Formula 1's Latest Rumours and Talk: Barcelona Test, Revenue Split, More
Nico Rosberg topped the timesheets for Mercedes as the first Formula One in-season test drew to a close at the Circuit de Catalunya. The German, who won Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, set a time almost two seconds quicker than anyone else.
He was, however, using an set of unmarked, developmental Pirelli tyres. Jolyon Palmer was second-fastest for Lotus after bolting on a set of super-softs, with Mercedes reserve Pascal Wehrlein third.
Away from the track, details of how F1's revenues were shared between the teams based on their 2014 results have emerged—and the picture is not a pretty one. Ferrari received $38 million more than Mercedes; Red Bull also took home more than the world champions.
Elsewhere, the Grand Prix Drivers Association is taking the bold step of carrying out research into what fans want, Graeme Lowdon has heaped praise upon Will Stevens and Pierre Gasly thinks there is little difference between the Red Bull RB11 and Toro Rosso STR10.
Read on for a full roundup of the top stories from the last few days.
Mercedes Fastest in Barcelona Test
1 of 5
The first of the two in-season tests has finished at the Circuit de Catalunya with a familiar name perched at the top of the timesheets.
Mercedes' Nico Rosberg set the quickest time of the test on Tuesday (Day 1) with a lap of one minute, 24.374 seconds. This was three-tenths quicker than his pole time from last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, but the lap was set using unmarked Pirelli developmental tyres.
Among the Tuesday runners were Pierre Gasly and Nick Yelloly, making their F1 debuts for Toro Rosso and Force India, respectively.
The Day 1 times were as follows:
| 1 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:24.374 | 146 |
| 2 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber | 1:26.624 | 98 |
| 3 | Raffaele Marciello | Ferrari | 1:26.648 | 125 |
| 4 | Daniil Kvyat | Red Bull | 1:26.904 | 101 |
| 5 | Pastor Maldonado | Lotus | 1:27.338 | 60 |
| 6 | Nick Yelloly | Force India | 1:27.396 | 109 |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Toro Rosso | 1:27.639 | 131 |
| 8 | Felipe Massa | Williams | 1:27.911 | 54 |
| 9 | Oliver Turvey | McLaren | 1:28.542 | 68 |
Wednesday saw reigning GP2 champion Jolyon Palmer set the quickest time for Lotus. He went round in 1:26.080—over a second quicker than either race driver managed in qualifying. But, per crash.net, he set the time on super-soft tyres.
Williams opted to give their recently signed development driver Alex Lynn his first run in the FW37, while Pascal Wehrlein drove for Mercedes after missing the opening day with a fever.
The Day 2 times were as follows:
| 1 | Jolyon Palmer | Lotus | 1:26.080 | 87 |
| 2 | Pascal Wehrlein | Mercedes | 1:26.497 | 137 |
| 3 | Pierre Gasly | Red Bull | 1:26.683 | 75 |
| 4 | Jenson Button | McLaren | 1:26.927 | 100 |
| 5 | Alex Lynn | Williams | 1:26.967 | 52 |
| 6 | Esteban Ocon | Force India | 1:27.520 | 94 |
| 7 | Esteban Gutierrez | Ferrari | 1:27.930 | 119 |
| 8 | Carlos Sainz Jr. | Toro Rosso | 1:27.997 | 126 |
| 9 | Raffaele Marciello | Sauber/Ferrari | 1:28.829 | 75 |
It's good to see so many teams giving youngsters a shot—four drivers without an F1 start between them drove on Tuesday, and the figure was six on Wednesday.
But it would have been nice to see Stoffel Vandoorne, who has dominated the start of the GP2 season, in action for McLaren. No young driver looks more ready for an F1 race seat—hopefully he'll get some time in the car before the end of the year.
Timing data from the official F1 website.
Revenue Distribution Figures Highlight Formula 1's Weighted Die
2 of 5
The share of the prize fund received by each team for the 2014 has been revealed, highlighting the inequality of the revenue distribution system. Each permanent strategy group member received an additional payment on top of their performance-related earnings—and some got more than others.
According to figures released by Autosport, the largest share—$164 million—went to Ferrari. The Scuderia failed to win a single race and scored only two podiums on their way to fourth in the championship, but the extra payments they receive just for turning up, totalling $97 million, pushed them way out in front.
Second-placed Red Bull were given the second-highest amount with dominant champions Mercedes third—$38 million down on Ferrari.
Also on the receiving end of more than they were entitled to were McLaren, who were given more than Williams despite finishing the year in fifth. Williams, recipients of a smaller extra payment, earned the fifth-highest sum.
The rest of the field do not receive the bonus payments and were given sums in accordance with their final constructors' championship position. The lowest-earners were Sauber, who got $44 million—less than half the amount Ferrari were gifted just for showing up.
This inequality and unfairness is at the root of every financial difficulty the smaller teams face. Were the revenues more evenly distributed, every team could afford to pay the bills and the growing reliance on pay-drivers would diminish.
If we're to have anything like a full grid in the future, something needs to be done.
Drivers Plan to Ask Fans What They Want
3 of 5
In an unusual move, the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) is to ask fans what they want F1's future to look like.
BBC Sport's Andrew Benson reports the drivers' union will reach out to fans on social media over the Monaco Grand Prix weekend to ask their views on a variety of topics. Commercial and technical opinions will be among those sought.
Drivers including Romain Grosjean and Daniel Ricciardo tweeted hints of what is to come, with the Australian telling followers, "We want to hear from you the fans, what u think about our sport! Global fan survey details next week."
The results of whatever surveys and research is carried out will no doubt be interesting, but fans may be skeptical as to whether what they say will make any difference at all to the future of F1.
This is a sport that treats its most loyal fans as little more than cash machines, evidenced by the relentless march toward pay-TV broadcasting and the shameful paywall around detailed race data on the official website.
If those with the power to change things had any interest in what fans wanted, they've got more than enough resources to ask us themselves.
But maybe an organised set of views, collected and championed by a group with a little bit of sway, could make the difference.
There's no harm in hoping.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Graeme Lowdon Praises Will Stevens' Form
4 of 5
Manor boss Graeme Lowdon has heaped praise upon Will Stevens after the almost-rookie's impressive start to the season.
Stevens, who had started just one F1 race before this year, has outqualified team-mate Roberto Merhi every time both drivers have set a timed lap, with an average gap of more than eight-tenths of a second. He has also beaten Merhi— a genuine rookie—in each of the three races both have entered.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1's Midweek Report, Lowdon said:
"I have to say Will is doing a really good job—and I am not just saying that because he is in our team.
You can’t see it on the timesheets because we are limited by how fast we can go at the moment, but he has hardly put a foot wrong. In fact, I was talking to a journalist in Barcelona who commented that he couldn't see a single mistake all season so far, until he had that thought and Will ran a little bit wide.
That is the only foot wrong so far—and that was in free practice I should add. He is doing a great job and it is up to us in the team to keep pushing and make sure we are closing the gap so that the drivers can then be tested against everyone else in a racing situation.
"
The manner in which Stevens has outperformed Merhi is as strange as it is impressive. The lap time difference between two capable drivers should never consistently be as large as it has been.
Merhi was chosen by the team to drive the second car despite not bringing a large pile of sponsor cash; furthermore, he has a significantly better record than Stevens in the junior formulae.
While taking nothing away from Stevens, who has indeed looked very strong, it's difficult to see the difference being down to nothing more than driver performance.
Pierre Gasly Sees Little Difference Between Red Bull and Toro Rosso
5 of 5
Red Bull junior Pierre Gasly—who drove in the Barcelona test for both Red Bull and Toro Rosso—made some revealing comments when he stepped out of the RB11 after completing 75 laps on Wednesday.
Asked how different the car felt to the STR10 he had done 131 laps in the day before, he replied (h/t F1i):
"To be honest, the difference is really small. In terms of lap time it is pretty much the same. So there were some small differences but also the conditions were a bit different to yesterday – the wind was not in the same way.
Overall I felt better [on Wednesday], so I am pretty happy about it, and about the balance of the car, I would say it is very similar between the two cars.
"
Red Bull have been highly critical of engine partner Renault as they struggle to find any kind of competitive form, but Gasly's comments add further weight to the belief that the car itself is not as good as usual.
This year's Toro Rosso is a very quick car. Described by team principal Franz Tost, per Autosport, as "the best car we have ever built," Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen qualified it in fifth and sixth, respectively, for the Spanish Grand Prix.
But Red Bull have a far higher budget, Adrian Newey, more experienced drivers and facilities that are second to none. As strong as the STR10 is, the RB11 should be much, much better.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
