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Fernando Alonso's car goes UP IN SMOKE on final day of testing in Barcelona as his Alpine team said the former world champion asked to stop the car due to 'loss of pressure'.
Fernando Alonso was forced out of his car on the final day of Formula One pre-season testing in Barcelona after the vehicle went up in smoke.
By Richard Martin For Mailonline
Published: 11:44, 25 February 2022
• Fernando Alonso's car suffered a mechanical on the final day of testing on Friday
• The Spaniard's Alpine vehicle went up in smoke during a lap in Barcelona
• Before the incident, Alonso had recorded a faster lap than Max Verstappen
‘UP IN SMOKE’;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...Barcelona.html
Verstappen on top as Red Bull make up for lost time
Max Verstappen and Red Bull set the early pace during the final morning of pre-season testing in Barcelona.
25th Feb 20222, 10:05
Red Bull moved to the top of the times as F1 testing continued at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday morning, with Max Verstappen at the wheel.
Verstappen made several improvements over the course of the opening two hours, working his way down to a best time of 1:19.765 – set on the Medium (C3) compound tyre.
‘Max Verstappen improvements’;
https://racingnews365.com/verstappen...-for-lost-time
F1 Barcelona day 3 morning round-up: Russell puts Mercedes on top
Mercedes topped the times during testing for the first time in 2022 thanks to George Russell
February 25th 2022
Author James Elson
George Russell set the fastest time during a disrupted session which saw four red flags. His time of 1min 19.233sec is the fastest so far of the test, but he did it in amongst a bevy of stoppages.
Several cars got out for the early running, with Max Verstappen putting in the second fastest lap of 1min 19.756sec. He also set the most laps at 69.
In third was Sebastian Vettel. The German had shown reasonable (relative) pace, but his run then came to a halt when his car stopped towards the end of this morning’s session – the Aston Martin was 0.15sec off Verstappen.
‘Russell, Verstappen, Vettel, 1, 2, 3’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...rcedes-on-top#
Ferrari 'outsiders' for F1 world championship, says Mattia Binotto
By George Dagless
Published: 25 Feb 2022, 12:58
Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto has said that the Scuderia are ‘outsiders’ for the Formula 1 world championship this season despite their strong early showings in testing in Barcelona this week.
Binotto has said that Ferrari remain underdogs heading into the new season, and it’s clear he is not getting carried away: “If you look at the amount, it’s a couple of sessions on the entire year, it’s maybe a tenth per lap, if you are very good,” he said via Autosport.
“If I look at Mercedes and Red Bull, how strong they were last year, no doubt that as teams they are very, very strong. And I think the regulations are in place to help the ones that are less efficient.”
‘Ferrari ‘Outsider’!’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87977131...mattia-binotto
Carlos Sainz says Ferrari has yet to show max performance despite impressive winter testing
By George Dagless
Published: 25 Feb 2022, 10:52
Carlos Sainz has said that the Ferrari is nowhere near the limit of its performance at Barcelona testing in a potential warning to the rest of the field over the Scuderia’s levels for the coming Formula 1 campaign.
“It was a good start in terms of reliability,” said Sainz. “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.”
“For you guys [the media,] unfortunately, it is not very exciting because we are nowhere near to the limit of the car or finding where the performance is but we are doing laps and we are completing them nicely.
‘Scuderia nowhere near performance limit’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87977054...winter-testing
Ricciardo thinks Red Bull and Mercedes are keeping their pace secret.
McLaren and Ferrari are hogging the headlines thanks to their impressive pace and reliability in Barcelona, but Daniel Ricciardo has warned that Red Bull and Mercedes are not showing their cards just yet.
25/02/2022, 09:40
Author Tom Leach
Co-author Dieter Rencken
"It's hard to quantify who's ahead of the moment, for sure," he said. "On the one hand, all you want is laps and we've had both days over 100 laps. I think we're in a good place from that point of view.”
"We seem to be at the pointy end of the times, but yeah, I don't think Mercedes and Red Bull have really done anything, showing any cards yet, so I don't really look [into it] too much.”
"Ferrari, I think they look solid, they look consistently good. But yeah, I'm not trying to read too much into it yet."
‘Secret Pace’;
https://racingnews365.com/ricciardo-...ng-pace-secret
F1's porpoising problem makes testing an even tougher read - MPH
Formula 1's big aero problem has rendered testing almost impossible to read into says Mark Hughes
February 25th 2022
Author Mark Hughes
The recurrence of one of the occupational hazards of ground effect cars from four decades ago somewhat blindsided the teams despite their state of the art simulation tools. The sudden increase and subsequent choking-off of underbody downforce as it approaches the ground isn’t something that can be replicated in a wind tunnel.
You’d already be damaging the tunnels’ belts before getting it to the point where the airflow stalls. Even in CFD the complexity of the equation of a moving body over the ground and the volatility of the stall pattern is beyond the capability of current programmes. And there’s no-one around in the aero departments who are familiar with the phenomenon from forty-odd years ago.
‘Occupational hazards of ground effect cars has blindsided the teams’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...gher-read-mph#
Pirelli to conduct wet-weather test in the final session of Barcelona running
25 February 2022
The final day of pre-season running in Barcelona will see the drivers test Pirelli's 2022 wet and intermediate tyres on an artificially soaked track.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has hosted the first pre-season sessions of 2022, but the third and final day will see F1's official tyre suppliers, Pirelli, test their 18-inch wet compounds.
‘Wet-Weather Testing’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...nwtNvwVG9.html
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Alpine end F1 testing early as they reveal cause for Fernando Alonso stoppage.
Alpine have decided to curtail their test running early with Fernando Alonso suffering a stoppage this morning in Barcelona on the final day of the first Formula 1 test.
By George Dagless
Published: 25 Feb 2022, 12:51
“After further investigations in the garage following Fernando Alonso’s on-track stoppage earlier this morning, the team can confirm the issue was a problem with the hydraulics. A minor sealing issue led to a fire in the back of the car.”
“The team has successfully completed 266 laps during the three days of the Barcelona shakedown. Repairs on the car will continue, and as a result we won’t be running for the remainder of the day. We look forward to be back in action at the next test in Bahrain.”
‘Early testing Alpine F1ending’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87977154...lonso-stoppage
Alpine heads home early following hydraulics issue
Phillip van Osten25/02/2022 at 13:21
The Alpine team has announced that it will take no further part in pre-season testing following damage sustained by its car on Friday morning.
Fernando Alonso was just 12 laps into his final day of running when he was forced to stop his car on-track with a smoking rear end.
‘Home Early’;
https://f1i.com/news/433181-alpine-h...ics-issue.html
F1 handed overtaking warning after new cars fail "perfect demonstration"
Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale
Friday 25 February 2022 14:35
Asked if the regulations have shown signs of working during his running, Mercedes driver Russell said: "I think the following has been improved but the slipstream effect has been reduced quite substantially so I don't really know.”
"You obviously need that delta in the straights to overtake because you can only overtake at the end of a straight and into a corner. We can follow closer but from what we have seen, the slipstream effect is definitely less effective. We will have to wait and see.”
McLaren driver Norris added: "Me and George had a perfect demonstration of it. I didn't want to let him past while he was on a quick lap so I screwed him over and held him up a bit. That is what you do in testing. “
‘Improved following, slipstream effect reduced’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/76...demonstration/
Ricciardo "sore" as F1 return delivers "a shock to the body"
Sam Hall
Thursday 24 February 2022 20:14
Daniel Ricciardo is confident "there are good early signs" for McLaren despite feeling sore after a full day in the MCL36.
“I’m a little bit sore but it was okay," said Ricciardo. "Just to get in the car again and to go through the motions again and get your body into it and all of those feelings.”
"It’s only been two months. The off-season was a bit shorter because of such a late end to last season so it didn’t feel too foreign but there is always still a bit of a shock to the body.”
‘Shock to the body’;
https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/76...k-to-the-body/
F1 drivers hit the track in the wet, Haas end their test early
Friday afternoon's session in Barcelona started in wet conditions after the track was soaked by water trucks, giving tyre supplier Pirelli some much-needed data.
25th Feb 2022, 15:05
Author Mike Seymour
Co-author Aaron Deckers
F1 drivers got their first proper taste of wet running in 2022 as this week's pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya entered its closing stages. Water trucks artificially dampened the track during the one-hour lunch break to give drivers some experience on the Wet and Intermediate tyres, in turn providing Pirelli with some useful data for the upcoming season.
F1 drivers got their first proper taste of wet running in 2022 as this week's pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya entered its closing stages.
Water trucks artificially dampened the track during the one-hour lunch break to give drivers some experience on the Wet and Intermediate tyres, in turn providing Pirelli with some useful data for the upcoming season.
‘Wet track testing’;
https://racingnews365.com/formula-1-...niel-ricciardo
Driver feedback positive after first days in new F1 cars
Associated Press
25 February, 2022
In a positive sign Formula 1 may have it right with the 2022 regulation changes to improve racing, drivers were mainly upbeat with their insights and reviews of the new generation cars, after the first couple of days of preseason testing.
One of the quirks of the new F1 cars, with floors designed to increase downforce made the cars bouncier on straightaways.
“They bounce around a bit, and they are a little bit stiff, so it is a bit more vicious inside of it,” Williams driver Alex Albon said. “You are moving around, you are feeling everything. But at the end of the day, they’re quick and everyone’s done a great job.”
‘Feedback positive’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...2-new-f1-cars/
Russell concerned over ‘substantially’ reduced slipstream with 2022 F1 cars
by Fergal Walsh
25/02/2022, 15:26
“I think the following has been improved but the slipstream effect has been reduced quite substantially,” Russell said.
“We can follow closer but from what we have seen, the slipstream effect is definitely less effective. We will have to wait and see.
“I got right up behind Lando, I was a car-length or two behind him and didn’t catch the straight, so that was slightly concerning so let’s see.”
‘Reduction of slip stream’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...-2022-f1-cars/
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Lewis Hamilton and rival F1 drivers 'may have to wear teeth guards' due to car problems.
Sky F1 reporter Ted Kravitz has insisted that Lewis Hamilton and his fellow F1 drivers may have to wear ‘teeth guards' due to issues with the new cars.
By LIAM LLEWELLYN
20:09, Fri, Feb 25, 2022
Sky F1 reporter Kravtiz explained: "I prefer to call it bouncing because it's just bouncing along. It's a problem.
"If it continues, the cars will literally shake themselves to pieces and won't be able to finish the race.
"It is a reliability issue. It needs to be fixed. Ferrari already cut holes in their floor to stop them going along bouncing.”
‘Teeth Guards’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...guards-F1-news
Teething troubles, wet weather runs and fun 2022 cars – What we learned from Day 3 of pre-season running at Barcelona
Senior writer
Lawrence Barretto
25 February 2022
As sunset approached at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday, Lewis Hamilton bolted to the top of the timesheets to make it a Mercedes one-two on the third and final day of pre-season running. It’s wise not to read too much into that level of performance – but there was still plenty we did learn…
Mileage not as strong on final day
Niggles start to creep in for some
2022-spec F1 cars are fun to drive
‘Mileage, Niggles and Fun’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...0x5zGVpx9.html
Ted's Notebook: Testing day three
25 Feb 2022, 20:42
Sky F1's Ted Kravitz looks back on the final day of Formula 1's first pre-season test from Barcelona.
‘Ted’;
https://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...ting-day-three
All you need to know after the third day of F1 testing
Looking back over the third and final day of F1 testing in Barcelona are Dieter Rencken and Thomas Maher, in this special series of podcasts reviewing every day of the action.
26/02/2022, 20:10
Author Thomas Maher
Looking back over the third and final day of F1 testing are RacingNews365.com Editorial Director Dieter Rencken and F1 journalist Thomas Maher, in this special series of podcasts reviewing every day of the action in Barcelona.
‘RacingNews365 Podcast’;
https://racingnews365.com/all-you-ne...-of-f1-testing
Lewis Hamilton, George Russell on top, Max Verstappen pays 'no attention' to times in testing
Hamilton, controversially edged out for the 2021 title by Verstappen in the season finale in Abu Dhabi, clocked a best time of 1min 19.138 seconds.
Agence France-Presse February 26, 2022 09:26:43 IST
Friday times:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:19.138 (94 laps),
2. George Russell (GBR/Mercedes) 1:19.233 (66),
3. Sergio Perez (MEX/Red Bull) 1:19.556 (74),
4. Max Verstappen (NED/Red Bull) 1:19.756 (59),
5. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Aston Martin) 1:19.824 (48),
6. Charles Leclerc (MON/Ferrari) 1:19.831 (44),
7. Carlos Sainz (ESP/Ferrari) 1:20.072 (92),
8. Alexander Albon (THA/Williams) 1:20.318 (94),
9. Nicholas Latifi (CAN/Williams) 1:20.699 (13),
10. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/McLaren) 1:20.750 (86),
11. Lando Norris (GBR/McLaren) 1:20.827 (52),
12. Fernando Alonso (ESP/Alpine) 1:21.242 (12),
13. Guanyu Zhou (CHN/Alfa Romeo) 1:21.939 (41),
14. Pierre Gasly (FRA/AlphaTauri) 1:22.469 (40),
15. Nikita Mazepin (RAF/Haas) 1:26.229 (9),
16. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Alfa Romeo) 1:30.433 (10)
‘Testing times’;
https://www.firstpost.com/sports/lew...-10409841.html
Podcast: The stories behind the laptimes in F1 testing
The Race
26th Feb 2022, 00:10
With Mercedes and Red Bull occupying the top positions on the timesheets, is it going to be more of the same in 2022, or have McLaren or Ferrari take a step forward?
Aston Martin and Alpine were in the middle of the times, but how costly was Pierre Gasly’s final-day accident and what can be read into Sebastian Vettel’s last-day pace?
With Williams having a low profile test, it was left to Alpine, Haas and Alfa Romeo to sit at the bottom of the timesheets. We explain what went wrong and what, unseen, went right for those teams.
‘Lap Times Stories’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/podca...in-f1-testing/
What we learned from F1’s first 2022 pre-season test
The Race
Friday, 25 Feb 2022, 22:29
It’s been clear for a while that the new cars were not going to be as slow as was first suggested when the regulations were proposed way back in late 2019.
Slower times were never a stated target, rather a likely consequence of rules designed to cut downforce and reduce areas of development.
The closer we got to testing the greater the indication that actually, pretty soon these new cars wouldn’t be any slower at all.
Well now we have our first reference points. These cars produce laptime in a slightly different way as they are quicker down the straights and through the high-speed corners but worse in the slow-speed stuff.
‘The learning process’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-...e-season-test/
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Alonso believes Ferrari has the fastest car.
Ferrari completed the most laps of any team with 439 over the three days, while their fastest lap time, courtesy of Charles Leclerc, was just over half-a-second shy of Lewis Hamilton’s benchmark, yet it was set on the C3 tyres, while Hamilton went all the way to the highest-grip C5 rubber.
Date published: February 27 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
“Ferrari seems to be the fastest car, which is surely a surprise,” Marca quote Alonso as having told TVE. “For Carlos [Sainz] it’s great news and for Spain in general.”
Of course he is not discounting Mercedes though, who did set the ultimate pace in Barcelona, Hamilton topping the three-day timings with a 1:19.138, just under a tenth up on new team-mate George Russell. “Mercedes has also turned [out] fast,” Alonso stated.
‘Ferrari 439 laps’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernan...rrari-fastest/
Ferrari Looking Promising After Strong Barcelona Test Closes
By Nick Golding
February 26, 2022
Scuderia Ferrari brought an end to their testing programme at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, having racked up more laps than any other team, filling the Italian’s with plenty of confidence ahead of the Official Pre-Season Test.
Sainz completed an impressive 92 laps, taking his three day total to 236. Combined, the Ferrari drivers completed 439 laps, the most racked up by any team in the paddock across the three days. Ferrari have clearly designed not only a reliable car but a fast one too, the F1-75 was consistently towards the front of the timing sheets, even though the order is somewhat irrelevant at testing.
‘Scuderia Ferrari Looks Promising’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...a-test-closes/
Kravitz: Ferrari showed enough to have Mercedes ‘worried’
Date published: February 26 2022 - Henry Valantine
Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz feels the three-day shakedown in Barcelona showed Ferrari have enough pace to have “worried” reigning Constructors’ champions Mercedes.
The Scuderia showed consistent pace throughout all three days of running in Spain and completed more laps than any other team, proving early on they have produced a reliable car in the F1-75.
It’s famously tricky to predict how the teams shape up after test running due to the ‘sandbagging’ measures that try to prevent them showing their full hand in terms of pace, but Kravitz believes Ferrari are in a strong position right now – with Red Bull being the only slight unknown as it stands. “They’ve shown enough in the first two days to have Mercedes worried; the only question is what have Red Bull got, and we learned a bit of that today.”
‘Mercedes worried about the Ferrari F1-75, Red Bull unknown’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ted-kr...ona-best-team/
Haas’ Guenther Steiner: “We had three days of testing but really we only managed one”
By Paul Hensby
February 26, 2022
Guenther Steiner feels the Haas F1 Team are behind the eight ball at this stage of pre-season testing after managing only nine laps on the third and final day at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday.
Steiner, the Team Principal at Haas, says the team will hope to have put all their gremlins behind them when testing resumes at the Bahrain International Circuit next month, the final test before the season gets underway at the same track.
‘Three days to do ONE day of testing’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...y-managed-one/
McLaren’s Andreas Seidl: “The hard work from the entire team has been crucial”
By Paul Hensby
February 26, 2022
Andreas Seidl says the McLaren F1 Team can leave the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with plenty of data to go through after three positive days of pre-season testing
Seidl, the Team Principal at the Woking-based squad, said a lot of hard work the team went into preparing the MCL36 ahead of the new season, and getting as much mileage on the car as they did was a reward for all of them.
“It’s been a productive first three days for us in Barcelona, and we leave Spain with plenty of data to analyse before we head to Bahrain for the official pre-season test and Grand Prix,” said Seidl.
‘Plenty of McLaren data’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-been-crucial/
Vettel: Aston Martin not seeing the peak of the mountain
Date published: February 26 2022 - Michelle Foster
Losing half a day of testing to an oil leak, Sebastian Vettel says at the moment Aston Martin are not “seeing the peak” of the mountain they need to climb.
It started out well for Aston Martin, 119 laps on day one and 129 on day two, with Vettel P6 on both days. However, day three, Friday’s running, didn’t go according to plan. Vettel stopped out on track on his 48th lap of the morning due to an oil leak that caused a small fire.
‘Aston Martin Mountain’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/sebast...mountain-peak/
Binotto claims 'porpoising' no longer a problem for Ferrari
Andrew Lewin 27/02/2022 at 08:42
Ferrari principal Mattia Binotto says that his team has already got on top of the 'porpoising' problems that many teams ran into during this week's pre-season shakedown tests at Barcelona.
“On the bouncing, I think it was an issue but it's not any more," he told the media at the Circuit de Catalunya on Friday. "Somehow we are managing the situation.”
“If we're looking at this on Thursday afternoon and earlier on Friday, I think we are bouncing a lot less."
‘No ‘porpoising’ at Ferrari’;
https://f1i.com/news/433340-binotto-...r-ferrari.html
Pirelli’s Mario Isola: “We can be pleased with how the three days of testing went”
By Paul Hensby
February 26, 2022
Mario Isola says Pirelli Motorsport can be pleased with how the first real test with their eighteen-inch tyres on 2022 machinery went at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week, with plenty of laps being run by all ten teams.
“We can be pleased with how the three days of testing went, which of course represented the debut of our 18-inch tyres on these new single-seaters, with all the tyre testing up to now having been carried out using only mule cars,” said Isola.
‘Pirelli’s 18-inch tyre debut positive’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-testing-went/
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Alfa Romeo finally reveal their 2022 F1 car, the C42.
Alfa Romeo became the last Formula 1 team to reveal their 2022 car, the C42, which was revealed on Sunday, two days after the conclusion of the first pre-season testing in Barcelona.
Editor
27 February, 2022
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN: “The start of the season is always an exciting time, one in which we see the fruit of the work of hundreds of people over a long period of time.
“The C42 is a car we look forward to seeing racing, not just because it is the first we built in this new regulations cycle, one in which racing should be closer and more thrilling, but because we have the utmost confidence in this car helping the team make a big step forward towards the front of the grid.”
Jan Monchaux, Technical Director of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN: “As we unveil the C42, it may feel like the start of a new season: we know, however, that this launch is just a milestone in a much longer journey in which our whole staff in Hinwil has invested so much time, resource and energies.
‘Alfa Romeo Car Launch’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...1-car-the-c42/
Alfa Romeo has fix for problems that shocked it in F1 test
27/02/2022, 10:37
By Edd Straw
Alfa Romeo Formula 1 technical director Jan Monchaux expects that running at a higher ride height and floor modifications will be the long-term solution to the problem of porpoising that left the team “taken aback” during the early running of the C42.
“To be fully transparent and honest, we didn’t anticipate that,” said Monchaux when asked by The Race if the problem was expected and what the definitive fix will involve.”
“We had discussed during the last months about those kind of phenomena that could happen but none of our tools – windtunnel and other simulation tools – were giving a hint of it. We were a bit taken aback, which has been the case for probably all of the teams or most of the teams.”
‘Alfa Romeo has the fix’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/alfa-...it-in-f1-test/
ANALYSIS: Why Alfa Romeo have gone bold with innovative C42 design
Technical contributors
Mark Hughes and Giorgio Piola
27 February 2022
Although Alfa Romeo’s C42 already completed F1 pre-season running over three days at Barcelona last week, it did so in camouflage livery which at its official launch today was replaced by an updated variation on Alfa’s traditional red and white colours.
notable design features include:
• A quite sophisticated front wing
• A push-rod rear suspension (like Red Bull, AlphaTauri and McLaren) and an unusual geometry of its front push-rod layout
• Similar packaging of the Ferrari cooling system, as seen on the Ferrari itself (and the Haas), giving sidepods which are fat but heavily undercut at the front, with heavily louvred sidepod tops
‘Alfa Romeo notable design features’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...e3vQyJoOg.html
Alfa Romeo reveal 2022 F1 challenger: the C42 is born
FEBRUARY 27, 2022 in Motorsport
The Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN C42 is the first car produced in Hinwil under the budget cap regulations and for the new era of Formula One starting in 2022. Designed by a team led by Technical Director, Jan Monchaux, this car is a radical departure from the past as it embraces the possibilities dictated by the new ground-effect floor, updated aerodynamic package and 18-inch, low profile tyres. The C42, powered by a new Ferrari engine, is a racing machine designed to battle, as the new regulations will allow closer racing and competitive fighting from the front to the rear of the grid.
In the hands of 10-times race winner, Valtteri Bottas, and Zhou Guanyu, the first F1 driver from China and the only rookie on the grid in 2022, the C42 is ready to impress.
‘C42 to impress’;
https://www.racecar.com/news/95335/m...he-c42-is-born
Alfa Romeo warn of ‘steep development curve’ in 2022
Date published: February 27 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Alfa Romeo say the development curve will be at its steepest in 2022 at the start of this all-new regulatory era.
Alfa Romeo’s technical director Jan Monchaux said: “As we unveil the C42, it may feel like the start of a new season: we know, however, that this launch is just a milestone in a much longer journey in which our whole staff in Hinwil has invested so much time, resource and energies.
“Designing and building this car has been a huge undertaking and we can be proud of what we have achieved, but our work is not finished.
‘Unfinished work, steep development curve’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-r...nt-curve-2022/
Bottas aiming to be 'best version of myself' at Alfa
Andrew Lewin27/02/2022 at 12:04
Speaking to the media at the launch of the C42 on Sunday, Bottas insisted that he saw this as the start of a new chapter and a time of fresh opportunities.
“I absolutely feel that I have still so much to do to get better, and so much more to give to the sport,” he said. “As a driver I think you never, never stop learning as long as you want to.
"It truly feels like now I can just be the best version of myself instead of trying to be something else and trying too hard," he continued. "I’m always looking at areas that I can be better."
‘Never stop learning as long as you want to’;
https://f1i.com/news/433383-bottas-a...f-at-alfa.html
Seventh a decent target for Alfa Romeo – Vasseur
by Phillip Horton
27/02/2022, 08:45
“The most important thing is to improve, always to improve and close the gap with the best ones on the grid,” said Frederic Vasseur.
“You can have different KPIs in terms of performance, but for sure we are fighting for the championship and, at the end of the day, the final target is to improve the championship position.
“We had a disappointing season last year with P9 and we want to do much better this season, but I also want to close the gap in terms of pure performance – because this is the reality of the job of the people back at the factory. “If it comes to numbers, I would say that P7 would be a decent target.”
‘Alfa Romeo target seventh’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...romeo-vasseur/
It is time to look closer at the Alfa Romeo C42
Date published: February 27 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
It is not a surprise to see innovation on the C42, considering that Alfa Romeo put full focus into these new regulations, taking the hit of a difficult 2021 in the hope of reaping the rewards of this rule reset.
It was a troubled three days for Alfa Romeo, with Valtteri Bottas in particular struggling for track time as reliability woes persisted. With only 54 laps completed across the three days, Bottas set the lowest tally for any driver on the grid.
There is plenty of work ahead then for Alfa Romeo before the official pre-season test begins on March 10 in Bahrain, but now at last we have seen their challenger in its true colours which will grace the Bahrain International Circuit.
‘Alfa Romeo C42 full focus, with only 54 laps completed’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-r...2-closer-look/
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ALFA ROMEO REVEALS C42 CAR LIVERY.
The C42 livery includes the traditional red and white of Alfa Romeo. The team have said this design is a “subtle nod to the past” that reflects on the “historical designs” and the “heritage” of the team.
27/02/2022, 14:16
Abby Bathurst
Alfa Romeo were the final team to launch their livery for the upcoming season. During pre-season testing in Barcelona, the cars had been running a camouflage livery but today the team launched its new design.
‘C42 from camouflage to red and white’;
https://www.formulanerds.com/news/al...42-car-livery/
Alfa Romeo Unveils New 2022 F1 Car, One for the "New Era"
27 Feb 2022, 17:12 UTC ·
by Silvian Irimia
Designed by Jan Monchaux, the Technical Director, this car is radically different from last year's project with an updated aerodynamic package, that embraces the new ground effect floor advantages as well as 18-inch, low-profile tires. A new Ferrari engine powers the C42 to help Alfa challenge for points and even podiums.
"The C42 is a car we look forward to seeing racing, not just because it is the first we built in this new regulations cycle, one in which racing should be closer and more thrilling, but because we have the utmost confidence in this car helping the team make a big step forward towards the front of the grid," declared Frédéric Vasseur, the Team Principal of Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN.
‘C42 for the new era’;
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/a...ra-182682.html
Vasseur 'quite confident' about Alfa Romeo reliability
Andrew Lewin27/02/2022 at 15:23
Valtteri Bottas was only able to complete 54 laps during his spell in the cockpit while his new team mate Guanyu Zhou managed 112 laps in total, with a damaged gearbox among the problems experienced.
“It’s our challenge, but I’m quite confident that we’ll be able to do it for next week,” he told the media at Sunday's launch event for the team's sparkling new livery. "For Bahrain I think we’ll be on the right way."
"It’s always the case with the new regulations, you have new issues coming in," Vasseur commented. "I think in two or three races, nobody will speak again about bouncing. We’ll have another issue or topic to discuss!”
‘Alfa Romeo confident on reliability’;
https://f1i.com/news/433388-vasseur-...liability.html
Gallery: See Alfa Romeo’s new F1 livery on the track
by Fergal Walsh
On Sunday, Alfa Romeo launched its new livery for the 2022 Formula 1 season, following the three days of the pre-season shakedown in Barcelona.
Following the launch, the car made its way onto the F1 circuit as part of a filming day run, with mileage restricted to 100km. At the test in Barcelona, the Italian squad ran in a camouflaged livery but appeared to struggle during the event, setting the second-fewest number of laps, ahead of only Haas.
‘‘Sunday launch’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...-on-the-track/
Bottas: There’s work to do, but also there is potential
Jad Mallak
27 February, 2022
Alfa Romeo officially revealed their 2022 F1 car, the C42, with its full livery on Sunday, after three troublesome days of pre-season testing around the Spanish venue, where the car had a one-off camouflaged paint job.
Speaking to the media at the C42 launch, Bottas said: “It feels like we are still in very early stages of actually discovering the car.
“For me, it was quite limited running that we had, only with two different tyre compounds, and only with very few set-up changes. So there’s still so much more to discover,” he explained.
‘Work to do’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...-is-potential/
Alfa Romeo’s new F1 livery makes track debut in Barcelona
F1
Connor McDonagh
27 Feb 2022
Guanyu Zhou was handed the first opportunity to take the newly-painted car out on track in Barcelona before handing over to test driver, Robert Kubica.
The C42 maintains the traditional red and white colours, with red more prominent for this season.
Zhou - who spent the last three seasons in F2 - will race alongside 10-time grand prix winner Valtteri Bottas.
‘C42 Track Debut’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/996961...ebut-barcelona
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Beyond Alonso’s fire – Was Alpine’s test as bad as it seemed?
Fernando Alonso’s fiery stoppage on the final morning of Barcelona’s pre-season test brought Alpine’s low-key week to a premature yet dramatic end.
Feb 26 2022
By Scott Mitchell
“I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses,” says Permane. “I’m not saying we’re going to go out and beat Mercedes and Red Bull. But I think we are in a reasonable or in a decent position, honestly.”
after years of stagnation and a 2021 season in which Alpine finished fifth but definitely didn’t have the fifth-fastest car, this is a team that needs to progress towards the front rather than be quickest. Permane’s initial verdict is that the A522 looks like it might achieve that.
‘Alonso on fire’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/beyon...pines-f1-test/
Alpine purposely disguised progress in Barcelona.
Date published: February 27 2022 - Frank Parker
Alpine sporting director Alan Permane has said that not using DRS, and deliberately running heavier fuel loads has disguised any step forwards the team may have made.
“I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses, and I’m not saying we’re going to go out and beat Mercedes and Red Bull, but I think we are in a decent position,” said Permane, as quoted by Motorsport.com.”
“The lap Fernando did [on the final] morning, although it was only one lap, it’s very comparable to what [Max] Verstappen did at the same time, albeit Verstappen is using DRS. If you overlay the GPS, which we can do with the systems we have from the FIA, the traces are almost identical apart from the straights where we lose a huge amount of time.”
‘Alpine disguised progress’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alpine...ess-barcelona/
Binotto suspects sandbagging after ‘surprising’ results
Date published: February 27 2022 - Henry Valantine
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto believes some teams are sandbagging more than others on the grid, as he was left “surprised” by how closely matched the teams appeared to be in Barcelona.
“What surprised me is seeing all very different cars and despite that quite similar in terms of performance,” Binotto told Sky Italia.”
“When you see different conceptual choices, you expect to see that translated on track too with a performance difference.”
‘Sandbagging!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/mattia...i-sandbagging/
McLaren least affected by porpoising, Ferrari on top of it
“Porpoising” is the word doing the rounds in the Formula 1 community after the conclusion of the first pre-season session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Jad Mallak
27 February, 2022
The issue of “porpoising” can be sorted, but that will have an effect on pace, with Red Bull’s Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey telling Auto Motor und Sport: “It’s not difficult to stop the bouncing. But it’s difficult not to do it losing lap time.”
Mercedes’ boss Toto Wolff, speaking to the same publication, added: “You can go up the rear with the ground clearance. But then you’re slow.”
McLaren seem to be the least team affected by the “porpoising”, and only experienced it when testing certain aero elements on the MCL36. “We had a couple of test items which appeared to promote it a bit more,” James Key, McLaren’s technical director, told Motorsport.com.
‘Porpoising solutions’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...-on-top-of-it/
Williams happy with Strong Finish to Barcelona Shakedown
By Ross Sheppard
February 27, 2022
Williams Racing had an impressive first three days of on track action at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, getting some good mileage and managing to get to grips with the new FW44 car.
Head of vehicle performance Dave Robson was also happy with how the test went. He praised the teamwork of his colleagues and was glad to be working and getting to grips with a new car. This is what he had to say about their day.
“We had a strong finish to this first round of 2022 track running. Although we were held up this morning following some minor damage to a brake duct and some red flags, we managed a smooth afternoon, including our first experience of the 2022 Intermediate tyres, which we were able to share between Nicholas and Alex. As the track dried, we were able to complete the final round of data gathering before completing a sequence of long runs with Alex.
‘Williams shakedown happiness’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ona-shakedown/
The key data from F1’s first test of its new cars for 2022
2022 F1 season
Posted on
26th February 2022, 7:1725th February 2022, 23:09 | Written by Keith Collantine
Interpreting the data from Formula 1 testing is always fraught with difficulty. That’s especially true when teams are having their first experiences with cars built to drastically changed regulations, as was the case this week.
For those hoping to see a close competition this year, the spread between the lap times offers some encouragement. The difference between the teams’ fastest and slowest times was 2.747 seconds, which is slightly higher than the 2.5s seen at last year’s race.
‘Data on Lap Times, Lap Time Comparisons and Mileages tabulated’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/02/26/...cars-for-2022/
Marko ranks Red Bull among front runners after first test
Date published: February 27 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
Red Bull driver programme boss Helmut Marko believes his team are still one of the top contenders following Barcelona.
Predicting the order based on the first pre-season outing is never ideal, but Marko has seen enough to suggest that Red Bull will go into the 2022 season as a front runner still.
“We believe that we are among the front runners,” he told Motorsport-Magazin.com.
‘Red Bull Front Runners’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...front-runners/
Russell expecting upgrades en masse in Bahrain
Date published: February 27 2022 - Henry Valantine
George Russell says he is expecting every team to bring improvements with them to pre-season testing in Bahrain, after three days in Barcelona.
“I think we’ll see it with all the teams,” Russell said, quoted by Motorsport.com. “We’ve got this massive regulation change. We’ve all arrived in Barcelona with our best estimate of where we need to place the car.
“It’s been incredibly intriguing and for all of us there’s been a lot of unexpected issues, which have been quite visible,” Russell said.
‘Upgrades and improvements’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...rain-upgrades/
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Why a four-decade-old problem took F1 teams by surprise.
Simulation tools are just that – simulations. Porpoising was the big talking point of the first pre-season Formula 1 test at Barcelona, with many teams admitting to being surprised at the extent of the problem despite it being a well-understood phenomenon.
The Race.
28/02/2022, 07:17
By Edd Straw
So with F1 teams using vast arrays of simulation technologies, how could a problem the risks of which are so well known not be detected before the cars ran on track for the first time? The answer is simple. Simulation tools are just that – simulations. They are not the real world and have limitations despite being developed and refined over a long period of time.
One of the most effective simulation tool available to the teams remains the windtunnel. However, simulating the behaviour of the car and the underfloor aero in the windtunnel at extremely low ride heights is outside of its parameters.
“The way the floor’s working, especially at lower ride heights in the windtunnel, makes it a difficult area to explore because Red Bull wouldn’t enjoy us putting stripes in their belt,” explained AlphaTauri technical director Jody Egginton.
‘Simulation did NOT reveal a four decade old problem’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/why-a...s-by-surprise/
McLaren surprised to escape 'porpoising' issues in Spain
Andrew Lewin 28/02/2022 at 07:23
The engineers at McLaren were also scratching their heads - but in their case it was because they were barely being troubled by 'porpoising' at all, and had been left to wonder why that was the case.
"Where we are, it hasn't really been a topic for us so far," stated McLaren technical director James Key. "We suffer from it a bit, but it's not a major concern or a major distraction for the drivers. We had a couple of test items which appeared to promote it a bit more,” he added. “But then removing them reduced it so you can fix it aerodynamically as well.”
“I’d love to make out that we've been super clever but the reality is this is very difficult to simulate," Key admitted. "It's not to say it couldn't come back with further development of course.”
‘McLaren scratching their heads’;
https://f1i.com/news/433396-mclaren-...-in-spain.html
Ferrari ‘chose to be disciplined’ when evaluating test
Date published: February 27 2022 - Jon Wilde
Carlos Sainz says Ferrari “chose to be disciplined” in evaluating the unofficial Barcelona test where they arguably looked the pick of the bunch.
The Scuderia encountered no significant issues and were also quick, especially on the first two days before Mercedes and Red Bull began to unleash some pace from their new challengers.
“As a team, we are very disciplined in not having expectations because we don’t rely at all on these tests,” said Sainz on Sky Italia, his total of 236 laps over the three days at the Circuit de Catalunya having been the highest among the 21 drivers in action, 24 ahead of second-placed Daniel Ricciardo. You will not see either a happy team or a disappointed one because we chose to be disciplined in not believing too much what happens during these tests.”
‘Scuderia discipline’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrar...st-evaluation/
Alpha Tauri not noticing Honda’s F1 exit
ANDREW MAITLAND
FEBRUARY 28, 2022
Officially, the Japanese manufacturer left F1 after winning the title with Red Bull and Max Verstappen at the end of 2021.
Actually, Honda engines are still in the four cars for 2022, the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) logos are now on the engine covers, and even Mashashi Yamamoto is still in the paddock.
‘Honda power’;
https://grandpx.news/alpha-tauri-not...ondas-f1-exit/
Bottas doesn’t share Russell’s safety concerns over ‘porpoising’
2022 F1 season
Posted on
28th February 2022, 7:1827th February 2022, 23:38 | Written by Keith Collantine
George Russell, who replaced Bottas at Mercedes during the off-season, said last week the bouncing seen at Circuit de Catalunya “has the potential to be a real safety concern”. However Bottas is confident teams will rapidly get it under control.
“For now I don’t think it’s a safety issue,” he said. “I think it’s just the way that the aero of the car works.
“Obviously it’s a fact that the lower you go with the car, the more you have downforce. And if you find a way to have a good ride in the car, being able to run it low, you might gain some performance. But obviously in some places [that comes] with a cost of the ride itself, especially in high speeds and over the bumps.
‘Safety concerns?’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/02/28/...a-safety-risk/
Andretti F1 team would be powered by Renault
ANDREW MAITLAND
FEBRUARY 28, 2022
Michael Andretti’s new Formula 1 entry for 2024 would be powered by customer Renault engines.
“We already know where our facility in the UK will be built and we have a formal engineer supplier agreement. I can talk about it being Renault now,” he said.
“I think there was a lot of speculation from Toto Wolff as he was worried it would be Ferrari.”
‘Andretti F1 with Renault’;
https://grandpx.news/andretti-f1-tea...ed-by-renault/
Michael Andretti Says He Has Money, Reveals Backup Plan to Get into F1
Motorsports mogul trying to start his own team, has offer on the table to buy Haas F1 Team.
BY STEVEN COLE SMITH
Feb 28, 2022
“The plan for the future,” Andretti told Autoweek, “is to have an American team, with an American-built car, and American drivers. The immediate plan is to get approval and start working toward getting on the track for the 2024 season. An even more immediate plan would be to buy an existing team, “but none are available. Nobody is interested in selling.”
While Andretti wants to build the car itself in the U.S., it’s highly unlikely that would happen in the next few years. Europe is the technology base, and that’s almost certainly where the chassis would come from. Same with an engine supplier – it could be an American effort in the future, but not in the near term.
‘Andretti F1 back up plan’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/form...ackup-plan-f1/
‘Chump change’: F1 giants ‘worried’ about US outfit Andretti’s $1bn plan to join grid by 2024
Max Laughton from Fox Sports
February 28th, 2022 7:42 pm
F1 broadcaster Will Buxton believes the sport’s giants are “worried” about the potential power of an Andretti Autosport entry into the field, which could come as soon as 2024.
But the global reach and strong backing of the team, which includes cars in IndyCar, Indy Lights, Indy Pro 2000, Formula E and a large stake in Supercars team Walkinshaw Andretti United - which won the Bathurst 1000 last year - has “the establishment” worried according to Will Buxton.
“Speaking to a lot of folks in the IndyCar paddock this weekend. The Andretti F1 project is serious. Very serious,” he tweeted. “They could pay the ($200 million) entry fee as chump change. And in a non budget capped era have funding to make the top 3 wince. No wonder the establishment are worried.”
‘Chumps change for Andretti F1 entry’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...28ece420446f9e
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Gary Anderson: Is this why McLaren looks immune to porpoising?
Thanks to the wet running on the final afternoon, and some special photographic trickery, we now have some understanding of why that might be the case.
28 Feb 2022, 12:13
By Gary Anderson
But McLaren already appears largely to have eliminated the problem thanks to how powerful the vortices running down the side of the underfloor area.
These seal the low-pressure area from the outside world and, by being more energetic than those produced by McLaren’s rivals, make the floor less prone to stalling because they don’t try to seal the floor by running the sides of the floor more or less or ground.
Fortunately, the wet running creates spray and allows us to see exactly what is happening aerodynamically both on and off the car’s surface.
‘McLaren immunity’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...to-porpoising/
Gasly says AlphaTauri AT03 felt 'positive straight out of the box' in Barcelona
28 February 2022
Pierre Gasly was buoyed by his AlphaTauri AT03’s performance straight out of the Barcelona pit lane, and despite a small crash on the final day he left Spain buzzing for the Bahrain Official Pre-Season Test.
The Frenchman completed 187 laps over the three-day programme – more than Day 3 leader Lewis Hamilton – while AlphaTauri managed 308 tours of Barcelona in total. Gasly said he'd been “super excited” to try the new breed of F1 car, and it seemed AlphaTauri’s AT03 did not disappoint.
‘AT03 Positivity’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...6JI2QSU7h.html
Albon: Ability to follow through corners a ‘nice surprise’
by Fergal Walsh
28/02/2022, 12:13
Alexander Albon has provided positive comments regarding the ability to follow cars through corners following the pre-season shakedown in Barcelona.
“It’s a nice surprise and it’s something which takes a bit of getting used to because the effect of following is… as you gain almost a memory from what you can and can’t do when you’re a certain distance from a car, how to back off, you learn the limits of following and that’s being recalibrated a little bit.
“I haven’t spent many laps behind other cars but you can tell it’s improved greatly and that’s great for the sport. Hopefully, it will translate well.”
‘Following in corners improved’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...nice-surprise/
Verstappen: The car will be completely different in Bahrain
Editor
28 February, 2022
Max Verstappen revealed that the Red Bull RB18 will be vastly different in Bahrain to what was seen during the first three days of testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week.
Quoted by F1.com, Verstappen said: “I just focussed on doing a lot of laps and try to really nail down every single aspect of the car. What was positive is the car was running smooth.”
“I was happy with the balance – but Bahrain is going to be completely different, so heading into race one, the car will be completely different as well.”
‘Red Bull RB18 will be different’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...nt-in-bahrain/
Alonso: We’ve made a step forward on everything
Editor
28 February, 2022
Up in smoke is how Fernando Alonso’s final day of testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week, nevertheless the Alpine driver saw the positives of the three days in his homeland.
“And keep… the reliability that we had last year; it was one of the strongest points of the car, finishing all the races and having no issues at all. So yes, you need to combine those two things: the performance and finishing the races.”
Alonso continued: “Until we go to Bahrain, we don’t know even what the others did as well on the engine side and how much progress everyone did this winter. There is new fuel, so we all lost performance with the new fuel, and we all try to recover that. So, let’s see in Bahrain.”
‘Step forward on everything’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...on-everything/
‘He’s strong’: Norris dismisses Russell’s comments about McLaren
Ferrari and McLaren both impressed during the first three days of testing in Barcelona, but Red Bull and Mercedes asserted dominance on day three.
by Rob Kershaw
28 February 202228 February 2022
As a result, Norris believes Mercedes are stronger than his compatriot would have us believe, and reckons that Mercedes and Red Bull – who were incontestably the two quickest teams last year – are still the top dogs.
“George obviously topped the timesheets [on Friday morning] so if he thinks we’re strong, we’re going to think he’s strong,” he told reporters.
‘He’s strong’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/hes-stron...about-mclaren/
Binotto: Some teams sandbagging more than others
Jad Mallak
28 February, 2022
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto believes teams are sandbagging, which makes the process of predicting the Formula 1 pecking order a bit premature.
Speaking to Sky Sports Italia, Binotto rebuffed the claims of Ferrari superiority, and insists it is too early to know who is fast and who’s not.
“For judging the performance is too early, I think,” he claimed. “Some teams are sandbagging more than others. We will see that with the tests in Bahrain and with the first races.”
‘Sandbagging’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...e-than-others/
Lance and Sebastian review 2022 F1 Barcelona testing
28.02.2022
Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One™
Lance and Sebastian combined to complete a total of 296 laps across the three days, adding up to a total of 1,377.880km, providing plenty of valuable data and insight into the AMR22.
Sebastian: "It has been a useful few days and we have learned a lot about the AMR22, although we, like all the other teams, still have a lot more to learn considering that we are all dealing with a brand-new generation of Formula One cars.”
Lance: "It was a shame not to complete any laps [on the final] afternoon but it has been great to be back behind the wheel of a Formula One car. "We have already learned a lot about the AMR22, which is important because the cars are so different this year.”
‘Plenty of data’;
https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/...celona-testing
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Ricciardo says McLaren executed a 'pretty flawless' pre-season programme in Spain.
There were no complaints from Daniel Ricciardo after McLaren’s start to pre-season running at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last week, the Australian reckoning the team’s programme had kicked off without a hitch last week.
28 February 2022
“I think we’re in a good spot, but there’s always something to work on and improve. So, we’ll give the team some data to work with and some areas of work to do [and] I'll focus on what I can keep doing better,” said Ricciardo.
“Overall, a pretty flawless three days for the team, a really awesome start to the season. Thanks to everyone back at [the factory] for putting the hard work in over the winter to put us in this position.”
‘McLaren flawless’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...zlGOPwDIk.html
Marko: Hamilton at his peak but age is slowly coming into play
Paul Velasco
28 February, 2022
“Hamilton delivered an incredible second half of the season. I can hardly imagine that he can drive at this level for much longer. He’s now at his peak, but age is slowly coming into play,” reckoned Marko.
As for 24-year-old Verstappen, the Austrian motorsport veteran is on record saying: “He is now World Champion and he will get even stronger.”
Marko was also bullish when summing up the three days of testing in Spain, speaking to F1-Insider: “We are satisfied. I’m sure we had more fuel onboard compared to most of the others. I think we are on par with Mercedes and just ahead of Ferrari.”
‘Verstappen will get even stronger’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/02...ing-into-play/
How Red Bull broke all F1 traditions with the new RB18
28/02/2022, 18:30
Author Paolo Filisetti
Co-author Mike Seymour
Red Bull's aggressive-looking RB18 emerged for the first time last week, as pre-season testing got underway in Barcelona. But what makes it so special? RacingNews365.com technical analyst Paolo Filesetti explains.
Curiosity, in particular, swept the paddock at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya ahead of Wednesday's running, as media - and in turn fans - waited for their first glimpse of the RB18. Indeed, Lewis Hamilton was compelled to go on a tour of the pit lane to study rival designs, taking a moment to peer inside the Red Bull garage as 2021 title rival Max Verstappen got strapped into his car.
When it emerged, the latest car from designers Adrian Newey and Rob Marshall did not disappoint, revealing itself to be a machine that was anything but conventional. Not only did the bodywork shapes represent yet another interpretation of the new rules, but the whole concept of the car also caused a stir, particularly the suspension details.
‘RB18 anything but conventional’;
https://racingnews365.com/how-red-bu...h-the-new-rb18
Valtteri Bottas: “Since I joined, I have seen so much motivation within this team”
By Paul Hensby
February 28, 2022
Valtteri Bottas admitted to being impressed by the new Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN 2022 car, the C42, despite an underwhelming first pre-season test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
The Finn made the switch from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team during the off-season to replace his retiring countryman Kimi Räikkönen, and he is excited to see what lies ahead with his new team after the unveiling of the C42 on Sunday.
The C42 is the latest design to come out of Hinwil, and is the first designed to the new aero regulations that came into effect in 2022, and Bottas was pleased with how the car looked when the true paint work was unveiled to the world.
‘Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN motivation team’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...hin-this-team/
‘Somehow we are managing the situation’: Binotto on Ferrari porpoising
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto insists that the team looked at the issue and have solved it.
by Rob Kershaw
28 February 202228 February 2022
One of the key themes of the pre-season test in Barcelona was undoubtedly the aggressive manner in which the cars seemed to bounce up and down along the straight, and there is speculation that this may be cause for concern for some of the teams.
Not least of those was Ferrari, and a slow-motion video of Charles Leclerc’s car shaking his head around the cockpit made for slightly nauseating viewing.
However, team principal Mattia Binotto insists that the team looked at the issue, and have solved it. “On the bouncing, I think it was an issue but it’s not any more,” he told reporters on Friday – the last day of the first test.
‘Ferrari are managing Charles Leclerc’s car shaking his head around the cockpit’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/somehow-w...ri-porpoising/
Alfa Romeo ‘confident’ in reliability despite Barcelona woes
Date published: February 28 2022 - Henry Valantine
Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur has said he remains “confident” that the reliability of the C42 will improve, after a tough time in Barcelona.
“It’s our challenge, but I’m quite confident that we’ll be able to do it for next week,” he told reporters at the launch of the C42 over the weekend, quoted by F1i. “For Bahrain I think we’ll be on the right way.”
“We saw on our side and the other teams, everybody made big improvements over the first three days and will come back next week. All the teams [will develop] a new configuration to fix it completely.”
‘Alfa Romeo confidence’
https://www.planetf1.com/news/alfa-r...2-reliability/
