Just when we started to think that 2015 could see the chasing pack put up some kind of challenge to Mercedes AMG Petronas, the German team decided to turn up the heat.
Nico Rosberg’s lap on the second day of the final pre-season test in Barcelona was nothing short of sensational, smashing Felipe Massa’s time from Thursday by over 0.7 seconds and appearing to end any ideas of a crusade against the Silver Arrows.
And to make matters worse, it wasn’t even a perfect lap. Rosberg had been struggling all day with the setup on his car, and although things were better come the afternoon, the German driver still felt frustrated. Essentially, it is Mercedes saying that it has time in reserve – yes, it can go even quicker.
This was in fact the first day of pre-season testing that has been topped by either Rosberg or world champion teammate Lewis Hamilton. Is it a case of Mercedes only now waking up? Not really. The team was still up towards the top of the timesheets in the earlier tests despite not completing a qualifying sim; what you saw today is what happens when it does try out its one lap pace.
Another busy day at the track, then. Here’s a complete round-up of all of the news and reports from the second day of the final pre-season test.
SESSION REPORT
NEWS FROM THE PADDOCK
- Fernando Alonso has released a video in which he thanks fans for their support following his accident in Barcelona last week.
- The Force India VJM08 finally broke cover for the first time, some 26 days after the rest of the F1 field had debuted in Jerez.
- The FIA has approved Manor Marussia’s place on the F1 grid this year as the comeback continues for the minnows.
- American driver Alexander Rossi has joined Racing Engineering in GP2 for the 2015 season.
- As of 2016, F1 cars will be fitted with high-speed cameras that will be used to aid the analysis of accidents.
- Despite posting the fastest time of the day, Nico Rosberg was unhappy with the setup on his Mercedes W06 Hybrid.
- Nico Hulkenberg does not think that Force India will find out the true cost of the VJM08’s late debut until the first race of the year in Australia.
- Max Verstappen enjoyed another productive day for Toro Rosso as he prepares for his F1 debut in Melbourne.
- Felipe Massa has called on the F1 community to stop looking for a theory behind Fernando Alonso’s accident and instead focus on the fact that he is unhurt.
THOUGHTS FROM THE TRACK
Mercedes finally starts cooking with gas
The very fact that Mercedes had not topped a single day of winter testing gave a shred of hope to the F1 community that the German team might just face a challenge this year. That shred of hope was left in tatters following Friday’s running, with Nico Rosberg setting a very impressive lap time indeed. What’s more: he wasn’t even entirely happy with it. Mercedes is the team to beat once again, and at this rate, it could well emulate its record-breaking exploits of 2014. An ominous pace indeed.
A breakthrough for McLaren
If McLaren was looking for its “eureka!” moment with the MP4-30 and Honda power unit, then Friday may just have been it. The British team enjoyed its most productive day of testing so far, completing 100 laps before Jenson Button’s car cried enough and ground to a halt with just 20 minutes left in the day. The pace that the Briton laid down was also quite good, finishing fifth with a best time of 1:25.590. McLaren may well be on the back foot heading to Melbourne, but definite progress is being made.
Force India’s first foray goes well
Talking of being on the back foot: Force India. Some 26 days after the majority of the teams rolled their cars out in Jerez for the first time, Force India finally got its new car, the VJM08, out on track. As first laps go, it wasn’t a very good one as a problem with the wheel rim caused a left-rear puncture, but Nico Hulkenberg rallied to finish the day with 77 laps to his name. Few teams are able to get their cars out of the box and pounding around the track so quickly, so it is a good sign for Force India – even if it has come about three weeks too late…
Age is just a number
Max Verstappen may only be 17 years old, but there is little doubt that he shaping up to be one of the most exciting prospects in F1 in recent years. The Dutchman enjoyed yet another successful day behind the wheel of the Toro Rosso car, looking comfortable on his laps and make good headway with the upgrades that had been applied until an electrical issue cut his day short. He is a refreshing and impressive talent that is quickly proving his doubters wrong; let us see if he can continue to do so in Melbourne next month.
Marussia’s comeback takes another step forwards
Formula 1 may have a habit of shunning and snubbing the smaller teams in recent months, but the story of Marussia’s revival is quite remarkable. After appearing to be dead and buried, the team has since come back to life and is now preparing to return at the Australian Grand Prix. Today saw the FIA confirm that it has a place on the grid in 2015 with the release of the updated entry list, meaning that all that stands between the team and a comeback is a car that complies with the 2015 technical regulations. As good news stories go, this is a big one.
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We’ll be back tomorrow in Barcelona with all of the coverage from day three of the final pre-season test.
