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Why Ferrari won the testing war

Red Bull might be most people's favourite ahead of the weekend opener, but careful analysis of the final test in Barcelona shows that it may well be Ferrari that has the edge when the lights go out in Melbourne

Detailed analysis of winter testing by AUTOSPORT indicates that it is Ferrari who will start the season as the pace-setting team. Examination of its performance - both on low-fuel runs and longer race simulations - clearly suggests that Ferrari has an edge over world champion Red Bull Racing ahead of the first race (see graphic below).

The headline times released at the end of the day can be very misleading since teams run vastly different programmes; most are experimenting with new parts, drivers can change between days, and of course there is always the temptation to bang in a headline-grabbing quick lap if a team is looking to assuage potential sponsors.

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