F1-Winter-Testing-Barcelona-February-2018-Dailycarblog
F1 Winter Testing, What We Know So Far
Formula One
We don’t actually know much at all other than all teams have revealed their 2018 campaign challenges and the Halo cockpit protection device has now been fully integrated if not fully accepted.  Winter testing is notoriously difficult to get an overview of which team will have the winning package because most teams will always hide their true speed. This year is a bit different as the colder than expected weather makes for slow progress. However, if we go by the evidence then we can say Mercedes will continue to dominate for a fifth consecutive year. Why? because there have been no significant rule changes regarding the engine. Mercedes had the most powerful unit on the grid last year and there is no reason to see why would lose that advantage. Ferrari was the only team to have an engine and chassis package to rival that of Mercedes but they ultimately lost out because their lead driver, Vettel, lost his mind at a crucial phase of the championship. Ferrari can either go forward or backward, that is a historical fact so it depends on how well their engineering facilities are integrated into improving upon what they had last year. If they don’t, then the team tends to revert to its culture of blaming one another and losing focus as a result. Rival engine manufacturers such as Renault and Honda have no chance to catch up, last year Mercedes seemed to have enough power in reserve and showed when under threat and when needed. Honda is claiming to have made big gains during the off-season, we’ll see the results of these claims at the first race in Austrailia. Red Bull will switch to Honda power in 2019, their Jr team, Torro Rosso, are early recipients of Honda power after the Japanese company ended an engine supply deal with McLaren. Honda has been plagued by reliability issues since their return to the sport three years ago. McLaren, having ended a lucrative supply deal with Honda, switch to Renault power. Time will tell if Renault has made any progress in terms of reliability and matching Mercedes for power. McLaren started the first test of the year in Barcelona by paying a visit to the gravel trap. A loose wheel nut pitched Alonso off the circuit. The expectations are that the Mercedes team will again have the best package, and in Lewis Hamilton, they have the best, probably the fastest, driver who can deliver wins on a consistent basis. The mid-field will continue the traditional status quo. The Sauber team have been rebranded as Alfa Romeo, but it’s still a Sauber, however, this year it gets a works Ferrari engine instead of a customer, last season-spec, engine. The first winter test of 2018 might be extended as cool track conditions and rain hamper early progress. So, what we have learned so far about winter testing is absolutely nothing. The only time when we will know which team is where and who has the best package is at the first race of the season. F1-Winter-Testing-Barcelona-February-2018-Dailycarblog
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