Stroll ($1.8 million)
13. Kevin Magnussen ($2.5 million)
12. Esteban Ocon ($3 million)
11. Romain Grosjean ($4.5 million)
10. Sergio Perez ($5 million)
9. Nico Hulkenberg ($5.5 million)
8. Daniel Ricciardo ($6 million)
7. Stoffel Vandoorne ($7 million)
6. Max Verstappen ($10 million)
5. Valtteri Bottas ($12 million)
4. Fernando Alonso ($30 million)
3. Kimi Raikkonen ($40 million)
2. Lewis Hamilton ($50 million)
1. Sebastian Vettel ($60 million)

- Ofcourse, these figures don't include performance incentives / bonuses
- Stroll receives salary? I doubt the same for Sirotkin
- Some drivers are a real bargain & 1 or 2 not worth the price given!

_________________
Feel The Fourth

I wonder why Hartley and Gasly are paid in Euros and the rest in Dollars, or is that a typo?

Could be a typo as €400,000 is more than $500,000!

_________________
Feel The Fourth

at today's exchange rate it's $488,918...

At the Barcelona test there are guided tour tickets at 52 euros. Does anyone know what the tour is of? Circuit/paddock/pits??

Gen admin tickets are 18 euros

If this information is accurate, I think I can spot who the best bargains on the grid are... and, sad to say, the worst.

_________________
PF1 PICK 10 COMPETITION (3 wins, 12 podiums): 2017: 19th| 2016: 3rd| 2015: 4th
PF1 TOP THREE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): 2017: 2nd| 2015: 1st
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 United States Champion! (world #2)

I would add carlos sainz ($700,000) to the bargain list. Very interested to see how sainz does in that car all season.....And its easy to see why kimi keeps driving lol...

_________________
PF1 pick 10 2016: 7th (1 win, 4 podiums), 2017: 17th (3 podiums)
Awards: Sergio perez trophy & Podium specialist
PF1 pick 3 2015: constructors 2nd, singles 5th
Autosport Gp 2016/17 - 5th
F1 Oracle 2017: 2nd (6 wins), 2016:5th (2wins)

I'm extremely sceptical that these figures are accurate. I don't believe Kimi's salary for a second

I’m skeptical of Kimi’s too. Also Alonso was on a lot more than that (at least $40m per year on his 2015-17 deal and I think that might even have been €) and I can’t see McLaren giving him a pay cut after the last few years. Also Vandoorne’s salary seems unusually high for someone in his second full year, and still with the team he entered the sport with so it’s not like he was poached.

I do believe Alonso's: I think he had to take a pay cut after Honda left, and I believe he was totally willing to take one on the basis that it would get him away from that engine.

Some of the others, however, are less plausible, and Kimi's is definitely one of them. Last I heard he was on $20m a year back in 2014, and I believed he had taken a pay cut from that when he signed a new contract last year. I doubt he got his salary doubled at any point in there.

Vandoorne did also stand out to me; that's very high-level pay for a rookie, even a rookie with good pedigree. Why would they need to sign him for that much money?

_________________
PF1 PICK 10 COMPETITION (3 wins, 12 podiums): 2017: 19th| 2016: 3rd| 2015: 4th
PF1 TOP THREE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP (No Limit Excedrin Racing): 2017: 2nd| 2015: 1st
AUTOSPORT GP PREDICTOR: 2017 United States Champion! (world #2)

BIB - why is it a surprise that Stroll has a salary, and why on earth wouldn't Sirotkin? A pay driver is still an employee of the team s/he drives for and so receives a salary accordingly. After all, they aren't paying for the seat out of their own pocket.



Certainly with regards to the Red Bull pair, I'd say it is accurate. Max has obviously squeezed a bit more money out of them by committing to an extra year in his most recent negotiation, but Daniel's still on his original Red Bull contract, and they don't tend to pay their drivers a huge amount on those. Isn't it their way of offsetting the money that goes into supporting them on the way to F1, or something like that?

_________________
Cheering for: Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Vandoorne
Pick 10 | 1st x1, 2nd x3, 3rd x7
2018: 10th | 2017: 6th | 2016: 8th | 2015: 2nd | 2014: 15th | 2013: 17th | 2012: 11th

Good point on the Honda money disappearing, I didn’t think of that, I suppose Alonso’s does make more sense then.

The team formerly known as Force India will reveal both a new team name and logo at a car launch on February 25th.

We know it will not be 'Force One', and while I'm sure it'll leak out in advance of that date, I think we still have a little time to guess it in. I reckon it'll be the remarkably dull 'Force Racing Team'.

_________________
Cheering for: Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Vandoorne
Pick 10 | 1st x1, 2nd x3, 3rd x7
2018: 10th | 2017: 6th | 2016: 8th | 2015: 2nd | 2014: 15th | 2013: 17th | 2012: 11th

Source?

I did read somewhere that Force India, along with Toro Rosso would launch their car 1 day before testing at Barcelona but I couldn't find a source to confirm this.

_________________
Feel The Fourth

https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/for ... isch%29%29

It's in German but has direct quotes from Otmar Szafnauer confirming the story.

_________________
Cheering for: Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Vandoorne
Pick 10 | 1st x1, 2nd x3, 3rd x7
2018: 10th | 2017: 6th | 2016: 8th | 2015: 2nd | 2014: 15th | 2013: 17th | 2012: 11th

English website now is confirming the same:
https://www.f1today.net/en/news/f1/235380/force-india-to-reveal-new-name-logo-and-car-on-february-25th

_________________
Feel The Fourth

They're not confirming it; they're just quoting the original article.

_________________
Cheering for: Leclerc, Hulkenberg, Vandoorne
Pick 10 | 1st x1, 2nd x3, 3rd x7
2018: 10th | 2017: 6th | 2016: 8th | 2015: 2nd | 2014: 15th | 2013: 17th | 2012: 11th

Force India will be ditching India (atleast) from their name. 'Force' should be staying & the team's new name, logo & car will be unveiled on 25th February at Barcelona.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/opinion/f1/force-india-f1-rename-confirmed

A lot of current & potential sponsors pushed for the word 'India' to be dropped for a more global approach. I hope with the name change, some good sponsors add on to this small but mighty team.

Fernley in another article had stated that their current livery will be the same but will be more enhanced.

_________________
Feel The Fourth

Williams as of now will be the 1st team to unveil its car on 15th February at an event in London:
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-reveals-2018-f1-car-launch-date-999339/

_________________
Feel The Fourth

Sauber has revealed the date of 20th February for revealing its car:
https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/134103/sauber-announces-launch-date-for-2018-car

_________________
Feel The Fourth

Kimi Raikkonen's crash helmet's new colour scheme for 2018:


Source - www.motorsportweek.com

https://www.motorsportweek.com/news/id/16745

_________________
Feel The Fourth

Renault on the 20th as well.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/rena ... r-1000292/

_________________
"Clark came through at the end of the first lap so far ahead that we in the pits were convinced that the rest of the field must have been wiped out in an accident."
-Eddie Dennis, describing the dominance of Jim Clark in the Lotus 49 at Spa 1967

Toro Rosso will be launching their car on 26th February instead:
http://www.crash.net/f1/news/889261/1/toro-rosso-confirms-launch-date-new-f1-car

_________________
Feel The Fourth