Formula 1's Latest Rumours and Talk: Testing News, German Grand Prix, More
Sebastian Vettel led the way for Ferrari in the first two days of Formula One pre-season testing at Jerez and Mercedes racked up an ominous tally of laps—but it hasn't been plain sailing for everyone.
Daniil Kvyat's Red Bull career got off to the worst possible start when he left the track on an installation lap. The team's only front-wing assembly was damaged beyond repair, leaving the red-faced Russian to finish his day's work in a wingless RB11.
Red Bull gives you wings; Kvyat takes them away.
McLaren were in an even worse state, managing just 12 laps over the first two days. Their new Honda power unit is proving somewhat problematic, but there are no alarm bells at Woking just yet.
Elsewhere, Bernie Ecclestone has revealed the German Grand Prix's future is hanging by a thread. It appears that neither the Nurburgring nor Hockenheim are keen on the terms he is offering—talks are ongoing.
Read on for a full round-up of the top stories coming out of winter testing.
Sebastian Vettel Sets Promising Early Pace for Ferrari
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A familiar name has occupied the top of the timing sheets for the opening two days of testing—Sebastian Vettel.
The four-time world champion set the pace on day one with a time recorded by Formula1.com of one minute, 22.620 seconds. This was quicker than any time set at Jerez last season, and he went even faster on day two, clocking a 1:20.984.
Sauber's Felipe Nasr was second-fastest, nine tenths of a second down. He was also powered by a Ferrari engine.
Vettel told press including crash.net:
"Certainly, it could be worse.
I think, compared to last year at this stage, it is quite a bit better. We did a lot of laps today, but I think it is normal in winter testing that, when you something running a bit hot, you stop and have a look which, unfortunately, takes time.
But, overall, I think it was a good day and, at the end, we even got some running on the new inters, which seemed to work even in these cool conditions. Overall, I think we can be fairly happy.
"
On day two of testing in 2014, Vettel, then with Red Bull, did just eight laps; his best time was a 1:38.320, the slowest of anyone. To say this is better than last season is an understatement.
The SF15-T has certainly made a flying start to life and though headline testing times are unreliable, a little bit of optimism will be spreading around Maranello.
Mercedes remain heavy favourites, but if the Scuderia have made sufficient improvements to their power unit, there's every chance they could join Red Bull at the head of the chasing pack.
Mercedes Unconcerned About Pace
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Lewis Hamilton ended the second day with only the fourth-fastest time, but he insisted the team are not concerned by Ferrari's early pace.
The reigning world champion's best lap was a second and a half slower than Sebastian Vettel's benchmark time for Ferrari. But he told Sky Sports:
"Today we were just driving around and weren't trying to do fast laps or anything. I’m sure that [how different the W06 is] perhaps will become more evident when we put the car on the limit.
Through testing everyone is using different fuel loads so it’s really irrelevant what position you are. What’s important is reliability and to prove out the car.
"
What Hamilton says is true—though times can tell us something later in the testing season, they're a poor indicator early on. Demonstrating reliability and putting in the laps is far more important, and Mercedes have done just that.
Nico Rosberg did an incredible 157 laps (695 kilometres, or 2.3 race distances) on his first day in the W06. Hamilton encountered a water leak and missed the final three hours, but still managed 91 tours of the Jerez circuit—more than anyone else on the day.
Ferrari have seized some much-needed positive headlines, but their lap total is already 100 shy of Mercedes. With only the works team and Sauber using a Ferrari engine in 2015, distance is more crucial than ever.
Kimi Raikkonen takes over the car for days three and four. Long runs, not lap times, are likely to be his primary target.
For Mercedes, it'll just be more of the same.
Daniil Kvyat Wipes out Red Bull's Only Front Wing
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Daniil Kvyat made an inauspicious start to his Red Bull career during the second day of pre-season testing.
Taking over the car from team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, Kvyat went out for a morning installation lap. He ran wide and touched the wall between Turns 2 and 3, damaging the team's only front-wing assembly; he was forced to do the rest of the day without one.
"While Red Bull wait for spare front wing to arrive @Dany_Kvyat runs without one after damaging the first one. #skyf1 pic.twitter.com/4JnAogxkXe
— Rachel Brookes (@RachelBrookesTV) February 2, 2015"
He was quoted by Autosport, saying:
"These things happen and it happened at the wrong moment, and it hasn't happened to me in a while. There were many factors, like cold tyres, and I was going very slowly but sometimes it's not enough.
It almost felt out of my power, to be honest. You don't spin on the out-lap every day. It was one of the smallest incidents I've had but one of the most costly ones.
I have made bigger mistakes than that. You have to turn the page and look forward to the last day of testing, when I can make it up to the team and myself.
"
Losing the wing meant Red Bull were unable to do any proper running, but Sky Sports F1's Ted Kravitz reported the team's private jet had returned to the UK to pick up a new one—so normal service should resume today.
Ricciardo gave the car its debut on Sunday. He didn't break any pieces of bodywork but only did 35 laps—with Kvyat's day essentially wiped out along with the wing, it's catch-up time again for Red Bull.
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McLaren Struggling with New Honda Power Unit
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Jenson Button is optimistic McLaren can get to the bottom of the issues which have plagued their start to winter testing.
The MP4-30 has a brand new Honda engine, and teething troubles have limited McLaren to just 12 laps over two days. Button told press including Sky Sports in Jerez:
"We knew it would take time and I never thought we would come here and pound out the laps. Obviously, it’s not been the best start but we knew this would be difficult. These power units are very complicated but we will get our heads around it.
A lot can happen. Look at Red Bull in the first test a year ago and even in the last test in Bahrain. Although they had the result taken away from them, they then finished second in Australia.
"
When the 2015 McLaren was revealed, it looked a significant step forward from the aerodynamically poor MP4-29. Heavy modifications have been made in almost every area and the rear of the car in particular has seen big alterations.
But it doesn't matter how good a car looks if it doesn't perform on the track. Fortunately there's plenty of time to put things right—and as Button said, Red Bull showed missed mileage doesn't necessarily translate to poor results.
Of course, while the Austrians were doing that, Lotus were demonstrating the opposite...
McLaren will not be unduly worried at this stage, but they need to get some miles on the board in the remaining two days. If they leave Jerez without doing any useful running, the first signs of panic may start to emerge.
German Grand Prix Future Hanging by a Thread
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The German Grand Prix remains under threat as no deal has yet been reached with either the Nurburgring—scheduled to host the 2015 race—or Hockenheim.
In January, F1 commercial-rights chief Bernie Ecclestone told Alan Baldwin of Reuters that the race would be held at Hockenheim due to the Nurburgring seemingly dropping out.
But it appears he was mistaken and talks are still ongoing. Ecclestone told Baldwin this week:
"Who knows? There are two places [circuits] there. Wait and see.
It's not looking good...you can say that it [the race] looks unlikely but we are trying to rescue it. I don't want to lose it, for sure. We are trying our best.
"
The circuits haven't suddenly developed an aversion to F1—they want the race, but the cost of putting it on would be financially crippling. In January, Nurburgring CEO Carsten Schumacher told crash.net that F1 "has to remain affordable."
Clearly, as stated in my previous article on this topic, it no longer is.
Forbes' Christian Sylt reported the average hosting fee (the circuits pay Ecclestone's FOM for the privilege) was $27 million in 2011, and rising by 10 percent per year.
A venue without state aid, a wealthy benefactor or massive crowds simply cannot afford it. France's continued absence from the calendar is a perfect but depressing illustration of this fact.
If Ecclestone wants to save the race, all he has to do is drop his demands to a reasonable level so the venue has a fighting chance of sharing the sport's commercial success.
But then, if pigs want to fly, all they have to do is grow wings...
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