Barcelona Test 1: Five things we learned

<

>

MONTMELO, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 28: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer on track during day two of Formula One winter testing at Circuit de Catalunya on February 28, 2017 in Montmelo, Spain. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // P-20170228-01361 // Usage for editorial use only // Please go to http://ift.tt/19vsCqi for further information. //

Formula 1’s faster and more powerful cars for 2017 were put through their paces for the first time in Barcelona this week.

Here, AFP Sports looks at five things we learned from the first four days of pre-season testing:

Mercedes still in front

The more things change, the more they stay the same. After three years of total dominance, even a drastic overhaul of the sport’s rules hasn’t stopped Mercedes from setting the pace.

Valtteri Bottas showed he can prove an able replacement to retired world champion Nico Rosberg by posting the best time of the week and since 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in 1:19.705sec.

Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were also carrying out race simulations while some at the back of the paddock were struggling to get out of the garage on the first two days.

Ferrari pace encouraging

However, those hoping for more of a contest at the front of the grid this season will have been encouraged by the early signs from Ferrari’s SF70H.

Kimi Raikkonen was fastest on Tuesday and Thursday, while Sebastian Vettel outpaced Bottas when both were on the same soft tyre compound on Wednesday.

McLaren woes continue

If Mercedes’ dominance has become predictable, then so have the woes of a former championship contender in McLaren.

Two years on from joining forces with engine supplier Honda, McLaren look further off the pace than ever.

More unreliability problems meant McLaren were second last when it came to laps completed and only Toro Rosso were slower once they did get on the track.

Faster cars pose physical challenge

Hamilton admitted on Tuesday to having “bruises and bumps where I’ve never really had them before” as a result of the increased physical toil in dragging bigger and heavier cars at much greater speed.

Rosberg claimed the “monstrous” new machines would make the drivers “proper gladiators” and warned races could be decided on who is the fittest and strongest driver.

“We might even see drivers losing race wins because of just being game over physically and that’s what we need,” said the German.

Fake rain not up to the job

The need for tyre manufacturer Pirelli to try out their new wet and intermediate tyres on Friday led to the unusual situation of water spraying up behind cars bathed in the Barcelona sunshine.

With no help from the elements, and no sprinkler system on hand, huge trucks dumping gallons of water were needed to create the artificial wet surface both overnight and again in the lunch break between morning and afternoon sessions.

Off the record several drivers and team managers questioned the effectiveness of the exercise, while most admitted that pushing in the ‘fake’ wet conditions was out of the question as risking the new cars, with limited spares, was unacceptable.

Barcelona Test In Numbers:

Best Times Day 1
Driver	Team	Compound	Lap Time
Hamilton	Mercedes	Soft	01:21,765
Vettel	Ferrari	Medium	01:21,878
Massa	Williams	Soft	01:22,076
Magnussen	Haas	Soft	01:22,894
Ricciardo	Red Bull	Soft	01:22,926
Bottas	Mercedes	Soft	01:23,169
Perez	Force India	Soft	01:23,709
Sainz J	Toro Rosso	Medium	01:24,494
Hulkenberg	Renault	Medium	01:24,784
Alonso	McLaren	Soft	01:24,852
Ericsson	Sauber	Medium	01:26,841

Best Times Day 2
Driver	Team	Compound	Lap Time
Raikkonen	Ferrari	Soft	01:20,960
Hamilton	Mercedes	Supersoft	01:20,983
Verstappen	Red Bull	Soft	01:22,200
Magnussen	Haas	Supersoft	01:22,204
Ocon	Force India	Supersoft	01:22,509
Kvyat	Toro Rosso	Soft	01:22,956
Bottas	Mercedes	Soft	01:22,986
Palmer	Renault	Soft	01:24,139
Giovinazzi	Renault	Soft	01:24,617
Vandoorne	McLaren	Soft	01:25,600
Stroll	Williams	Medium	01:26,040

Best Times Day 3
Driver	Team	Compound	Lap Time
Bottas	Mercedes	Ultrasoft	01:19,705
Vettel	Ferrari	Soft	01:19,952
Ricciardo	Red Bull	Soft	01:21,153
Palmer	Renault	Soft	01:21,396
Hulkenberg	Renault	Soft	01:21,791
Ericsson	Sauber	Supersoft	01:21,824
Hamilton	Mercedes	Soft	01:22,090
Grosjean	Haas	Supersoft	01:22,118
Stroll	Williams	Soft	01:22,351
Alonso	McLaren	Ultrasoft	01:22,598
Sainz J	Toro Rosso	Medium	01:23,540
Celis	Force India	Ultrasoft	01:23,568
Kvyat	Toro Rosso	Medium	01:23,952

Best Times Day 4
Driver	Team	Compound	Lap Time
Raikkonen	Ferrari	Soft	01:20,872
Verstappen	Red Bull	Soft	01:21,769
Palmer	Renault	Soft	01:21,778
Grosjean	Haas	Medium	01:22,309
Giovinazzi	Sauber	Ultrasoft	01:22,401
Perez	Force India	Supersoft	01:22,534
Vandoorne	McLaren	Ultrasoft	01:22,576
Bottas	Mercedes	Soft	01:23,443
Hulkenberg	Renault	Soft	01:24,974

Best Times – Overall
Driver	Team	Compound	Laptime	Test Day
Bottas	Mercedes	Ultrasoft	01:19,705	Day 3
Vettel	Ferrari	Soft	01:19,952	Day 3
Raikkonen	Ferrari	Soft	01:20,960	Day 2
Hamilton	Mercedes	Supersoft	01:20,983	Day 2
Ricciardo	Red Bull	Soft	01:21,153	Day 3
Palmer	Renault	Soft	01:21,396	Day 3
Verstappen	Red Bull	Soft	01:21,769	Day 4
Hulkenberg	Renault	Soft	01:21,791	Day 3
Ericsson	Sauber	Supersoft	01:21,824	Day 3
Massa	Williams	Soft	01:22,076	Day 1
Grosjean	Haas	Supersoft	01:22,118	Day 3
Magnussen	Haas	Supersoft	01:22,204	Day 2
Stroll	Williams	Soft	01:22,351	Day 3
Giovinazzi	Sauber	Ultrasoft	01:22,401	Day 4
Ocon	Force India	Supersoft	01:22,509	Day 2
Perez	Force India	Supersoft	01:22,534	Day 4
Vandoorne	McLaren	Ultrasoft	01:22,576	Day 4
Alonso	McLaren	Ultrasoft	01:22,598	Day 3
Kvyat	Toro Rosso	Soft	01:22,956	Day 2
Sainz J	Toro Rosso	Medium	01:23,540	Day 3
Celis	Force India	Ultrasoft	01:23,568	Day 3

Read the full story at GRAND PRIX 247