Monday 3rd February 2014

Motorsport On Monday: 3/2/2014

F1's new tech could be decisive for all the wrong reasons following Jerez test

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After the monotony of the latter part of the 2013 season, it was a relief to see Formula 1 finally spin up a new record as pre-season testing got underway at Jerez last week - read Harris's liveblog here. . On the evidence of those first four days, it seems as though F1, for the first part of the new season at least, will be a reliability formula. I suppose that makes a change from the tyre conservation formula that it was for much of 2013, but I doubt any of us particularly want to see race after race and the titles themselves decided by mechanical - or perhaps electrical - failures.

Smiles for now but test didn't go so well for Red Bull

By lunchtime on the second day of testing a picture was beginning to emerge. While the Mercedes-powered cars had clocked up more than 100 laps between them, the Renault cars had managed fewer than 20. By the end of the day, reigning champions Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel had logged just 11 laps as they wrestled with reliability issues, some their own making, others pertaining to the Renaultsport power unit (we really can't call them engines now, can we?). So it went on for the Milton Keynes squad; new signing Daniel Ricciardo toured the Jerez circuit just 10 times over the following two days, so that the RB10 has now covered a scant 57 miles in total, the fewest of any of the new cars (the absent Lotus excepted).

To provide some context, the team averaged 954 miles at each of the three pre-season tests in 2013 when the cars were familiar and their drivetrains far, far simpler. Mercedes, meanwhile, completed more mileage than any other team with a total of 309 laps over the four days. Not only is that in stark contrast to Red Bull's effort, it also compares favourably with their pre-season testing mileage last year; having averaged 1,081 miles at each of the tests in 2013, the team completed 850 miles last week. Given the sheer complexity of these new cars, that really is going some.

Merc engines good, drivers had a few issues though

Minor teething issues for Renault and Red Bull or fundamental design flaws? One has to assume it's the former, given the brilliance that both have in their engineering departments, and with two further test sessions to come in Bahrain over the next few weeks there is time aplenty to iron out the creases. Certainly I hope they do, because I'd rather whoever wins first time out in Australia does so on merit and not because the other bloke had to park it when his energy recovery unit threw a wobbler. Formula 1 will be poor sport in 2014 if half the field is beset with reliability problems all year.

One of the other significant developments from 2013-spec F1 car to 2014 is a switch to by-wire braking systems, for the rear axle at least. The front brakes are still connected hydraulically to the brake pedal, but the rear brakes are managed by an ECU that determines how much brake force should come from the calliper, and how much from the energy recovery system. Given that, by way of example, Lewis Hamilton struggled in the early part of last season to adapt to a new brake pad material as he switched from McLaren to Mercedes, one does wonder how he and others will adapt to these new braking systems.

Do these two have reason to be nervous?

"At the moment, not the best thing to have," said the Brit in classic racing driver PR-honed understatement. As the drivers begin to explore the performance potential of their new machines in the approach to the first qualifying session of the season, I do suspect we'll hear much more on the matter.

Meanwhile in Sweden
2,300 miles to the northeast of Jerez, the World Rally Championship is gearing up for round two of the new season in Sweden. This rally will be a litmus test for the remainder of the year, for it is almost certainly the best chance that the Northern European drivers have of getting the better of Sebastien Ogier. Volkswagen's Frenchman won last time out in Monte Carlo having dominated the 2013 season, and if the likes of Mikko Hirvonen, Jari-Matti Latvala and Mads Ostberg can't keep him honest on the ice and snow of Sweden, one will begin to feel that Ogier is quite capable of winning every single rally this season. Ominously enough, he did win this rally last year.

Will Ogier dominate in the snow too?

As an aside, we shouldn't expect too much of our boys - Kris Meeke and Elfyn Evans - this weekend. The pair were among the stars of the Monte Carlo Rally, finishing third and sixth respectively, but since neither have any competitive experience of snow rallies it'd be a bit much to ask for a repeat of those results. You just know Meeke will bang a handful of quick stage times, though...

F1 photos: LAT Photo

[nickfrog]

That Redbull looks ever so skinny at the back, no wonder they have overheating issues! I am sure Newey will come up with a fix though.

[dc2rr07]

It maybe the least reliable but the Red Bull has one of the better looking front ends.

[oldtimer2]

The new, lower fuel limits could mean that the GP season will turn into a fuel economy run as well as an exercise in reliability for the new power units. Let us hope we get some real racing vs conserving tyres and fuel.

[FlossyThePig]

oldtimer2 said:

The new, lower fuel limits could mean that the GP season will turn into a fuel economy run as well as an exercise in reliability for the new power units. Let us hope we get some real racing vs conserving tyres and fuel.

Who can remember one season in the early '80s when a lot of cars ran out of fuel in the last one or two laps of the race.

[vwsurfbum]

I haven't been this excited about a season for years!

I seem to remember Prost/Mansel pushing their cars as they running out of fuel?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXN-EbC4wbk

Also i thought the same about the redbull being the prettiest of the ugly cars. that catteram was by far the worst looking.

[NRS]

I have to say that's part of what will make this season more interesting... the race will not be over until the cars have crossed the line. So even if someone runs away with it at the start there will always be questions on will the turbo/ KERS etc go pop. Combined with more visual and technical differences between the cars, plus a Red Bull team which looks like it will struggle early on and therefore not run away with things, then this season looks fantastic!

[AlexKing]

It depends whether you think that F1 should just be about the drivers or not. I think it's primarily about the engineers, and I'm perfectly happy that it is - if you're just about the drivers, then pick a one make championship of your choice.

Also, if it causes that German oik to put his finger away while he runs from his smoking car, so much the better.