Pre Season Testing- Intro
Pre Season Testing ended yesterday. This is an overview and analysis and talking points in each team in an easy-to-read format. Generally, pre-season testing will not reveal all the details of the car but a general consensus about where the team stand can be noticed if you have a keen eye for the sport.
Read Day 3 Analysis here
Mercedes
- Twitchy Car, Severe reliability issues plagued the preseason testing
- The car is behaving like a 2020 Redbull and its showed in the lap count.
- Bottas was far comfortable in the car than Hamilton
- Did they go to a Higher Rake concept with the gearbox?
- Too early to decide on the problems being not solvable and the team is still the favorites.
Redbull
- Timesheet toppers , Max and Sergio in super form
- Issues redbull has last year is solved by the regulation floor board change.
- Except for an engine cover blow out, there is no reliability issues in the horizon.
- Has super long run and short run pace
Ferrari
- Improved a lot from last year.
- Carlos and Leclerc are confident of the engine and the aero in the new car.
- Straight-line speed of the Ferrari, not a disadvantage anymore – Team Principal
- Reliability issues in the power unit a great concern.
- Gains are marginal and not up to the expected level.
McLaren
- The Rear diffuser is catching many people eyes so its photographed more than the drivers.
- Solid running pace, which in-turn will translate into race pace and Qualifying pace.
- Mercedes engine and the rear diffuser will work wonders to the pace.
- Riccardo still needs to warm up more but Lando was on point most days.
Alpine
- Return of the Champion Alonso is the Fuel for the upbeat in the garage.
- No big Reliability issues were reported
- Body shaming that air-intake in the car is turning to be a hot topic of discussion.
- Three-year-old chassis in the car because of the homologation rules have caught them out.
Haas
- They have colored the old car new, with no real improvements apart from sticking to the rules of 2021.
- Seeing MSC’s name on the grid sends shivers of excitement in the fans.
- Two Rookies have a toy to play nothing else is exciting for the team.
- Expected to be in the back of the field with huge reliability issues.
AlphaTauri
- Second Fastest overall which sends hopes of a decent start to the season
- Both drivers, Gasly and Yuki are well settled in the team
- Strong Qualifying pace of the car will put them in a place where they can defend and finish strong.
- No Reliability issues and seems to be the most improved team over the years.
AlfaRomeo
- Might reliable. Kimi Finished almost three and half race distances in a day.
- Giovanazzi, lit up the time sheets more than once.
- Alfa has the pace to beat Williams and Haas hands down and will join the mid field pack in the back.
- Good Long running pace but weak Qualifying pace.
Aston
- Bad session of testing overall but the team is confident
- Break ducts are new, so it can’t be dubbed green Merc anymore.
- Vettel seems out of place and struggling for that comfortability factor in the team.
- Stroll has very few runnings lit the timesheet on occasions but the long-run pace seems tricky.
- Low rake cars are struggling generally.
Williams
- Still, a lot of developments are needed for the car. The pace is slow and drivers not confident.
- New management has low bonding within the team and needs to be sorted.
- George will pull something out of the bag but highly unlikely to be anywhere near the midfield.
Pre Season Testing – Summary.
Pre Season Testing has revealed more questions than answering them. The midfield and top teams have nothing separating them. The Low rake cars are struggling much more than the high rake design cars but moving from a low rake to a high rake is pretty much impossible now that there is only two weeks to the first race. Mercedes engine woes and Redbull performance gains might be temporary but it is too close to call a pecking order now.
