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Fighting talk from Szafnauer in new Alpine role.
Away from the aesthetics, Otmar Szafnauer was clear in his own personal targets with his new team and wants to be the person to help build and maintain a strong bond within Alpine, providing the team with a platform for real success in the years to come.
Date published: February 21 2022 - Mark Scott
Asked what he felt he could bring to the Alpine team in his new role, Szafnauer replied: “I will bring my style of collaborative leadership.
“I heard Luca [De Meo, Renault CEO] mentioned that the glue that keeps us all together is very important and I too feel that the glue that keeps us all together, pointing in the right direction, is the key to this.
‘Alpine A522 Glue’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/otmar-...g-talk-alpine/
Szafnauer: Great to team up with Ocon again at Alpine
Phillip van Osten21/02/2022 at 19:11
New Alpine team boss Otmar Szafnauer is delighted to rekindle his working relationship with Esteban Ocon but the American is equally happy to work with Fernando Alonso.
Szafnauer oversaw Ocon's development at Force India during two seasons – in 2017 and 2018 – when the Frenchman raced alongside Sergio Perez.
"I know Esteban very well from his two seasons at Force India," he said. "Back then, he was young, raw, hugely talented and very quick on-track. In fact, not much has changed since. His talent is clear to see, and I was very happy and proud to see him claim his first Grand Prix win last season.”
Otmar Szafnauer and Esteban Ocon;
https://f1i.com/news/432512-szafnaue...at-alpine.html
‘I know how good Alpine can become’ says new Team Principal Szafnauer, after launching 2022 challenger
21 February 2022
Newly-installed Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer has vowed to bring success to the Enstone/Viry-based outfit, after he helped launch the team’s A522 challenger for the 2022 season.
“Everyone knows Fernando’s exceptional qualities. His experience is invaluable, and I thoroughly believe the team’s line-up is amongst the strongest on the grid. It’s going to be enjoyable to work with a motorsport legend in Fernando and to reunite with Esteban.”
‘Otmar Szafnauer vow of Alpine success’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...hSYavfPT3.html
Fifth place the minimum target for 2022 – Alpine
by Fergal Walsh
22 Feb 2022, 09:18
Alpine has set its minimum target for the 2022 Formula 1 season as fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, according to its Chief Executive Officer Laurent Rossi.
“So far, we have hit our targets and we are happy with the progress we are showing, but we have to be realistic that this year all the cards are thrown in the air.
“We don’t know where we are going to be until we all hit the track. However, what we all need to bear in mind is that where we start isn’t important; it’s where we finish.
‘It’s where Alpine A522 finish’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...r-2022-alpine/
Alpine make positive prediction for 2022 Formula 1 campaign
By George Dagless
Published: 22 Feb 2022, 13:20
What matters most, though, is how it looks against the stopwatch and, speaking at the launch event in Paris yesterday, Alpine’s technical director Matt Harman explained that the team is feeling confident over potential gains thanks to a rethink with their entire power unit.
“We did a full review of this area of the car and we decided to change the architecture of that power unit extensively in all areas, including the internal combustion engine, the ERS system, the turbo and its positioning in the car.
“That has given us some real gains in terms of our ability to express ourselves aerodynamically and achieve the ultimate lap time of the car.
‘Positive Alpine A522;’
https://www.givemesport.com/87975793...ula-1-campaign
Alpine eyes adding rivals’ best designs to its ‘load of upgrades’
The Race
22/02/2022, 13:22
Alpine has “a load of upgrades” planned for the second pre-season Formula 1 test and opening round in Bahrain and will “try and pick the best pieces” off other cars for future development.
Alpine chief technical officer Pat Fry said: “The first two tests and the early races there’s going to be a massive step in learning.”
“We’ve obviously had our own ideas of what this set of rules means. We’re going to see nine other options of what that is. We’ll try and pick the best pieces out of everything.”
‘Picking the best bit and pieces out of nine other options’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/alpin...d-of-upgrades/
New Alpine Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer Extremely Excited For 2022
By Nick Golding
February 22, 2022
Szafnauer is incredibly entering his 24th season in F1, in that time he has seen plenty of technical regulation changes, something which he is very excited about for the upcoming season where the team will be hoping they’ve mastered the A522.
“This time of year is always filled with anticipation and excitement. This season, that is only amplified as Formula 1 heads into a new era. I’m very excited to see the A522 on-track and seeing how we can keep developing the entire package over the course of the season.”
“Right now is a fantastic moment. It’s when the talking stops and the on-track actions take over. Everyone’s hard work has certainly paid off in designing and creating the car. I’m very proud to be joining this team and being part of the transition and future progress.”
‘Alpine A522 extreme excitement’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ited-for-2022/
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Alpine’s Pat Fry: “It’s going to be interesting to see the ten different versions of the cars”.
“The key area for this year for every team is getting the most from the floor”
By Paul Hensby
February 22, 2022
“Of course, we’re all looking forward to seeing the A522 on track and seeing all the hard work at Enstone and Viry over the last couple of years come to fruition.”
“I strongly expect there to be many differences between the cars, especially at first when we see for the very first time how we’ve all interpreted the rule book,” he concluded. “Some parts are fairly set such as the rear wing and the front wing.
“I’m sure there will be some interesting concepts that we’ll see from other teams, which we’ll assess back at base after the tests and, equally, that will work vice versa. The intrigue is all part of the excitement when you roll out of the garage for the first time at testing.
‘Ten different versions of the cars’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...s-of-the-cars/
Five big questions ahead of the Barcelona F1 test
22/02/2022, 20:00
Author Tom Leach
Pre-season testing is almost upon us. At 08:00 GMT on Wednesday morning, 23 February, Formula 1 cars will hit the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the first of six four-hour sessions over a three-day period.
RacingNews365.com looks ahead to what promises to be a revealing Barcelona test with five big questions.
Which teams have cracked the code of F1's new regulations?
Will fewer testing days have a lasting impact?
Who will get the early edge in the teammate battles?
Can anyone match Mercedes in the engine stakes?
Have F1's new regulations delivered?
‘Five big questions’;
https://racingnews365.com/five-big-q...celona-f1-test
Barcelona pre-season test: Day 1 driver line-up
by Motorsport Week
This week’s three-day test is running at Spanish Grand Prix venue the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, with track activity due to take place from 09:00 to 13:00, and from 14:00 to 18:00.
Each team is permitted to field one car on each day; some teams will run only one driver each day while others will split duties between their regular racers.
‘Day 1 driver line-up’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...river-line-up/
The big talking points as F1 rivals get back on track
By Luke Slater and Uche Amako
February 23, 2022 — 11.30am
Formula One testing is in Barcelona for the next three days, and while a Mercedes rivalry will be in the spotlight, there are plenty more subplots ahead of the 2022 F1 season.
Can George Russell fire a warning to Lewis Hamilton?
Mercedes’ decision to focus on 2022 could be justified
Are Red Bull on the back foot?
Ferrari could finally produce a title-contending car again
Expect Daniel Ricciardo to make a faster start than he did last year
Aston Martin and Alpine - big investment, but are they faster?
Will McLaren’s 2015 nightmare be revisited
Speed difference
‘Big talking points’;
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/motorsp...23-p59yxe.html
F1 2022 cars: From Mercedes to Red Bull, what we know about every new Formula 1 car ahead of testing
By Sam Cooper
February 22, 2022 2:06 pm
With nine out of 10 teams having unveiled the product of their hard work, here is what we have learned ahead of the new season:
Teams have taken a wildly different approach to car design
We still do not know exactly how each team’s car will look
Predicting the early frontrunners is a tough ask
‘The known variables’;
https://inews.co.uk/sport/formula-on...79?ITO=newsnow
5 things to watch for when 2022 pre-season running begins in Barcelona
Staff writer
Greg Stuart
22 February 2022
We’re pretty much done and dusted with the 2022 launch season, and now it’s time for all 10 teams to hit the track for three days of pre-season running. Here’s what to watch for at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, as this year’s on-track action gets under way.
1. A new era of F1 begins
2. Who’s showing their true hand – and who’s sandbagging?
3. Will any team have reliability issues?
4. New and returning faces
5. Will teams practice following another car?
‘Watching and observing’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...Xo1ADfdks.html
F1 pre-season testing: Six big 2022 questions to be answered in Barcelona
Daniel AustinTuesday 22 Feb 2022 12:35 pm
Despite its peculiar billing as a mere ‘shakedown’, this is a pre-season test in all but name, with teams engaging in three days’ worth of running across Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Each squad will run one car in Barcelona, with drivers splitting their time in the cockpit with their respective team-mates.
Though some media will be able to attend the Barcelona test, the event will not be broadcast live, so fans will only be able to follow the action and glean information via photography and reports. That doesn’t meant that we won’t learn plenty, though, before the second formal test takes place in Bahrain on 10-12 March.
These are six big questions we could find out answers to from this week’s test.
Can cars really follow each other more closely?
Are the lap times much slower than last season?
How big is the new tyre visibility problem?
Why has the Alfa Romeo not been launched yet?
What is really going with Red Bull’s aero package?
Is the Alpine engine reliable?
‘Six BIG questions’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/02/22/f1-pr...o=newsnow-feed
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What to expect from F1’s first pre-season test at Barcelona?
Despite considerable interest surrounding the new cars, the first time they will run on track together will be behind closed doors with no live timing or television coverage.
F1
Lewis Larkam
22 Feb 2022
With no fans in attendance, F1 is treating the 23-25 February test as effectively being an extended shakedown session, before a second three-day event in Bahrain - which will be broadcast - takes place between 10-12 March.
‘Shakedown behind closed doors’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/996...test-barcelona
Barcelona running to conclude with wet tyre test
Date published: February 22 2022 - Jon Wilde
Each team will be allowed to use 30 sets of tyres over the three days from an allocation of 35 slicks, three intermediates and three wets.
The latter are to be used on the final half-day, Friday afternoon, when the circuit will be dampened artificially if necessary. That will not happen though if it has rained earlier in the week and the wet tyres have already had to be rolled out.
‘Wet tyre test’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/barcel...ude-wet-tyres/
Test line-up for Barcelona
NEWS STORY
22/02/2022
Ahead of the opening three-day test, only Ferrari and Alpine have yet to confirm their line-ups.
While there is talk of sandbagging this is unlikely to be the case, for with the focus on reliability outright pace won't be an issue until Bahrain.
One thing F1 bosses will be hoping for however is an early clue as to whether the aero regulations overhaul has impacted the whole issue of dirty air, and whether cars will not be able to follow one another more closely.
‘Early clues’;
https://www.pitpass.com/71848/Test-l...-for-Barcelona
All 20 Formula One drivers return to action for first time since Abu Dhabi controversy at PRIVATE pre-season testing event in Barcelona this week - but with no live TV coverage, no fans and new regulations changing the game, NOBODY knows what to expect
By Kieran Jackson For Mailonline
Published: 19:03, 22 February 2022
• F1 pre-season testing gets underway over three days in Barcelona this week
• It marks the first chance for the drivers to get to grips with their brand new cars
• New regulations should trigger improved wheel-to-wheel racing this season
• Lewis Hamilton is back on the track alongside his fellow competitors for the first time since the controversial end to the 2021 season in Abu Dhabi
• With no fans, no live lap times and no live TV, there is a big sense of the unknown
‘The Unknown’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...Barcelona.html
How to follow the Barcelona F1 test live
21 February 16:40
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Where can I watch the F1 test days live?
Unfortunately for fans, the first pre-season test in Barcelona is taking place behind closed doors, with no live television coverage.
However, you can stay up to date with all the goings-on in our aforementioned daily live blogs, which will feature the latest lap times, developments and updates from the paddock, along with detailed reports for the morning and afternoon sessions.
‘Live Blogs’;
https://racingnews365.com/how-to-fol...a-f1-test-live
FORMULA 1 - TESTING SCHEDULE
FORMULA 1 PRE-SEASON TRACK SESSION 2022
Get up to speed with everything you need to know about 2022's pre-season track session, which takes place at the 4.675-kilometre Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - home of the Spanish Grand Prix - over three days on February 23-25, in preparation for this year’s official pre-season test in Bahrain on March 10-12.
‘Using the links you can find the full track schedule, plus the latest news headlines, circuit information and daily reports’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/racing/2...k-Session.html
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Hamilton checks out Red Bull RB18’s radical sidepods.
The RB18 features a striking undercut on the sidepods as well as a narrow inlet, a concept that is very different to anyone else’s.
Date published: February 23 2022 - Michelle Foster
Weeks after unveiling a show car instead of the real deal, Red Bull’s RB18 is in the public eye for the first time in pre-season testing.
Red Bull was one of the first teams to launch their 2022 championship but, instead of a genuine car, they gave us a show car.
The team said at the time that they did not want to let their rivals in on their secrets, keeping their cards – and their car – close to the chest.
‘Red Bull RB18 a concept that is very different to anyone else’s’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/red-bu...rcut-sidepods/
Red Bull uncovers radical RB18 at Barcelona test
by Fergal Walsh
23/02/2022, 09:43
Red Bull’s 2022 Formula 1 car, the RB18, made its first appearance at the pre-season shakedown in Barcelona on Wednesday.
The energy drink-backed squad held a launch for the car earlier this month, however its livery was revealed on a show car produced by F1.
Red Bull conducted a shakedown of the car at Silverstone ahead of pre-season testing, but no imagery of the run was made public.
‘Radical RB18’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...-in-barcelona/
Ted Kravitz expresses excitement at Red Bull's 'super impressive' new car
By George Dagless
Published: 23 Feb 2022, 10:37
Sky’s Ted Kravitz has been left hugely impressed with the design, saying the car as a whole looks like the best of what everyone else has done all combined:
‘That [Red Bull] car has all the bells and whistles on it that we’ve seen as ideas cropped up in individual form on every other car in the pit lane. It’s got the low nose, it’s got the little main flap of the front wing that’s detached from the nose, it’s got the little hole that Ferrari have, it’s got the sculpted side pods of the Mercedes, it’s got all the tricks that we’ve seen individually on each car, on one car,” Kravitz said to Sky.
‘RB18 Bells and Whistles’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87976178...essive-new-car
Max Verstappen offers first thoughts after taking new Red Bull for a spin during Formula 1 test
By George Dagless
Published: 23 Feb 2022, 11:55
After the run, he had this to say in terms of his early thoughts on the RB18.
“We got our first impression of the RB18 at our filming day last week and the car looks good. The rules are very different this year and so it is nice to get your first few laps in and get a feel for it.”
“I don’t have any aims for the season yet, I just want to rock up to the track and try and do the best I can, like I do every single year. If the car is quick, I am sure we can do a very good job again.”
‘Max Verstappen’s first thoughts’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87976236...formula-1-test
Leclerc leads Norris as F1 2022 pre-season testing begins
23/02/2022
By Matt Beer
Ferrari was fastest on a smooth opening morning of 2022 Formula 1 pre-season testing as the new rules era began at Barcelona.
Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ new recruit George Russell swapped the top spot through the morning, with the Ferrari on top with a 1m20.165s set on the mid-range C3 compound tyres when the field paused for the lunchbreak.
Lando Norris managed to split them with a late lap in the McLaren, just over three tenths of a second down on Leclerc and a similar margin in front of Russell.
‘Formula 1 pre-season testing as the new rules era began’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/lecle...esting-begins/
Leclerc tops first F1 test session of new era
Sam Hall
Wednesday 23 February 2022 12:10
Charles Leclerc has topped the order in the first F1 session of 2022 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
The new era of F1 began in earnest at the Spanish Grand Prix venue and it was Ferrari that struck the first blow with a time of one minute 20.165secs.
F1 WEDNESDAY MORNING RESULTS
1 - Leclerc - Ferrari: 1:20.165 [80 laps] 2 - Norris - McLaren: 1:20.474 [50 laps] 3 - Russell - Mercedes: 1:20.784 [77 laps] 4 - Vettel - Aston Martin: 1:21.276 [52 laps] 5 - Tsunoda - AlphaTauri: 1:21.638 [43 laps] 6 - Verstappen - Red Bull: 1:22.246 [80 laps] 7 - Alonso - Alpine: 1:23.317 [54 laps] 8 - Latifi - Williams: 1:23.379 [66 laps] 9 - Mazepin - Haas: 1:24.505 [20 laps] 10 - Kubica - Alfa Romeo: 1:25.909 [9 laps] 11 - Schumacher - Haas: NO TIME SET
‘‘New era F1’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/76...on-of-new-era/
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Barcelona Test: Norris leads Ferrari, Mercedes on busy Day 1.
The McLaren driver was first on track in the morning and would post a 1m19.568s in the afternoon on the C4 Pirelli tyres, the second-softest in the range, putting him six-tenths clear of the field.
Ben Issatt
23 February 2022
Ferrari's new F1-75 has made a stir ever since it was launched, and the early signs are positive as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished P2 and P3 on the C3 tyre, which was the most common compound used.
The Scuderia also racked up the most laps, managing 153 laps of the Spanish Grand Prix circuit between their drivers.
Mercedes sat as the third quickest team with fourth-placed George Russell's morning best of 1m20.784s a tenth quicker than teammate Lewis Hamilton, who ran after lunch.
‘Busy Day 1’;
https://www.insideracing.com/formula...-on-busy-day-1
Reigning champion Verstappen encouraged by Red Bull reliability after mega stint on Day 1 in Spain
23 February 2022
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen donned the #1 on his brand new Red Bull RB18 as he clocked nearly 150 laps on the first day of pre-season running in Barcelona – and that reliability saw him leave the opening day with a smile.
Asked about the RB18, which took a completely different form than when the livery was revealed earlier in the month, he said: "Oh yes, it’s completely different, but I think it looks good – but at the end of the day, what’s the most important is that it’s fast, so that’s what we’re trying to see.”
"Everything was working quite well today so it’s a good start and yes, of course then I will look into what we can do tomorrow. Of course, Checo [Perez] is driving tomorrow, but it’s just about doing a lot of laps and just getting a bit of mileage on all the parts to see if everything is holding up."
‘Red Bull Reliability after Mega Stint’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...CEucUG8rJ.html
The first losers in F1 2022’s pre-season battle
The Race
23/02/2022, 18:37
Alfa Romeo’s new Formula 1 signing Valtteri Bottas admits his team had a “compromised” first day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, while fellow Ferrari customer Haas didn’t fare much better.
Bottas took over from reserve driver Robert Kubica after the mid-day break, but the pair would combine for just 32 laps in the camouflage-liveried Alfa
It was the lowest tally recorded during the day and was only just over a fifth of what the day’s most prolific team in terms of mileage – its supplier Ferrari – managed.
‘Compromised First Day’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/the-f...season-battle/
Cooling Leak, Damaged Floor Affect Haas on Opening Day of Testing
By Paul Hensby
February 23, 2022
Pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya did not start the way the Uralkali Haas F1 Team were hoping for as they completed only forty-three laps across the eight hours of running on Wednesday.
A cooling leak during the morning session meant Nikita Mazepin could only manage twenty laps on board the VF-22, leaving him down in fifteenth place of the sixteen drivers to take to the track, but the Russian says it is important for them to get significant running in on Thursday to catch up.
Mick Schumacher took over the car in the afternoon, but repairs to a damaged floor left him able to complete only twenty-three laps, with Haas one of only two teams not to break through the one-hundred lap bracket alongside Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN.
‘Haas Cooling Leak and Damaged Floor’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ay-of-testing/
Gary Anderson: The old ground effect obstacle facing F1 teams
23/02/2022, 15:03
By Gary Anderson
One of the main surprises of Formula 1’s 2022 pre-season test so far is the amount of porpoising the cars are suffering from.
It wasn’t visible in the simulations for the majority of teams, but most of them are struggling with it now their cars have hit the real-life circuit.
Porpoising isn’t a new problem, in fact, it was quite the challenge back in the old days of ground effect F1 cars, and now on the first day of pre-season testing here at Barcelona, it seems some teams are having similar problems.
‘Ground Effect Porpoising’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...cing-f1-teams/
F1 – Norris quickest on day one of pre-season testing as new era of F1 gets underway in Barcelona
FIA Press Release.
23.02.22, 18:37
Lando Norris went quickest on the opening day of testing in Barcelona as Formula 1’s new era got underway at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The McLaren driver ended the session more than half a second clear of the Ferrari cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Formula 1 Pre-Season Test Barcelona – Day One
1 Lando Norris McLaren 1:19.568 103
2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:20.165 +0.597s 80
3 Carlos Sainz Ferrari 1:20.416 +0.848s 73
4 George Russell Mercedes 1:20.784 +1.216s 77
5 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:20.929 +1.361s 50
6 Sebastian Vettel Aston Martin 1:21.276 +1.708s 52
7 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri 1:21.638 +2.070s 121
8 Fernando Alonso Alpine 1:21.746 +2.178s 127
9 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:22.246 +2.678s 147
10 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo 1:22.572 +3.004s 23
11 Alex Albon Williams 1:22.327 +3.192s 67
12 Mick Schumacher Haas 1:22.926 +3.358s 23
13 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:23.327 +3.759s 67
14 Nicholas Latifi Williams 1:23.327 +3.759s 66
15 Nikita Mazepin Haas 1:24.505 +4.937s 20
16 Robert Kubica Alfa Romeo 1:25.909 +6.341s 9
‘FIA Review’;
https://www.fia.com/news/f1-norris-q...rway-barcelona
The ‘curiosity’ sparked by the dawn of F1’s fascinating new era
F1
Lewis Larkam
23 Feb 2022
The fascination surrounding the opening day of Formula 1 pre-season testing was typified by Lewis Hamilton stalking the pitlane as proceedings kicked off on Wednesday morning.
While his new Mercedes teammate George Russell was getting the first opportunity to drive the W13 at Barcelona, Hamilton spent time eyeing up the competition during a wander through the pitlane.
Hamilton spent time observing all the cars but was particularly interested in Red Bull’s radical new challenger as he paused outside reigning Max Verstappen’s garage.
‘F1 ‘curiousity’ for Hamilton’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/feature/996...n-f1-s-new-era
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Five early pointers on F1’s radical new cars from the first day of testing.
While it’s far too early to draw conclusions about who’s quick and who isn’t, we’ve already gleaned the first details about F1’s bold new era.
2022 F1 season
Posted on
23rd February 2022, 22:3323rd February 2022, 23:27 | Written by Keith Collantine
The first day of testing is over, and five more remain, after which we may have learned a lot more about F1’s exciting new era.
Same problem, different solutions
Early performance predictions were way off
Slow is slower, quick is quicker
The jury is still out on overtaking
This is not a test
‘Five early pointers’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/02/23/...ay-of-testing/
Analysis: The 2022 cars are slower, but at the same time, quicker
by Ryan Wood
23 Feb 2022, 21:44
Unfortunately you can’t read too much into testing, especially not the timesheet – if you bet on that order you’re almost guaranteed to lose. The only indicator on the timesheet that provides some insight is the amount of laps a team completes during the day.
We can’t say at this moment in time which cars looked the most planted, we didn’t get the chance to witness them all, but we can safely say they remain very impressive machines.
Something else of note was the fact cars were seen following one another closely. Again it’s too early to say whether the new rules have had their intended effect, by allowing cars to follow closely without losing downforce, but the first signs appear bright as they were noticeably able to remain close through corners with little sliding.
‘Follow Closely, Little Sliding’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...-time-quicker/
‘Surprisingly Straightforward’ Opening Testing Day for Mercedes in Spain – Shovlin
By Paul Hensby
February 23, 2022
Andrew Shovlin, the Trackside Engineering Director at Mercedes, admitted the day was ‘surprisingly straightforward’ as the W13 proved to be reliable, although the same could be said for many of the teams on the opening day of testing.
Shovlin says the limited testing available to teams – they have just six days in total before the season begins in earnest next month in Bahrain – so it is important to maximise the time they have on track and learn as much as they can as early as they can, particularly with the new aero regulations coming into effect this season.
‘‘Maximise the time’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...spain-shovlin/
“We’ve spent a long time preparing for this moment” – Fernando Alonso
By Nick Golding
February 23, 2022
Alonso was the sole driver for Alpine on the opening day of the official shakedown, the Spaniard got to grips with the A522 at his home circuit, completing a very impressive 129 laps. The Double World Champion also got the opportunity to be the first of the team’s drivers to test their new RE22 power unit. Alonso thoroughly enjoyed his first day back after the winter break and is incredibly proud of what Alpine have achieved.
“The feedback from Fernando was good” – Alpine’s Matt Harman
Alpine Technical Director, Matt Harman, like Alonso was very proud to see the A522 finally out on track, after two and a half long years of preparation ahead of this year’s dramatic technical regulation changes. Harmann was pleased with the overall reliability of the car on the opening day and is excited to see Esteban Ocon behind the wheel on Thursday.
‘Impressive 129 laps’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...rnando-alonso/
'Most important thing is the car is fast', says happy Max
Andrew Lewin23/02/2022 at 20:09
There were no complaints about his new company car from world champion Max Verstappen, who completed a whopping 147 laps of the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on the first day of pre-season testing in 2022.
Red Bull's head of race engineering Guillaume Rocquelin said that today's endurance run had met all their expectations. "Today went really well for the team. We gave ourselves the optimistic target of 700km and we finished around three laps short of that, which for the first day of testing is quite unusual.
‘A whopping 147 laps’;
https://f1i.com/news/432889-most-imp...happy-max.html
Winners and losers after the first day of F1's Barcelona test
23/02/2022, 21:10
Author Tom Leach
Who have been the big winners and losers from the first day of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya?
Winner: Red Bull and Verstappen
Winner: McLaren and Norris
Winner: F1's biggest teams
Loser: Haas and Schumacher
Loser: Alfa Romeo
https://racingnews365.com/winners-an...barcelona-test
Ted's Notebook: Testing Day 1
23 Feb 2022, 20:54
Ted Kravitz recaps all the stories from the opening day of Formula 1's first pre-season test from Barcelona.
https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...-testing-day-1
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2022 pre-season testing day two in pictures
Pictures from the second day of testing for the 2022 F1 season at the Circuit de Catalunya.
24th February 2022, 9:3524th February 2022, 9:39 | Written by Keith Collantine
https://www.racefans.net/2022/02/24/...o-in-pictures/
Lewis Hamilton takes to the track as an early pace-setter on day two of F1 pre-season testing in Barcelona... as defending champion Max Verstappen gets the day off from Red Bull with Sergio Perez flying solo
By Nathan Salt For Mailonline
Published: 08:42, 24 February 2022
• Day two of Formula One's pre-season testing is underway over in Barcelona
• Max Verstappen has the day off after punching in 147 laps on Wednesday
• Lewis Hamilton came out for a quick three laps as teams check aerodynamics
• Multiple drivers emerged with 'aero rakes' on their cars to monitor performance
‘Day two early pacer’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...n-testing.html
Mark Hughes: Verstappen’s Button-esque new driving style
Feb 24 2022
By Mark Hughes
Gone were the high-energy acrobatics through the slow corners and the generally aggressive body language of his high-rake Red Bull of old.
In the new super-low-rake car, he was driving like a more extreme version of Jenson Button!
Incredibly smooth, early on the brakes, but early on the power too, super-smooth steering inputs. It’s as if he had developed a special style – in the simulator? – predicated upon maximising the effectiveness of the powerful new underfloor venturi tunnels.
‘Verstappen Button-esque’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mark-...driving-style/
F1 Testing: Who will go fastest on day two in Barcelona?
24th Feb 2022, 10:07
https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...o-in-barcelona
Lando Norris aims to play down McLaren expectations after day 1 test success
By George Dagless
Published: 24 Feb 2022, 09:02
McLaren driver Lando Norris has sought to play down expectations after topping the timesheets on day one of Formula 1 testing on Wednesday in Barcelona. He’s urged caution over expectations, though, and rather amusingly suggested he’d rather have not come first as it only increases hopes at a stage of the year where nothing can really be knowingly predicted.
“I can be happy enough, but today is not about lap time.”
“I don’t care if I’m first or last. If anything it’s worse if you’re first as everyone thinks we’re amazingly fast, which I don’t really reckon we are. But no, I think a good day in terms of the laps and the program.”
‘McLaren Caution’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87976531...1-test-success
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First Red Flag of 2022 in F1, Perez Stopped on the Barcelona Track.
2022 F1 pre-season testing has begun in Barcelona. The track has seen McLaren doing well, while Red Bull’s Sergio Perez stopping on the same circuit meant a red flag had to be waved – this year’s first.
24 Feb 2022, 14:11 UTC ·
by Florin Amariei
Honda previously said it might encounter some issues with the E10 fuel, but the cause of a sudden loss of power hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Formula 1 said in a press statement that both World Champion Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez would be able to get back on the track in Barcelona on Thursday afternoon, after Red Bull Racing has flown new parts in Spain.
‘Some issues with the E10 fuel’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/f...ck-182488.html
Second red flag interrupts F1 testing action
Thursday afternoon's test session in Barcelona has been interrupted by another red flag.
24 February 14:26
Author Thomas Maher
With 90 minutes gone in the afternoon, Nikita Mazepin brought out the red flags as he ground to a halt in the third sector of the lap.
The Russian driver had completed just nine laps of the circuit at the time of the stoppage. Haas have confirmed that Mazepin stopped as a result of a damaged fuel pump on his VF-22.
‘Damaged Fuel Pump’;
https://racingnews365.com/second-red...testing-action
Ricciardo fastest in F1 Barcelona testing
Ian ChadbandAAP
Thu, 24 February 2022 10:35PM
Daniel Ricciardo was all smiles after setting the early pace on the second morning of Formula One pre-season testing.
Just as his British teammate Lando Norris had led the timesheets after the opening day, Australian Ricciardo followed up by being quickest in the new McLaren through the first session on Thursday.
Ferrari also impressed, with Carlos Sainz second fastest behind Ricciardo's best of 1min 20.355sec.
‘Ricciardo fastest’;
https://thewest.com.au/sport/motorsp...ting-c-5830538
Christian Horner delivers positive update on new Red Bull car's performance
By George Dagless
Published: 24 Feb 2022, 13:09
Of course, it’s early days and testing is only a vague barometer of performance for the rest of the season but Horner seems happy enough with what he has heard from his drivers in the embryonic stages of F1 2022:
”I think the team have done a wonderful job, obviously balancing the pressures of last year and developing the current car. We don’t know how quick it is, but the initial feedback is positive.”
“It looks different to our competitors but only time will tell if we’ve got it right. Max was happy with the balance this morning. It’s a get to know it process, before they get to work on performance.”
‘Red Bull early days’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87976605...rs-performance
VERSTAPPEN SET TO CONTINUE HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH RED BULL
Lena Ferle
24/02/2022, 14:07
According to De Telegraaf, this contract could not only be extended until 2025 or 2026 but even into the new engine era.
Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, is understood to have flown to Graz to negotiate the contract with Helmut Marko before the tests in Barcelona.
Marko himself announced last month that Verstappen’s earnings are already at the limit of what Red Bull can pay.
‘Max Verstappen contract’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/ve...with-red-bull/
Hamilton comments on Ferrari at test
February 24, 2022 · by thejudge13
Reported by L’Equipe in France, Lewis Hamilton spoke about the performance of the Scuderia at the moment.
“We have no idea where everyone stands. It’s exciting.
“For the Scuderia, they said last year that they were going to focus on this season. So we’ll see if they’re seven months ahead of the competition or not,” said the Mercedes driver.
‘Seven months ahead?’;
https://thejudge13.com/2022/02/24/ha...rrari-at-test/
Teams underestimated F1 2022’s ‘porpoising’ problem – Ferrari
Feb 24 2022
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Mattia Binotto believes the porpoising issue encountered by many of the teams with their new ground-effect 2022 cars has been widely “underestimated” and won’t be an easy fix.
Asked about the issue during a Thursday team bosses’ press conference, Binotto acknowledged: “I think that most of us at least underestimated the problem by where we are on track we are bouncing more than expected.
“We knew certainly that the ground [effect] situation would be different. It’s a learning process.
‘Poirpoising learning process’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/teams...oblem-ferrari/
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Ferrari "nowhere near the limit" despite table-topping pace.
Carlos Sainz has warned Ferrari is "nowhere near the limit" despite team-mate Charles Leclerc topping the order on day two of F1 pre-season testing in Spain.
Sam Hall & Ian Parkes
Thursday 24 February 2022 17:45 - Updated: 17:49
Despite the promising early signs for the Scuderia, Sainz refused to get carried away and issued a caution to the team's rivals.
“It was a good start in terms of reliability," said the Spaniard. "We managed to complete testing so far without a single issue which is an encouraging start for us. This is what we are here for in Barcelona.
Going one step further, Sainz refused to even categorise the opening two days as "a "good start", instead declaring it "normal because we didn’t have any single problem so far and I managed to do a whole run plan".
‘Table-topping Scuderia’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/76...-topping-pace/
Mercedes ‘definitely behind’ two rival F1 teams at the moment
The Race
24 Feb 2022, 18:10
New Mercedes Formula 1 driver George Russell believes his team is “definitely behind” rivals Ferrari and McLaren after two days of pre-season testing in Barcelona.
“We’re seeing some interesting things out there,” Russell said. “That’s what testing is for. Some teams are looking pretty fast, a red team [Ferrari] and an orange team [McLaren] in particular look very, very competitive.”
“Let’s see what tomorrow brings and what we can do between this test and Bahrain.”
‘A red team and an orange team look very, very competitive’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/merce...at-the-moment/
F1 2022 car porpoising a ‘safety concern’ at its worst
24/02/2022, 18:31
By Scott Mitchell
Grand Prix Drivers Association director George Russell says some of the car porpoising seen in Formula 1 testing would be a “safety concern” if it goes unaddressed.
Mercedes driver Russell said this is one of the factors contributing to a “really intriguing” pre-season test, where this phenomenon has surprised teams as they could not simulate it in advance.
“We didn’t experience it too much for one reason or another,” said Russell. “It’s not very pleasant at all and from what I’ve seen from other teams in particular it would be a safety concern.”
‘Porpoising a ‘safety concern’ at its worst’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/f1-20...-at-its-worst/
Gallery: Day 2 of Formula 1 testing at Barcelona
by Ryan Wood
24/02/2022, 17:45
We’re officially two-thirds of the way through the first Formula 1 pre-season test, with just one day remaining. Charles Leclerc was fastest on day two, despite a small excursion through the gravel. Check out the best images from the day.
‘Formula 1 Gallery’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...-at-barcelona/
Formula 1: All 10 teammate battles ranked from #10 to #1
by Ian Higgins
24/02/2022, 17:45
With some expectations already set from the 2021 Formula 1 season, which intra-team battles could boil over and become the headline of 2022?
Last season, teammate rivalries with genuine friction were hard to come across in the competitive portion of the grid, with only Ferrari’s combination of “golden child” Charles Leclerc and quick-adapter Carlos Sainz consistently finding themselves on the same pieces of track come Sunday.
With that being said, which teams on the 2022 Formula 1 grid should expect collaboration from their drivers and who should prepare for mutually assured destruction between unforgiving competitors?
‘Collaboration or Mutual Destruction?’;
https://beyondtheflag.com/2022/02/24...-battles-2022/
Meanwhile in Barcelona
Posted on February 24, 2022 by Joe Saward
The big news in Barcelona came this evening when Haas announced that it will run a white car tomorrow, without Uralkali branding and without the livery as previously seen. This is quite significant in the circumstances.
The key point is that Ferrari has now completed 303 laps, which is considerably more than everyone else. AlphaTauri has done 268, Alpine 252, Aston Martin 248, Williams 240, Mercedes 233, McLaren 229 and Red Bull 225, while Haas (151) and Alfa Romeo (124) are still lagging behind.
‘White car branding’;
https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2022...-in-barcelona/
We underestimated the porpoising problem, says Binotto
NEWS STORY
24/02/2022
While it was mainly Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes that was affected by the phenomenon on Wednesday, a number of teams were also compromised by the process by which the car bounces on its suspension as it momentarily loses downforce then gains it again as the flow of air going underneath the car stalls at a certain speed, and as a result have made changes to their floors overnight.
Nonetheless, Mattia Binotto admits the teams should have been prepared for the possibility and have underestimated the threat. "I think most of us at least underestimated the problem, in terms of being on track and bouncing more than expected," he said.
"When you're setting these cars up with the ground effect floor, the situation it's different. It's a learning process," he added.
‘Mercedes Porpoising Compromise’;
https://www.pitpass.com/71867/We-und...m-says-Binotto
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‘Orange and red cars’ take early lead in 2022.
Mercedes and Red Bull do not appear to be the early pacesetters as the Formula 1 teams begin testing their all-new cars for the radically different 2022 era.
ANDREW MAITLAND
FEBRUARY 25, 2022
When told that McLaren looks like an early title favourite, team boss Andreas Seidl pointed to the Ferrari motorhome: “I see them a bit ahead at the moment.”
In fact, Carlos Sainz was so comfortable with his Ferrari that he admits to “deliberately” driving behind his countryman Fernando Alonso to see if following another car is easier in 2022.
When asked if Red Bull is concerned it hasn’t produced an instant race winner for the new era, Christian Horner answered: “It’s still early in development.
‘Orange and red cars’;
https://grandpx.news/orange-and-red-...-lead-in-2022/
Who was ‘tidy’ and who looked ‘strange’? Gary Anderson trackside
25/02/2022, 06:22
By Gary Anderson
Over the years, I’ve had the chance to see Formula 1 cars built to all kinds of regulations, including the first generation of ground effect cars in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Having focused on the cars from a technical perspective on the first day of testing, I was able to watch these new cars from trackside for the first time both in the morning and afternoon sessions.
One of the things I was looking out for today was the porpoising that has become a big talking point. This is when the rear of underfloor gets too low to the ground at high speed and effectively stalls, leading to the rear end rising as the aero load disappears and creating a kind of oscillation in the car.
The AlphaTauri is one that stands out as just looking tidy.
Of the usual frontrunners, the Mercedes did look a bit strange. Watching through Turns 7-8, the left-right at the bottom of the hill up to Campsa, the car seemed to wander and be a little imprecise at the front end.
‘Gary Anderson’s main impressions’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/who-w...son-trackside/
Charles Leclerc: “Our aim is to drive as many kilometres as we can”
By Paul Hensby
February 24, 2022
After ending day one second fastest on Wednesday, Charles Leclerc went to the top of the timing screens on Thursday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and the Monegasque racer was delighted to get significant mileage on his F1-75.
The Scuderia Ferrari driver set a best lap of 1:19.689 in the afternoon session and completed seventy-nine laps of the Spanish track, although he acknowledges ending fastest means very little at this stage of testing. He did suffer a small spin but was able to keep the car going and did not lose any track time.
Team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr. started the day in the car and was equally pleased with his day, with the Spaniard ending fifth fastest overall.
However, Sainz was happier to get another seventy-one laps in the books and work through their programme more than the lap times, and he continues to grow in confidence behind the wheel of the F1-75.
‘Growing confidence behind the wheel of the F1-75’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...res-as-we-can/
Red Bull: Checo’s feedback pretty much the same as Max’s
Jad Mallak
24 February, 2022
Red Bull’s second day of Formula 1 testing at Barcelona was not as smooth as their first, but at least their drivers’ feedback on the RB18 is identical.
Sergio Perez got the chance to driver the team’s new RB18 on Thursday, but could not match Max Verstappen‘s tally of 147 laps achieved on the previous day, as the Mexican suffered from gearbox issues that curtailed his running to only 78 laps with a best time of 1:21.430 putting him seventh on the time screens.
Red Bull however, do not seem worried about their gearbox niggle, but were happy with Perez’s settling-in with the new car. Guillaume Rocquelin, Head of Race Engineering said of the day: “Checo got up to speed pretty quickly this morning and his feedback is pretty much the same as Max’s, which means we know where we are going and everything is fairly settled.
‘Red Bull know where they are going’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...-same-as-maxs/
Williams Racing Barcelona Test Day Two 2402022
By Andrew Hooper
February 25 2022
The Williams Racing Team would complete their second day of pre-season testing at the Barcelona circuit on a day that saw the team start to push the car more as they continued to explore areas of improvement in the car. There would be some minor issues but despite this both Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi were still able to work through extensive test programs.
As yesterday, both race drivers shared the workload today and both were able to learn from the other. Tomorrow is the final opportunity to exercise the car before we go to Bahrain for the back to back test and race, it should also present us with the first chance to look at the new 2022 wet tyres as Pirelli are planning wet the track tomorrow afternoon.
Cla Driver Laps Time Gap
1 Charles Leclerc 78 1'19.689
2 Pierre Gasly 147 1'19.918 0.229
3 Daniel Ricciardo 126 1'20.288 0.599
4 George Russell 65 1'20.537 0.848
5 Carlos Sainz Jr 71 1'20.546 0.857
6 Sebastian Vettel 73 1'20.784 1.095
7 Sergio Perez 78 1'21.430 1.741
8 Nikita Mazepin 41 1'21.512 1.823
9 Alex Albon 47 1'21.531 1.842
10 Guanyu Zhou 71 1'21.885 2.196
11 Nicholas Latifi 61 1'21.894 2.205
12 Lance Stroll 55 1'21.920 2.231
13 Mick Schumacher 66 1'21.949 2.260
14 Esteban Ocon
125 1'22.164 2.475
15 Valtteri Bottas 21 1'22.288 2.599
16 Lewis Hamilton 40 1'22.562 2.873
‘Williams F1 learning’;
https://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s107/st202931.htm
Russell: Mercedes behind Ferrari and McLaren
Jad Mallak
25 February, 2022
A bold statement from the 24-year-old Briton, after only the second day of running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where Mercedes faced some data logging issues that curtailed Lewis Hamilton’s morning running, as the team struggled with balance, with the seven-time World Champion only dead last in the timing screens (1:22.562), with only 40 laps on the board.
The team’s Trackside Engineering Director, Andrew Shovlin added: “We had a difficult morning with Lewis, experiencing a data logging issue that delayed our start and in general, we were struggling a bit more with the balance.
“[Mercedes are] certainly not ahead, pretty sure of that,” Russell went on. “We all know that we are on different programmes but we definitely know from the average of all the different runs, we’re behind them at the moment. So let’s wait and see. “The championship’s not won in Barcelona pre-season testing, but it’s certainly been an intriguing two days for now,” Russell insisted.
‘Mercedes Behind’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...i-and-mclaren/
Ferrari offer their take on F1's 2022 pecking order
24 Feb 2022, 21:30
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
Team Principal Mattia Binotto says it is far too early to brand Ferrari's new F1-75 as one of 2022's fastest cars, despite topping the timing tower on day two of pre-season testing in Barcelona.
"I think it is very, very early days," he said, speaking to selected members on the media that included RacingNews365.com. "[All of the teams] are very close, which was one of the objectives of the new regulations. I think it is impressive to see that we are all so close from the start, and we are all looking very different. There are so many different designs and shapes, which is great for F1.
While Binotto may be keen to play down the hype being generated by his car's pace, he could not hold back his delight as their growing lap count. Ferrari ended Wednesday with more laps on the board (153) than any other team and repeated the trick on Thursday (150).
‘Could not hold back their delight at their growing lap count’;
https://racingnews365.com/ferrari-of...-pecking-order
“A Good day from many Angles” – Ricciardo Reflects on First Day in MCL36
By Paul Hensby
February 24, 2022
Daniel Ricciardo had his first taste of the MCL36 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Thursday, with the Australian leading the way in the morning session before dropping to third overall in the afternoon. The McLaren F1 Team driver was delighted with the reliability of the new car and praised the team for the hard work in preparing it in short order, so it was ready for testing.
“A good day from many angles,” admitted Ricciardo. “I think reliability was great. That’s on the team and everyone who’s worked hard to put this car together, so massive thank you to them.”
“They’re pretty awesome to build a whole new car, put it on track and have it run so smoothly, so big thanks to them again. Both days have been over 100 laps, which for me and Lando gives us more opportunity to learn the car and push ourselves, so really pleased with that.”
‘Good day for McLaren from many Angles’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-day-in-mcl36/
