Barcelona Pre-Season Test: What have we learned?

The 2017 single-seaters are fast, very fast.

In 2016, the best time in winter testing was already set by Kimi Räikkönen with a time of 1:22.765. This year, this best time drops below the 80-second mark per lap with a 1:18.634 set on Super Soft tires, the second softest range offered by Pirelli during these tests. The slowest lap time recorded by one of the 20 full-time drivers is 1:22.347 by Sauber, equipped with a 2016 Ferrari power unit.

With this new regulation, the goal was to gain five seconds per lap compared to the times achieved in 2015 on the same circuit. At that time, the best time set by Nico Rosberg was 1:24.681. The goal is therefore clearly achieved, with the additional downforce generated by the cars, the now unrestricted development of power units, as well as the new wider tires produced by Pirelli. However, the times recorded this week were with softer compounds than those used during the 2015 Grand Prix qualifying. The real gains from this new regulation will be measured at the fifth Grand Prix of the season, on this same Barcelona track.

This video also allows us to visually measure the speed difference between the two generations of single-seaters:

ICYMI

We put a 2016 car up against a 2017 car at Barcelona 👀

VIDEO: Watch them go head-to-head on flying laps >> https://t.co/TqSEWjsQ1v 😮 pic.twitter.com/iSUpjSac6b

— Formula 1 (@F1) 13 mars 2017

Innovative technical solutions

If the shark fin has appeared on numerous single-seaters, it has not won over everyone. Indeed, the single-seater presented by Mercedes did not feature this appendage, which many observers deem unsightly, as Christian Horner believes, who wishes to ban its use, claiming it only provides marginal gains.

Another solution that has appeared is the famous T-Wing. While it completely replaces the shark fin at Mercedes, Ferrari took advantage of it to place their T-Wing. However, some teams were copying this solution, which could be subject to investigation due to its significant deformation under the aerodynamic loads experienced by the cars, something prohibited by the regulations.

Race simulation is on for #Seb5. #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/2uYKirZhGi

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) 9 mars 2017

At Mercedes, the shark fin made an appearance during several test days, leaving uncertainty about whether the team will continue with this component during the 2017 season.

But the development area to watch this year is located upstream of the pontoons, with a multitude of deflectors aimed at directing the airflow around a wider single-seater, in order to maximize the use of a larger flat floor to increase the level of downforce achieved. The rear diffuser, much lower than in previous years, helps to maximize this effect.

An important work is also being done on the rear wing, with an innovative solution from Renault, who began testing with a central pillar directly attached to the DRS activation point. However, after investigation, the FIA decided to ban this possibility as it contradicted the regulations: Renault will now have to redesign to attach the pillar to the main plane of the rear wing.

Another controversy stirred the winter regarding the legality of the suspensions used notably by Mercedes and Red Bull: while the two teams involved do not seem to be troubled, it is not impossible that claims will be filed in Melbourne if certain teams believe that the suspension systems of these two teams play a role in aerodynamic performance, which is prohibited by the regulations.

A liberated motor development

Since 2015, the second year of the V6 hybrid cycle, the development of power units was limited by the token system, imposing a limit on the number of possible modifications in a year.

Given the wide domination of the Mercedes PU during these three years, the decision was made to remove this token limit to allow the other three engine manufacturers to catch up.

This allowed the different engine manufacturers to sometimes completely revise their design, as Renault did, considering that the potential of its 2014-2016 model had been reached and was not sufficient. However, these three engine manufacturers had varying fortunes.

At Ferrari, the 2017 power unit is used by two teams: Scuderia Ferrari and Haas F1 Team. The first thing that stands out is the reliability achieved by this engine, nearing 8,000 kilometers covered between these two teams. In comparison, Mercedes exceeds 12,000. The reliability of the Ferrari engine has been exemplary for both teams, and its performance seems to have taken a significant step forward. The work done by the Italian team has been praised by the Haas team, who see this new engine as a significant advancement.

On the side of the Viry-Chatillon team, the outcome is more lackluster, following the development of a brand new concept.

If the performance of the unit seems to have improved, the three teams powered by the French manufacturer have experienced multiple problems related to the ERS. These teams all have lower mileage compared to teams powered by Mercedes or Ferrari, but still remain well ahead of their last competitor.

At Honda, the new power unit seems catastrophic in terms of reliability: the engine only completed 425 laps in eight days, averaging less than 60 laps per day. Worse, the McLaren MCL-32 equipped with the Japanese block sometimes couldn’t go further than a few hundred meters before stopping, falling victim to one of the many electrical issues observed during these tests. The team had to change numerous parts on different days to try to find the source of the problem, without success so far.

But the performance doesn’t seem to be there either, according to Fernando Alonso, who stated, exasperated, that the engine in his car was “neither reliable nor performant,” losing “20 to 30 km/h on the straight” and not allowing the McLaren to take the corners flat out, the reduced power of the engine not permitting to test the real speed of the MCL-32, according to the Spaniard.

With the new level of downforce achieved by these 2017 cars, the drag created by these F1s is all the more significant; therefore, it is necessary to have a powerful power unit to “tear” the car from the ground: engine development will be all the more important this year and Renault, like Honda, seem to be starting with a handicap to overcome at the beginning of the season.

Sauber, on the other hand, has a Ferrari engine from 2016, tested for a year, and starts with a power handicap that will only increase throughout the year as engine manufacturers bring updates to their 2017 power units.

A relative reliability

If McLaren completed fewer than 500 laps, this is not the case for all teams. The cars powered by Renault, hampered by the ERS issue of the French block, couldn’t complete many laps, with only 684 laps for the most reliable among them, Red Bull Racing.

After a difficult first week due to Lance Stroll’s off-track incidents that cost one test day, Williams made up a significant part of its delay in the second week, reaching a total of 800 laps, leading a group comprised of Sauber, Force India, and Haas, which achieved 715 laps.

Two teams have significantly stood out from the others in terms of reliability. First, Ferrari, with 956 laps, sometimes exceeding 150 laps completed per day. And Mercedes, the only team surpassing the symbolic 5,000 kilometers mark, with 1,096 laps completed, totaling 5,102 km.

However, these teams have not necessarily been running at full speed, which can help achieve maximum reliability.

Performances to put into perspective

If the two Ferrari drivers are at the top of the timesheet, far ahead of Mercedes with a 0.676-second lead over the best time of the world champion team, it is important to put these performances and this gap between the teams into perspective.

Many factors influence the performance of different cars: the track temperature at the time of the best lap, the type of tires used, the engine power rate used, but especially the fuel level, which is invisible to observers.

On the Ferrari side, Sebastian Vettel completed his best lap in 1:19:024 with Ultra Soft tires. However, observers reported seeing the German driver visibly brake on the finish line. His teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, recorded his best time at 1:18:634, but on Super Soft tires. This suggests that the Scuderia still has potential, even though we don’t know the actual conditions under which this time was achieved, particularly in terms of fuel.

Behind Ferrari and Mercedes, Williams seems to be in a good position with Felipe Massa signing the 5th overall fastest time in these tests. Sir Frank Williams’ team seems to be in a battle with Red Bull, hampered by the problems with the Renault engine, as well as a car that is generally very streamlined compared to its competitors, particularly in terms of the side deflectors. Behind these two teams, the midfield hierarchy is difficult to read, with Toro Rosso, Force India, and Renault within three-tenths of a second. The American team Haas seems to be slightly further back, with best times a few tenths behind this group of three teams; however, the team still suffers from brake problems that affected them throughout 2016.

Far behind this group of teams is McLaren, which has shown to be faster than Sauber when the Honda-powered team was able to run. It goes without saying that Sauber’s season seems complicated with a 2016 engine block, while the development of 2017 power units is now free for manufacturers.

8 days, 16 sessions, 64 hours

The final numbers that will have everyone talking until Melbourne in two weeks 👀🤔#F1Testing pic.twitter.com/wnhllfzkg7

— Formula 1 (@F1) 10 mars 2017

However, the hierarchy of private testing is rarely respected during the actual season: Ferrari was also the fastest during the 2016 winter tests, before being completely outpaced by Mercedes, and then by Red Bull when the season began.

As every year, it will be necessary to wait until the start of the European season and the Spanish Grand Prix to get a real idea of the hierarchy of this first season under the new regulations, as the first Grand Prix always hold surprises for each team. Mercedes and Ferrari seem to be in a strong position, neck and neck for the title, but each team may have bluffed during these tests, reserving surprises for the fans who will be able to catch the F1 circus next week at the inaugural race in Melbourne on March 26th.