What we’ve already learnt
The first F1 test of 2014 in Jerez caused somewhat of a stir. From the status quo of the last few seasons, where Red Bull were first and fastest out of the blocks, all of a sudden there were problems for the reigning champions. Limited running, flames coming out of the rear of the car and a Renault engine that just didn’t seem the real deal.
Sebastian Vettel may be driving with the number one on his car this season but he managed just 11 limp laps around the Spanish circuit over two days and both he and the bosses, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey left the track early to head back to the metaphorical and maybe physical drawing board.
Problems with the new Renault powertrain were the obvious issues but while the last four years have seen Newey dominate with his designs it would appear a too sleek and sophisticated approach to the rear of the Red Bull also contributed to the problems it faced.
Talking of Lotus, we will get our first official look at the car this test as they prepare to join the rest of the paddock. Some could say a day late and a dollar short, but their unique approach to the front end of the car will undoubtedly be one of several innovations that the team will bring to the game this year. Last season if it hadn’t been for the money worries that plagued the team they would definitely have done better in the final rankings.
Yes, plenty of Lotus personnel have left in the close season with their Team Principal, chief Aero and Chief Race Engineers all heading to Woking and Ron Dennis’ McLaren team but with Pastor Maldonado’s cash heavy addition to the team, expectation will still be high from the men behind the team. Including of course, new Team Principal Gerard Lopez.
Things seem to be 100% improved for McLaren. Martin Whitmarsh is still missing in action – he has left the company but no announcement has been made and we may well have to wait until March to get an official version of events from the Woking team and Ron Dennis.
They may well have missed day one of the Jerez test but they made up for it in the following days with Jenson Button finding time for 83 laps whilst his rookie team mate Kevin Magnussen was fastest of the four days and got 162 laps under his belt. While things are definitely looking more positive for McLaren this season it is with a heavy heart – nothing is quite as it was before with the sad passing of John Button. Jenson’s dad only ever missed two of his son’s F1 races and has been a massive part of the travelling circus that is Formula One. He will be missed and Melbourne will be the first in what is bound to be a challenging and painful year for Jenson and the team, no matter what the results.
We will all miss Papa Smurf.
Could McLaren win the Championship this year? Well their drivers are certainly a hot pairing but with a Mercedes powertrain in the car and Honda waiting in the wings to come into the sport with the team next year, their relationship with Mercedes could be key. How much information will Mercedes be happy to hand over to McLaren and therefore Honda? It’s a little like helping your mortal enemy over the line before yourself….we’ll have to watch how the relationship unfolds as their Decree Nisi gets closer.
Talking about closer – the pit lanes geeks were all out in force to give the McLaren booty the once over. An innovation that got the whole paddock talking looks set to become one of the key development areas this season. The team has attached a large aerodynamically-profiled ‘blocker’ to each of the rearmost suspension links. It should give it more down-force at low speed and reduce drag at high speed. It’s a complex design that other teams will be keen to try and copy – but, its not an easy one to steal as the whole of the gearbox and rear of the car has to be designed to incorporate the blockers. So, even if teams do ‘borrow the idea’ they wont be able to get it up and running until Barcelona at the earliest.
In the first test Mercedes looked impressive in their own right. Ross Brawn might have hung up his F1 coat to go fishing but you can be sure he had a fairly fundamental influence on this season’s car. Last time the rules were overhauled in 2009 Brawn and Button made a winning combination. With Paddy Lowe and Toto Wolff at the helm now I see no reason why Mercedes can’t beat the Red Bull into submission. They are also the only team in the top constructors to have some consistency in their driver line-up which has to be an advantage to them.
Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus, Williams, Sauber, Force India, Caterham and Toro Rosso all have at least one driver change…Marussia are the only team other than Mercedes to have the same drivers line-up for them this season.
Long time mates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg work well together and got 309 laps down in Jerez Rosberg putting in the most laps with 188 completed.
The information they have gained from their running will be crucial moving forward.
The most interesting pairing this season will undoubtedly be at Ferrari where Fernando Alonso will be joined by Kimi Raikkonen. A more mature Kimi according to the Finn who has already been in the simulator at Maranello (something he never did at Lotus). How the team manage two former World Champions in the team will be very interesting to see. They have started positively though with 251 laps completed in Jerez and no serious problems that were made public.
Fernando Alonso is back on twitter and sharing his training regime which is always a good sign. For such a talented driver the fact that he hasn’t won a World Title since 2006 must grate. Is this his last chance? With Ron Dennis back at McLaren you would think all rumours of him joining the McLaren team in 2015 have been extinguished quicker than the Italian media’s cigarettes! The driver combination of Raikkonen and Alonso certainly has sizzle and could be the best pairing on the grid IF (and it’s a big if) they can work together and not take point and places from each other.
It’s a gamble for Ferrari too….both gents are more senior in years than almost everyone else in the paddock (bar Jenson Button) and some will say the Maranello team are putting all their eggs in the same basket in their failure to bring through younger talent. Nico Hulkenberg and Jules Bianchi are the obvious successors if the relationship between Kimi and Fernando proves to be fire and ice.
Felipe Massa lined up in Williams colours for the first time after leaving Ferrari. He was impressive too clocking up 133 laps and finishing second fastest of the test. It would be hard for Williams to produce a car worse than their effort last year (and I say this with the greatest of sympathy). Pat Symonds has come into the team and there has been a lot of personnel change already. Both Massa and Bottas will be hoping the car (in Martini colours if rumours are to be believed) has more bottle than last season.
While Mercedes powered cars put together a mighty 875 laps of the Jerez track, Renault accrued just 151 with their three teams. It must have been a painful learning curve for the Championship winning engine suppliers but that is the prospect which is whetting the lips of many an F1 fan. Yes double points and V6’s might not turn you on, but name me an F1 fan that wont be happy to see Red Bull having to work a little harder this year to win the Championship?!
Force India, Sauber and Caterham all had relatively decent opening sessions, albeit with some limited running. Toro Rossi and Marussia didn’t have the best of starts but they will be looking to make up for that in the next test in Bahrain.
There is still a lot of work to be done before the first race in Australia in just under one month’s time. Teams will be working around the clock before Melbourne to make sure their car wont be the one (or one of the ones) that fails to make the finish line.