F1 cars will get 'much faster' quickly, according to team figures
Ferrari technical director James Allison is expecting a rapid increase in the performance of the current Formula 1 cars before the start of the season
With a number of drivers having expressed concerns at the first pre-season test that the 2014 cars were too slow, Allison's comments will ease some of those worries.
He reckons that a combination of early focus on engine performance and reliability, plus a desire to leave aerodynamic development until nearer the start of the season, means car are nowhere near their full potential yet.
And he has revealed that teams are making rapid progress in producing more downforce, which will lift cornering speeds.
"Just look at the size of the rear wings - they are more or less Canada-type rear wings," said Allison.
"That is roughly where the downforce of the [2014] car is. There is also not the blowing of the floor either.
"But new rules offer new opportunities, so the rate of finding downforce is quite steep.
"You never know when it is going to slacken off, but it is showing no signs of that at the moment."
A number of teams only ran with basic car configuration at Jerez, and are leaving their proper aerodynamic developments for later in the pre-season preparations.
MORE TO COME IN-SEASON
Jenson Button was one driver who was in no doubt that speeds will lift before the Australian Grand Prix, and would continue to improve over the course of the campaign.
"When we go to the first race everyone is going to be much faster," he said.
"And by the end of the year we might not be that far off, a couple of seconds."
Williams chief test and support engineer Rod Nelson said that teams would use the forthcoming Bahrain tests to focus on speed much more, although it may not be until the final run that true performance becomes clear.
"I've got about 300 things on my list to do, and I think we've knocked off about 50 so far," he explained.
"We've got a load of stuff to do. We've got a whole race distance to run, which isn't all about qualifying pace.
"We've got different tests we're looking at to look at tyre degradation versus first lap performance for example.
"We'll have a lot of the new aero components that we're expecting for Melbourne will come for the second Bahrain test."
Ask Gary Anderson
Button expects Dennis's overhaul of McLaren F1 team to pay off
How F1's helicopter footage was brought to a higher level
The ever increasing quality of Formula 1's helicopter camera work has made it an indispensable part of the broadcast. We went behind the scenes to find out how F1's spectacular aerial shots come together.
The Moss-Ferrari farce that current F1 drivers are thankfully spared
Recent moves within the driver market have reminded MAURICE HAMILTON of a time when contracts weren’t worth the paper they weren’t written on…
BMW: No current interest in entering Formula 1
BMW says it has no interest in entering Formula 1 at the moment despite the recent manufacturer arrivals, instead focusing on its LMDh programme.
Ocon: 2022 F1 cars like ‘go karts on kerbs’ in Singapore
Esteban Ocon believes the 2022 Formula 1 cars are going to behave like go-karts over the bumps and kerbs of the Singapore GP track.
The Moss-Ferrari farce that current F1 drivers are thankfully spared
Recent moves within the driver market have reminded MAURICE HAMILTON of a time when contracts weren’t worth the paper they weren’t written on…
Audi’s innovative first assault on grand prix racing
It has been a long time coming but Audi’s arrival in Formula 1 is finally on the horizon for 2026. But it won’t be its first foray into grand prix racing, as the German manufacturer giant has a history both long and enthralling
The seven factors powering Verstappen's 2022 F1 domination
After a tooth and nail and, at times, toxic Formula 1 world championship scrap last year, Max Verstappen's march to a second consecutive title has been the exact opposite. But has he really changed in 2022? Here's a dive into what factors have played a crucial role, both inside the Verstappen camp and elsewhere, in the Dutch driver's domination
Why Hamilton is still the man to keep driving Mercedes forward
Lewis Hamilton’s words in a recent Vanity Fair interview define both his world-view and his approach to this season: one of perpetual struggle against adversity. As GP RACING explains, that’s what Lewis feeds off – and why, far from being down and nearly out, he’s using his unique skillset to spearhead Mercedes’ revival…
The time lag of ideas that offers intrigue over F1's future fight
The pecking order in 2022's Formula 1 season may look pretty static as the season draws to a close, but the unique nature of the cost cap means that preparation for next season takes precedence. New developments are being pushed back to 2023 - which could mask the technical development war ongoing...
How one retro event could prove an alluring prospect for Formula 1 stars
While Formula 1 drivers taking part in retro events can prove costly, as Charles Leclerc discovered at the Monaco Historic Grand Prix, the Goodwood Revival could prove an interesting experiment for today's stars. As the event's own Tourist Trophy race proves it means serious business, a race for current F1 drivers feels as though it’s in line with where the event is currently at
The surprise biggest indicator of Ferrari's 2022 F1 points downfall
Looking back to the early races of 2022 and Ferrari’s challenge to Red Bull and Max Verstappen was going better than many expected. But it has lost so much ground a surprise rival can even pip Charles Leclerc to runner-up in the standings if given the chance
How Tyrrell and Stewart forged parallel paths to F1 stardom
The young Ken Tyrrell was barely aware of motor racing – until a trip with his village football team to the British Grand Prix set him on the road to becoming a Formula 1 constructor. MAURICE HAMILTON details the humble beginning of Tyrrell and how Ken linked up with Jackie Stewart…