Silver arrows finish 500 laps, well clear of all their rivals
Fears around new engines and regulations unfounded
Fears the swathe of new regulations and entirely new engines might be problematic on their first outing proved unfounded, after Formula One’s first pre-season test concluded in Barcelona on Friday. Mercedes put in an almost bulletproof performance in distance and reliability while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton grabbed the quickest lap of the week.
Held behind closed doors at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, it is believed at least partly to minimise attention on the potential negative impressions of the new formula that might be formed by new engines going bang and cars struggling on track, as happened when turbo-hybrid engines were introduced in 2012, the running was overwhelmingly positive given the challenge of the biggest regulation change of the modern era.
The majority of teams put in decent mileage and with no apparent major drama for the engine manufacturers. Indeed Red Bull, building their own units for the first time, will consider their strong and consistent running a real fillip. Ferrari demonstrated an impressive number of laps. New engine manufacturer and team entrant Audi had some difficulties and will be disappointed given they had prioritised reliability over pace in these opening stages, while Honda powering the Aston Martin which ran for only the best part of a day will need more work in the forthcoming tests.
