Analysing Jerez F1 testing - Who is setting the pace?

F1 teams have now completed two rounds of testing before kick-starting 2010 season. In the second round of testing at Jerez bad weather hampered teams to fully exploit the conditions for initial few days but final two days provided some useful testing times to the participating teams.

Ferrari looks like the most consistent and reliable car coming out of pits. The car has covered more than 5300 kms in 2010 between Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. Hope is high among Ferrari fans after Fernando Alonso statement last friday. Spaniard declared that Ferrari F10 is the best car he has ever driven in his career. Also he threw the gauntlet to other teams by saying that the current pace Ferrari shows is less than what the car is capable of.

“If I were in a different team I would be looking at Ferrari because everything is going really well”, said Fernando Alonso

A possible pecking order of cars in 2010 is very hard to predict right now. Mercedes and Ferrari set the pace in 2 Jerez tests with Red Bull Racing and Mercedes not far behind. Last year testing gave a clear indication of the pace in 2009 with speed of double-diffuser installed cars especially Brawn GP and lack of pace of Mercedes and Ferrari. This year it is difficult to get to such predictions as we haven’t still witnessed a clear cut segmentation of the speed. If all the aforementioned four teams battle it out for title in 2010 it will be a delight for us fans. Although it currently looks like no fairy tales this year (remember Brawn GP?)

F1 team Force India also looks to have a decent pace. Adrian Sutil finished 7th during last day of Jerez testing. The car has covered little more than 2600 kms in testing. Force India team is aiming for 5th position in the season. (Hope they do better than 5th position!)

Skybet is currently placing Fernando Alonso of Ferrari as a favorite for the 2010 title with odds standing 3/1, Lewis Hamilton of Mclaren as second with 7/2. Michael Schumacher of Mercedes is third with 4/1 followed by Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing with 9/2. Although this might change by the next round of tests. Major updates are due to arrive in Barcelona for next round of tests starting from 25th February, 2010 and teams are expected to work more towards strategy.

Who do you fancy for 2010 F1 title?

P.S. – Also read, are testing timings misleading? – link