(McLaren-Honda)
The first winter test of the 2015 Formula One season at the
Jerez circuit in Spain has finished and although the four day test was used as
shakedown for teams, one outfit stood out above the rest. The Mercedes AMG
PETRONAS F1 Team completed a staggering 516 laps over the course of the four
day test.
Despite completing the most number of laps of any team in
Jerez this week, the Silver Arrows suffered a number of minor mechanical issues
over the course of the test.
Ferrari powered cars topped the time sheets on each of the
four days of the test with Sebastian Vettel topping the times on day 1 and 2
while Felipe Nasr was fastest for the Sauber F1 Team while Kimi Raikkonen set
the fastest time of all over the course of the test in SF15-T with a 1m
20.841s.
While McLaren had previously run their new Honda power unit
at the end of season Abu Dhabi test and at a filming day in Silverstone, their
rivals the Lotus F1 Team, who also have a new power unit partner with Mercedes supplying
them the Enstone outfit had never run an interim car. However when the team got
underway in Jerez on Monday after missing the opening day they managed to
complete some good mileage.
The Lotus F1 Team have completed 190 laps with their new
Mercedes powered E23 despite ending the final day of running early.
Infiniti Red Bull Racing completed just 160 laps over the
course of the four days. The team ran into difficulty on the second day after
new driver Daniil Kvyat suffered a small accident breaking the front wing of
the RB11 which meant that the team had to get permission from the FIA to allow
them to run the car without a front wing which they were allowed to do why they
waited for a replacement wing to be flown to Jerez.
The biggest surprise of the opening test has been the
performance of the Sauber F1 Team who racked up the mileage with Marcus
Ericsson and Felipe Nasr in the C34.
At this stage in the testing programme it is still a bit too
early to say who has an overall advantage but in terms of outright reliability
so far Scuderia Ferrari are looking good in this regard having encountered just
a handful of telemetry issues and nothing too serious. Obviously when it comes
to the lap charts Mercedes are way out on their own as it would appear that the
Brackley based outfit have just refined the design of last year’s championship
winning W05.
The W06 is of course a brand new car in terms of design and
the power unit. The next winter test in Barcelona which takes place from
February 19 – 22 that will be extremely beneficial to the teams as it takes
place at the Circuit Du Catalunya, a circuit that Formula One races on so they
will be able to keep the data they collect from the next test for both the
final one at the end of February and for the Spanish Grand Prix itself which
takes place in May.
The Williams Martini Racing Team’s official test and reserve
driver Susie Wolff will get her first opportunity to drive the new FW37 at the
next test in Barcelona. It is unclear on what days the Scottish driver will be
behind the wheel of the new car.
© Ben Johnston 2015
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