-
Hamilton: ‘Tacky driving’ shows Mercedes’ troubles are real.
Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes Formula 1 drivers’ “oversteer moments and tacky driving” are evidence that the hybrid era’s dominant outfit isn’t hiding its performance in 2022 pre-season testing.
11/03/2022, 17:09
By Valentin Khorounzhiy
Mercedes has looked in subdued form on compound-corrected laptimes throughout both Barcelona and – so far – Bahrain testing, and what looked like a performance run attempted by the seven-time F1 champion on the second day of Sakhir testing was only good enough for fourth-fastest – despite him being on the softest C5 tyres compared to the C4s for the three cars ahead.
Asked about Sainz’s comments, Hamilton said: “We’ll be really, really, really good if we were having all these oversteer moments and tacky driving just to hide our cards! That’s not the case. We have things we’re trying to get through. Others are struggling less. Who knows, maybe when we’ll get to next week we’ll have a better understanding.”
‘Tacky Driving!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/hamil...bles-are-real/
Analysis: Mercedes’ slimline sidepods and the “rocket” technology behind them.
The wide sidepod design by the likes of Ferrari, Haas, and Aston Martin aims to control this front tyre wake by physically ‘pushing out’ the tyre wake in a similar fashion to what barge boards used to do. With this extremely narrow sidepod, Mercedes have taken the completely opposite approach to control the front tyre wake.
F1 technology
Posted on
11th March 2022, 17:5411th March 2022, 17:54 | Written by Alto Ono
In Formula 1 aerodynamics, controlling the front tyre wake has always been a key performance differentiator. The air disturbed by the front tyres produces an extremely volatile, ‘dirty’ flow, and if left uncontrolled it would ruin the aerodynamic performance of the latter half of the vehicle.
“There’s a way you can do it with a wider sidepod and there’s a way you can do it with a narrow one and we’ve obviously taken that route,” said Mercedes technical director Mike Elliot in an interview with Sky. “Obviously it’s visually very different, but it’s just a small difference in what we’re trying to do aerodynamically.”
“We’ve done that using the narrow sidepod layout to stop the tyre wake sticking to the sidepod and being pulled in, whereas other teams will have gone through a route of pushing the sidepod out as far as they can to try and push it out that way. They’re just two ways of doing the same thing.”
‘Narrow Sidepod & ‘Turning Vane’ Analysis’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/11/...y-behind-them/
Lewis Hamilton: 'Bouncing a bit worse this week if anything'
11 Mar 2022
Lewis Hamilton explains he has found conditions in Sakhir during Bahrain's Official Pre-Season Test especially challenging, with wind, heat, 'porpoising' and getting to grips with Mercedes' new set-up all conspiring to make it "tough out there".
‘Toughing It Out’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...239361474.html
F1 Testing: Lewis Hamilton struggling to 'tame' Mercedes and tips Ferrari as Bahrain GP favourites
Lewis Hamilton gives his verdict on the all-new Mercedes car; Ferrari have impressed during pre-season testing but Carlos Sainz is cautious over the world champions' potential, dismissing the "typical Mercedes hype"
Last Updated: 11/03/22 5:58pm
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is struggling to "tame" Mercedes' new Formula 1 car at pre-season testing and believes fast-starters Ferrari could be the team to beat come the opening Bahrain GP next weekend.
World champions Mercedes have generated headlines this week with a radical new design for their W13 car but have yet to turn that intrigue into fast times, with Hamilton only fifth on Friday despite a soft-tyre run.
‘Taming the Mercedes W13’;
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/24...-gp-favourites
Hamilton: Ferrari one-two if Bahrain GP was tomorrow
Date published: March 11 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
While unsure where Mercedes sit in the pecking order after day two of Bahrain testing, Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari are in a good place.
As for the team that he sees as the leader, if the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix was on March 12 rather than March 20, Hamilton would back Ferrari.
“I think Ferrari, for what I can see, today Ferrari would probably be getting a one-two,” he said. “Maybe Red Bull.”
‘Mercedes Pecking Order ‘Uncertainty!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...trong-bahrain/
‘It’s tough out there’ – Hamilton reflects on challenging day of testing but backs Mercedes to bounce back
11 March 2022
Lewis Hamilton was left looking back on a difficult second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain for Mercedes – but backed the team to get the unique W13 performing up to their lofty standards.
“It’s definitely tough out there,” began Hamilton. “It’s windy, and the wind changed around quite a bit today. But yes, generally it’s been tough. Yes, it’s tough at the moment. I mean, you can see on the onboard, tankslappers left, right and centre, and then bouncing and bumping. [The car is] not quite happy at the moment, but we’re trying to tame it.”
As for suggestions that Mercedes are ‘sandbagging’ – hiding their true pace – Hamilton brushed those off and asserted his team would not deliberately put on a “tacky” driving display in pre-season testing.
‘Definitely Tough To Tame!’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...0oWTcMWSc.html
-
Full driver line-up for day three of Bahrain testing.
In normal circumstances, each of a team’s two drivers would have one and a half days apiece in the car, but obviously that is not possible this time at McLaren.
Date published: March 12 2022 - Jon Wilde
Day Three line-up
Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton (AM), George Russell (PM)
Red Bull – Sergio Perez (AM), Max Verstappen (PM)
Ferrari – Carlos Sainz (AM), Charles Leclerc (PM)
McLaren – Lando Norris
Alpine – Fernando Alonso
AlphaTauri – Pierre Gasly (AM), Yuki Tsunoda (PM)
Aston Martin –Lance Stroll (AM), Sebastian Vettel (PM)
Williams – Nicholas Latifi (AM), Alex Albon (PM)
Alfa Romeo – Guanyu Zhou (AM), Valtteri Bottas (PM)
Haas – Kevin Magnussen (AM), Mick Schumacher (PM)
‘Keeping Fingers Crossed, So The Gremlins Stay Away’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/bahrai...three-drivers/
'A hell of a day' for Kevin Magnussen on return in Bahrain.
11 Mar 2022
Haas driver Kevin Magnussen enthuses that it's "so nice to be back in a Formula 1 car" after setting a 'fastest' lap on Friday following the formal conclusion of running on the second day of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
‘Nice To Be Back!’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...125995870.html
Magnussen Uses Bonus Hour for Haas to Set Fastest Time of Testing on Day 2
By Paul Hensby
March 11, 2022
Kevin Magnussen utilised the extra hour given to the Haas F1 Team at the end of day two of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit to post the fastest time of the day, jumping to the top ahead of Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr.
Haas had been given an extra hour after losing all of Thursday morning’s running due to their freight running late and arriving well after it was meant to at the circuit. They will also have additional running on Saturday as well.
‘Bonus Hour’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ting-on-day-2/
Magnussen jokes about 'broken neck' after setting fastest time of testing
12?03/2022, 06:50
Kevin Magnussen has said he's feeling the pain of the excessive G-forces involved in driving a Formula 1 car, having returned to an F1 cockpit for the first time in 15 months on Friday.
"It was so good to be back in an F1 car and so good to be back with the team – I think it went really well," Magnussen beamed after the day ended, having logged a total of 60 laps during his outing. A fairytale ending to the day for Magnussen. Magnussen created a stir in the hour after the session ended. Magnussen promptly set a lap some three-tenths of a second quicker than Sainz.
"I could feel my neck at the end of it though - it kind of broke - but that's expected! I'll do another day tomorrow, break it even more, and then hopefully get in a little better shape for next week!"
‘I think it went really well’;
https://racingnews365.com/magnussen-...ime-of-testing
Podcast: Our verdict on the F1 testing pecking order
The Race.
11 March 2022, 23:26
Mark Hughes and Scott Mitchell join Edd Straw to delve into the relative pace of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari – as well as the reason for Kevin Magnussen cropping up on the top of the timesheets on his F1 comeback.
We run through the big stories of the day, including where the porpoising problems stand and the impact that the problem could have on the relative performance in qualifying and the race.
The fiery problem that befell Williams, the “crispy” brakes of McLaren and Alpine’s progress are also discussed – while we also revisit the legality of the Mercedes sidepods after Christian Horner gave his official comment on the situation following Thursday’s confusion.
‘Pecking Order Podcast’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/podca...g-our-verdict/
Leclerc: The time sheets don’t mean anything
Editor
12 March, 2022
Ferrari continue to show impressive form and reliability in the 2022 Formula 1 Bahrain pre-season test, but Charles Leclerc is adamant time sheets don’t mean anything.
Speaking after Friday’s running in Bahrain, Charles Leclerc said: “Another session with a lot of tests completed this morning. We are learning a lot about our car as well as the tyres, which are still relatively new to us.
“The balance seems to be good and I feel comfortable so far, but we have to keep in mind that the time sheets don’t mean anything and there is still a lot more to come from our competitors.
‘Time Sheets’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...mean-anything/
Huge sidepods or no sidepods? Mercedes’ and Ferrari’s theories
15 mins ago
By Rosario Giuliana
It had been immediately clear from the launch of the 2022 cars that the greatest design differences might be around the sidepods and how the various designers have sought different paths in managing the airflow in the upper edge of the floor.
The clearest example of this diversity in concept comes from the opposing philosophies of Ferrari and Mercedes. Mercedes is now taking a ‘zero sidepods’ concept to the extreme with how it tapers the bodywork around the radiators. Ferrari, as was clear right from its launch, has relatively massive side bodywork.
Other teams have adopted solutions that are located in the gap between these two paths, or are simply not so extreme. Ferrari and Mercedes at this time represent the extremes of two different airflow management philosophies.
‘Examples Of Diversity’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/huge-...aris-theories/
-
Sergio Perez quickest on final morning of F1 test as Red Bull lower pace.
Sergio Perez finished comfortably clear at the top of the timesheets as Red Bull offered a glimpse of its potential on the final morning of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain.
F1
Lewis Larkam
12 Mar 2022
The Mexican wasted no time getting to work as he went quickest on his first push lap out of the box and traded fastest laps with Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou during the early running.
After focusing on race simulations for pretty much all of the three-day test so far, Red Bull finally switched to some qualifying runs as Perez set a new benchmark time with a 1m33.105s on Pirelli’s C4 compound.
‘RB18 Qualifying Runs’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/998296...ull-lower-pace
Red Bull roll out heavily updated RB18 for final day of testing
12/03/2022, 08:15
Author RacingNews365 Staff
After waiting patiently in the Red Bull garage - with the RB18 hidden behind screens - Sergio Perez finally appeared just under an hour into Saturday morning's session, giving fans and the media their first glimpse of the revisions.
A major update package has been applied to the Red Bull RB18 for the last day of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, raising eyebrows up and down the paddock.
Verstappen is set to take over the wheel from Perez in the afternoon session.
‘RB18 Behind Screens!’;
https://racingnews365.com/red-bull-r...day-of-testing
Horner gives his take on F1's current pecking order
Today, 13:20
Author Michael Butterworth
"I think the one consistent thing you see is every time the Ferrari is on track, it looks competitive," Horner told F1 TV.
"The McLaren, when it's running, [also] looks competitive. Mercedes, I think, haven't shown their hand yet, and the car looks a bit of a handful to drive.
"But then there's surprises, like the Williams pace on the long run looks quite competitive, so the form book is impossible to predict."
‘Pecking Order And Form Book’;
https://racingnews365.com/horner-giv...-pecking-order
McLaren must wait until Bahrain GP to get proper brake fix
12/03/2022, 13:20
By Scott Mitchell
McLaren is completing the final day of Formula 1 testing with a partial solution to its braking problems but must wait until next week’s season-opener for a final fix.
The team has had to make on-site modifications and fly in upgraded parts to complete race simulations after suffering front brake cooling problems in Bahrain.
That has limited Lando Norris to short runs and left McLaren with the lowest lap tally of any team this week.
LAP COUNT AFTER 2.5 DAYS IN BAHRAIN
AlphaTauri 314
Mercedes 314
Ferrari 298
Alfa Romeo 275
Red Bull 267
Aston Martin 258
Alpine 231
Williams 189
Haas 168
McLaren 149
‘Brake Fixing!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/mclar...per-brake-fix/
McLaren has back ups but sure Daniel Ricciardo will be fit for F1 opener
F1
Lewis Larkam
12 Mar 2022
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl says he is confident Daniel Ricciardo will be fit enough to contest next weekend’s Formula 1 season-opener in Bahrain.
Ricciardo’s illness has meant teammate Lando Norris has been forced to carry out all of McLaren’s test programme by himself.
“I’m confident he will be fit again next weekend,” said Seidl. “He’s feeling better already but as we know it simply takes a few days until you are fully back in good shape.”
‘Get Well Daniel Ricciardo’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/998314...1-seasonopener
Hamilton: People who say Mercedes are talking ourselves down are in for a surprise
2022 F1 SEASON
Posted on
12th March 2022, 13:27 | Written by Keith Collantine and Claire Cottingham
Lewis Hamilton doubts Mercedes will bounce back from their troubled start to the season in testing as easily as they did last year. Speaking after his final run in the car before next weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton said it was clear Mercedes are not contenders for pole position and victory at the moment.
“No, at the moment we’re not,” he said, “I’m sure everyone can kind of figure that out. We’re not the quickest at the moment.
“I think Ferrari look to be the quickest and perhaps Red Bull and then maybe us or McLaren, I don’t know. But we’re certainly not at the top.”
“But I think people will be surprised, maybe. Or at least the people who keep talking about we’re talking ourselves down. It’s a bit different this year.”
‘In For A Surprise’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/12/...or-a-surprise/
'I hope we get better tyres': drivers criticise grip of F1's new 18in Pirelli rubber
F1
March 12th 2022
Pirelli’s new 18in tyres have come in for criticism on the final day of testing in Bahrain, with Lewis Hamilton criticising their grip level.
“I hope we can maybe get some better tyres at some stage,” said the seven-time world champion after finishing his final run in the car before the first race of the season.
Sebastian Vettel also questioned the durability of the tyres, particularly in hotter climates, such as Bahrain, and warned that it could prevent the close racing that this year’s new regulations are designed to promote.
‘Grip Of The Rubber Criticised’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...pirelli-rubber
Williams brake fire ‘too stupid to talk about’
Date published: March 12 2022 - Frank Parker
Williams CEO Jost Capito has blamed a simple procedural problem as the cause of a fire that cut short their running at pre-season testing on Friday.
“I think 95% it’s clear what it was,” Capito said as quoted by The Race. “Let’s say it was a process that it’s a bit too complicated and that led to a mistake.
“So, very small, but had quite a big defect, it’s too stupid to talk about it!” Capito explained.
‘Too Stupid To Talk About’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/willia...stupid-capito/
-
Verstappen puts Red Bull quickest by six-tenths as testing ends in Bahrain.
World champion Max Verstappen capped off the final day of pre-season testing for the 2022 Formula 1 season by setting the overall fastest time.
2022 F1 season
Posted on
12th March 2022, 16:23 | Written by Will Wood
Verstappen used the C5 tyres – the softest available – to finish the sixth and final say of pre-season testing fastest of all. Charles Leclerc was second quickest in the Ferrari, with Fernando Alonso third fastest for Alpine.
Sergio Perez had set the early pace in the morning session as Red Bull introduced a revised RB18 for the first time on the final day. As the sun began to set, Verstappen headed out onto the circuit on a new set of yellow-walled C3 tyres and became the first driver throughout the three days to breach the 1’33s barrier, lowering a new fastest time of a 1’32.645.
‘1m,33s Barrier Breached’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/12/...ds-in-bahrain/
F1 Testing: Red Bull bag P1 double on final day
Date published: March 12 2022 - Jon Wilde
Red Bull’s updates, promised the previous day by Sergio Perez, helped them to a P1 double on the final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
It had been a relatively quiet test for Max Verstappen before day three in Bahrain but judging by the pace he was displaying as the test drew to a close, the World Champion has to be favourite for next weekend’s curtain-raising grand prix.
Mercedes – although they may be sandbagging – still appeared to be behind Ferrari, who again looked as though they had pushed themselves into contention for at least a podium finish when the serious action gets under way.
‘P1 Double’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/f1-tes...-three-report/
Video footage shows Mercedes’ struggles are genuine – Russell
2022 F1 season
Posted on
12th March 2022, 17:04 | Written by Will Wood
George Russell says that Mercedes are still searching for a way to “unlock” the potential of their car after pre-season testing came to an end.
Mercedes ended the third and final day of the second test in Bahrain with the fourth-fastest overall time. World champion Max Verstappen topped the times for Red Bull ahead of Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.
Speaking after the final day’s running, Russell shared team mate Lewis Hamilton’s assessment that Mercedes were lacking behind their two common rivals.
‘Struggling To ‘Unlock’ The Potential’;
https://www.racefans.net/2022/03/12/...nuine-russell/
Russell admits Mercedes 'a step behind rivals' as F1 testing ends
F1
Connor McDonagh
12 Mar 2022
George Russell believes Mercedes is a ‘step behind its rivals’ after the conclusion of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Red Bull ended day three in Bahrain on top with Max Verstappen setting a blistering series of laps at the end of the session.
Up until that point, the general consensus was that Ferrari was the team to beat going into next weekend’s season-opener with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz consistently competitive in both tests.
‘A Step Behind’;
https://www.crash.net/f1/news/998355...1-testing-ends
‘We are not the quickest’: Lewis Hamilton plays down Mercedes hopes
• Hamilton downbeat on chances of record eighth title
• ‘Ferrari look to be the fastest, and perhaps Red Bull’
Giles Richards
Sat 12 Mar 2022 16.39 GMT
Hamilton insisted his team faced a serious challenge this time. “We are being told we are talking ourselves down, but it is a bit different this year,” he said. “We have far bigger challenges and they are not one-week turnarounds. They will take a little bit longer. I am told we have a considerable amount of pace to find.”
“We are not the quickest. Ferrari look to be the fastest, and perhaps Red Bull and then maybe us, or McLaren. We are currently not at the top.”
‘Mercedes Hopes Played Down’;
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...mercedes-hopes
Technical Insight: The varied designs of F1’s 2022 sidepods
by Rosario Giuliana
At the moment it is not clear what the winning solution is, but it is nice to finally see Formula 1 full of technical topics, with each car offering interesting insights for analysis. 2022 will finally be able to entertain lovers of technology.
All these differences between the single-seaters on the grid will diminish as the solution that clearly offers more advantages is found. During this season, however, it will be difficult for someone to go and revolutionise their form or to copy an opponent, while it is more likely that they will develop directly on the project that is available.
‘Lovers Of Technology’;
https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/...depods-design/
-
Raging bulls’ new title challenger; is Merc’s era finally over? Winners and losers from final F1 test.
Mad Max’s new title threat; fears for Ricciardo’s McLaren: Winners and losers from final F1 test.
March 13th, 2022 7:26 pm
Michael Lamonato from Fox Sports
After six days of testing at two different tracks we can begin to sketch the basic outline of the field ahead of next weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, and some undoubted winners and losers are starting to take shape.
WINNERS: MAX VERSTAPPEN AND RED BULL RACING
Red Bull Racing and reigning champion Max Verstappen leave Bahrain happiest of all after a mighty final day of testing with a brand-new high-functioning aerodynamic kit.
Verstappen used it to set the test’s fastest time at the very end of the session with a comfortable 0.7-second margin over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc — Mick Schumacher’s interloping time was set during private after-hours testing.
‘Taking Shape’;
https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...70e2d5125a7c5b
Gary Anderson rates the F1 teams’ testing performances
13/03/2022, 07:29
By Gary Anderson
Formula 1 pre-season testing for 2022 is now all over. For every teams, it’s now all about trawling through mountains of data and coming up with the best set-up solutions for next weekend’s season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
In all 12 pre-season sessions in Barcelona and Bahrain, Ferrari has consistently been up at the front end. If you took the fastest time by each team every day, Ferrari was always in the top four and in the top two for four of the days.
If that is the case, then there is every chance that Ferrari might be able to join that battle at the front – mixing it with Red Bull and Mercedes. It’ll be no easy task, but Ferrari has two competitive, hungry and experienced drivers, so if the car is up to it they will be right in there.
‘Ferrari Hunger!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...-performances/
Binotto: Ferrari only 'outsiders' – Mercedes, Red Bull favourites
Phillip van Osten13/03/2022 at 08:12
Mattia Binotto is following Mercedes' lead and playing down Ferrari's performance in pre-season testing, insisting the Brackley squad and Red Bull are the real favourites heading into the 2022 F1 season.
"We are not the favourites," he said after Saturday's final session in Bahrain where Charles Leclerc clocked in second behind pace setter Max Verstappen.
"I think the favourites are the teams that were the best last year because they are strong teams, they have proved they can be very fast, they’ve got a fantastic team. On-track I think they are showing that they are very, very fast. So I think if they are [favourites], we are outsiders.”
‘Playing Down Ferrari’s Performance’;
https://f1i.com/news/434496-binotto-...avourites.html
Russell insists Mercedes ‘performance isn’t there’
Date published: March 13 2022 - Jon Wilde
George Russell insists the “performance isn’t there” from a Mercedes W13 that appeared to have the worst ‘porpoising’ problem in the Bahrain test.
“We do seem a step behind our rivals and we have a lot of work to do between now and next week to understand because in every condition, the Red Bull and Ferrari seem a step ahead of us.”
“I believe there is potential there, we just need to figure a way to unlock that performance.”
‘Unlocking Performance’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george...s-performance/
The rocket tech behind Mercedes’ cutting-edge F1 coolers
March 13th 2022
Author Lawrence Butcher
Kyle Forster has already given an aerodynamicist’s interpretation of the design, but it is worth summarising the key points. There are three key features that standout: the encapsulation of the upper side impact crash structure in a sculpted shroud, the use of a tall, narrow cooling inlet, set low down on the car, and an outer sidepod edge that flares out to the floor, rather than being undercut.
Mercedes has a long track record of looking to other industrial areas for potential innovation. While the charge cooler is only one element of what is an enormously complex and well-integrated package, it could well be that harnessing of Reaction’s cooling technology has helped enable the pursuit of a decidedly unconventional, and very compact, cooling system and sidepod design.
‘W13 Rocket Tech’;
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...ge-f1-coolers#
Verstappen scoffs at Mercedes F1 scepticism: ‘It’s always like this’
Max Verstappen scoffed at Mercedes’ scepticism over its performance through Formula 1 pre-season testing and ability to fight for wins, saying it is “always like this”.
By: Luke Smith
Co-author: Ronald Vording
Mar 13, 2022, 9:27 AM
Verstappen also had his doubts that Mercedes was truly on the back foot, agreeing with Sainz that it was “always like this”.
"If someone is doing well or a team that everyone expects to do well, then it’s: 'Oh no, we're definitely not the favourite’,” Verstappen said in Bahrain on Saturday.
“And then a week later, when things do go well, all of a sudden it's: 'Oh no, but we turned it around completely within a week. Not normal, unbelievable work. Thanks to all people in the factory!’”
‘Mercedes Scepticism Scoffed At!’;
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/v...-this/8953361/
How all 10 teams fared in Bahrain's Official Pre-Season Test
Special contributor
Becky Hart
13 March 2022
Three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain stood between the teams and the opening race of the season. Conditions were vastly different to the cool spring temperatures of Barcelona, and as the heat took hold, reliability issues started to crop up. Add in some pretty major car evolutions since the 2022 machines were last on track, and there was plenty to discuss ahead of the opening race of the season. Here's how all 10 teams got on in Bahrain, in lap count order.
‘Machine Evolution!’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...azGux3FKh.html
Trackside verdict: The visual hints of Red Bull’s superiority
The Race
12/03/2022, 20:16
By Scott Mitchell
Max Verstappen’s eye-catching, test-topping lap time in Bahrain put Red Bull well clear at the end of Formula 1 2022’s pre-season. Watching trackside it is easy to believe it has a real advantage.
Verstappen has no issues carrying speed into the corner, there’s no sign of understeer – the front just tucks in really nicely – and noticeably he is able to get to the inside kerb seemingly at will. The RB18 takes the kerb strike neatly in its stride, too. Its balance barely looks disturbed.
We watch Verstappen on C2s, C3s, C4s and C5s and the Red Bull just has a lot of purpose about it. It’s controlled, responsive and just looks fast.
‘Visual Superiority’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/track...s-superiority/
-
‘Spaceship’ mirrors set to be challenged in F1 rules meeting.
Mattia Binotto described the Mercedes design as looking “like spaceships” and suggested that they were primarily an aero part rather than mounting the wing mirror.
13/03/2022, 15:26
By Scott Mitchell
“It’s something for the future that needs to be addressed,” said Binotto. “Already in the past, we said the mirrors should have no aero purpose.”
“They should be there just to look behind and I think the way that they [Mercedes] design the cars has a significant aero purpose in the mirrors.”
There is a meeting of the FIA’s technical advisory committee on Tuesday, which will include a discussion over the first “discrepancies” between the rules as written and the cars the teams have designed.
‘Spaceship Mirrors On The W13 Rocket Ship!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/space...rules-meeting/
Ferrari Looking Strong as Pre-Season comes to a Close
By Nick Golding
March 13, 2022
Scuderia Ferrari are for many the team to beat at the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend, after the famous team concluded what has been a brilliant test for them at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Ferrari Team Principal & Managing Director, Mattia Binotto, doesn’t want the team to get too far ahead of themselves and draw any conclusions, Binotto believes it’s very difficult to predict where each team will be placed come the season opener next weekend.
‘Strong Scuderia’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...es-to-a-close/
Red Bull upgrades ‘worth more than half a second’
Date published: March 13 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
The upgrades Red Bull introduced in Bahrain are worth upwards of half a second in lap time, according to Helmut Marko.
That time came on the final day after Red Bull had introduced an upgraded RB18, with those updates mainly focused on the sidepods which are now far more sculpted.
Auto Motor und Sport report the cooling system underneath those sidepods was also modified, while a new underbody was fitted to the RB18, all of which led to immediate progress as the team topped the morning session courtesy of Sergio Perez before Verstappen significantly raised the bar in the afternoon.
‘Sculpted Sidepods’;
https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/...sonstart-2022/
Alonso finishes with a flourish in final test in Bahrain
Andrew Lewin 13/03/2022 at 17:06
EL PLAN: Alpine's Fernando Alonso was delighted to finish the final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain with the third fastest time on the timesheets.
"It was a good day of testing for us building on Esteban’s strong work yesterday," the 40-year-old from Spain commented. "We’ve learnt a lot with the car and completed many laps, so I’m pretty happy."
Alonso completed a total of 146 laps of Bahrain International Circuit over the course of the three days, with team mate Esteban Ocon adding a further 153 for a total of 299 laps by the Alpine as a whole.
‘Car Lessons, EL PLAN Positive’;
https://f1i.com/news/434543-alonso-f...n-bahrain.html
Aston Martin Complete Pre-Season Programmes as Planned
By Nick Golding
March 13, 2022
Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One Team enjoyed their most successful day of the Official Pre-Season Test at the Bahrain International Circuit, on the final day of running.
Both Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll had a final chance behind the wheel of the AMR22 on the last day of pre-season, with the pair completing a joint total of 134 laps as the test drew to a close. The final day saw the team complete their most mileage over a single day, it meant that across the entire test Aston Martin completed 352 laps.
‘Aston Martin Complete Their Plans’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...es-as-planned/
McLaren’s Pre-Season “Not what we wanted but good enough” -Lando Norris
By Nick Golding
March 13, 2022
It has been a very difficult Official Pre-Season Test at the Bahrain International Circuit for the McLaren F1 Team, with an absent Daniel Ricciardo and a number of reliability issues.
It has been a very challenging test for McLaren, not helped by Ricciardo testing positive for Covid-19, or by an issue on the MCL36’s front axle. It comes as a disappointment to the team, who enjoyed a successful test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
McLaren Team Principal, Andreas Seidl, noted that the team’s running was heavily compromised across the three days, but is hopeful that the issue with the front axle can be solved before the first race.
‘Front Axle Problems’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...-lando-norris/
Mercedes Complete Plenty of Mileage but Supposedly Struggling for Pace
By Nick Golding
March 13, 2022
It is no question that Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team have been sandbagging during the Official Pre-Season Test at the Bahrain International Circuit, the W13 has been incredibly reliable but has supposedly struggled for outright pace.
The Silver Arrows have sat mid-leaderboard throughout testing, onboard footage of the W13 does show however both drivers avoiding eighth gear at times, resulting in a significantly lower top speed compared to their rivals.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director, does believe that there is still plenty of pace to be unleashed from the W13, which as mentioned has proven to be very reliable so far.
‘Sandbagging, Avoiding Eighth Gear’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ling-for-pace/
WHAT IS SANDBAGGING IN F1 AS TERM EXPLAINED AFTER TESTING?
13/03/2022, 13:40
Jake Nichol
Essentially, sandbagging in F1 involves running your car far below it’s true potential in testing to force your rivals into a false of security about your car.
You then turn up to the first race, with all the sand tipped out (metaphorically speaking), stick it on pole and get a one-two finish, some way ahead of the rest.
Perhaps the most famous example of sandbagging in F1 was in 2019 pre-season testing….
‘Mercedes 2019 Sandbagging Award Winners!’;
https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/03/1...bagging-in-f1/
-
We predict the 2022 F1 team pecking order after testing.
Some positions were ‘easy’ to fill. There was unanimity on the top four places. But separating that amorphous blob that looks to be the midfield was an unenviable task.
The Race
Mar 14 2022
“We didn’t want to put anybody fifth,” our journalists complained. Their eventual choice might surprise you.
5 HAAS Yeah, yeah, we know what you’re thinking. But this has been a weird pre-season for Haas so why’s it so hard to believe this might be true?
If you’d predicted a few weeks ago that Haas would top a day of testing with Kevin Magnussen, and end it second fastest with Mick Schumacher driving, you’d have attracted some seriously funny looks.
‘Steiner will be pleased!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/we-pr...after-testing/
Brundle: Red Bull for me came away as clear favourites
Jad Mallak
14 March, 2022
Martin Brundle is convinced after the 2022 Formula 1 pre-season test in Bahrain, that Red Bull are the clear favourites heading into the opening race.
Respected F1 driver turned pundit Martin Brundle was trackside in Bahrain watching and commenting on the test proceeding, and believes Red Bull are the real deal. “Red Bull for me came away as the clear favourites,” he told Sky Sports F1.
“I have absolutely no doubts in my mind that the aero package on the Red Bull took a significant step forward today. Red Bull have moved the game on today in terms of raw pace, long run pace.”
‘Red Bull Favourites’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...ar-favourites/
Hamilton dice left Gasly questioning Mercedes
Date published: March 13 2022 - Jamie Woodhouse
After battling with Lewis Hamilton during the Bahrain test, Pierre Gasly believes Mercedes are no longer as strong as they were.
So rather than AlphaTauri suddenly making gains, Gasly concludes Mercedes have in fact slipped back.
“I was kind of surprised to battle with Lewis,” he told reporters after day three of the Bahrain test.
“I think the conclusion is Mercedes probably doesn’t look as good as they were in the past.”
‘Mercedes No Longer Strong’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/pierre...s-look-weaker/
Norris: We know what the problems are, it’s not a simple fix
Jad Mallak
14 March, 2022
McLaren’s Lando Norris claims the team know their problems, the fix not being simple, after struggling at the 2022 Formula 1 pre-season test in Bahrain.
“Less than ideal,” was Norris’ verdict of the team’s Bahrain performance. “It’s not been the smoothest of tests for us. It’s been quite limited in Bahrain. I think Barcelona was a good one but here we’ve encountered quite a few more problems, which have limited the amount of laps we’ve done by quite a huge amount.”
“[We’ve had problems] especially on the long runs – the lower-fuel and shorter runs we’ve been able to do – but not the high-fuel runs,” the Briton explained. “We’re behind where we want to be, where we need to be, and where we can say we’re confident in any way going into the first race.”
‘McLaren Behind’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...-a-simple-fix/
F1 Who's Hot, Who's Not After Final Test Sessions at Bahrain
Formula 1 season kicks off March 20 in Bahrain; here's what we learned at the preseason tests.
BY PHILLIP HORTON
Mar 13, 2022
Red Bull Grabs Attention on Final Day
Red Bull and reigning champion Max Verstappen had a relatively subdued preseason campaign as it kept its powder dry—at least until the final day.
Ferrari Looks to Be in Very Good Shape
Ferrari arrives on the cusp of the new season in good shape. It has had a smooth preseason, with a reliable car, that has appeared relatively compliant to set-up changes across various conditions.
Don’t Underestimate Slow-Starting Mercedes
“At the moment I don’t think we’ll be competing for wins,” said Lewis Hamilton, a stark comment for a driver from a team that has been a winning machine for a decade.
‘Hot Or Not!’;
https://www.autoweek.com/racing/form...sions-bahrain/
Tost explains barrier to copying Mercedes design
Date published: March 13 2022 - Jon Wilde
Franz Tost has explained why replicating Mercedes’ eye-catching new design is a non-starter, especially for his AlphaTauri team.
Tost says it would essentially require having to rework the whole car, which would not be feasible under the $140million budget cap each team has for the 2022 campaign.
“If you had to change something, you would have to change the whole aerodynamic philosophy. I don’t think we could make the effort because if you look at the cost cap, we are pretty much at the limit in our calculation at the end of the season.”
‘Copying Mercedes Not Feasible’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/franz-...pying-barrier/
-
Gary Anderson’s theory on where Mercedes is going wrong.
“They’re just not – in this moment – in a position to compete with either of Red Bull or Ferrari,” said Mark Hughes on The Race F1 Podcast.
The Race
14/03/2022, 11:44
“They’ve got genuine problems. It’s a difficult one to say to what level those problems go.”
“I don’t think they’re trying to run the car in the right window right now. They seem to have gone around the porpoising problems by making the car stiffer. Making the car stiffer then leads to more brake locking and a car that doesn’t ride the kerbs or bumps very well.”
“I think Mercedes has gone the wrong direction to achieve it. It’s tried to keep the downforce levels that it gets out of the underfloor by just tightening the car up, running it stiff, running it low, keep it in one little working window.”
‘Problems Tightening The Car Up!’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...s-going-wrong/
Hamilton: A lot of work to get Mercedes to 'a better place'
Phillip van Osten 14/03/2022 at 10:42
Both Red Bull and Ferrari have expressed their skepticism regarding Mercedes' conservative stance, insisting they've heard it all before.
But this time, the German outfit's downplaying appears genuine, although Hamilton remains upbeat about his team's ability to improve its performance.
"There's a confidence that we can always work through whatever problem that we're facing," the Briton told the media after Saturday's final day of running in Bahrain.
‘Work To A Better Place’;
https://f1i.com/news/434583-hamilton...ter-place.html
‘It wasn’t that impressive’ – Marko on Mercedes’ ‘extreme’ sidepods
Mercedes introduced a radical sidepod design ahead of the second pre-season test in Bahrain last week.
by Rob Kershaw
14 March 202214 March 2022
Dr Marko agrees that Mercedes’ design is innovative, but he is not altogether sure it will yield the performance gains they are looking for.
“We were looking more at the performance than the sidepod and it wasn’t that impressive,” he told Austrian newspaper Osterreich.
“What Mercedes has brought looks revolutionary. But what matters is the time. And I say – the main thing is that we’re the fastest again. But I also remember last year, when Mercedes was also behind in the tests.”
‘A Revolution In Sidepods’;
https://formula1news.co.uk/it-wasnt-...edes-sidepods/
Where McLaren stands after a test spent ‘firefighting’
14/03/2022, 13:37
By Scott Mitchell
The raw numbers paint a bleak picture at the end of McLaren’s Formula 1 pre-season. It was the eighth fastest-team in Bahrain with the lowest mileage after battling overheating brakes.
Trackside, McLaren had to re-prioritise its tasks. It adjusted run plans to focus on shorter runs. Across day one and day two, Norris’s longest stint of representative times was four laps. By Saturday this increased to 10.
Unsurprisingly McLaren did not get through all it had planned for this test in terms of being fully prepared for this weekend’s grand prix. That was made very clear when Norris declared on Saturday McLaren is “behind where we want and need to be to say we’re in any way confident going into the first race”.
‘Behind After Firefighting’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/where...-firefighting/
Fernando Alonso feeling positive over Alpine car ahead of new F1 season
By George Dagless
Published: 14 Mar 2022, 12:49
Alpine sporting director Alan Permane has said that Fernando Alonso called their new car, the A522, ‘fast’ over the last sessions of testing in Bahrain and that Q3 is a realistic goal for them come qualifying this weekend at the Sakhir circuit.
“The first day in Sakhir because we couldn’t get into a good dynamic, but the next two have gone well,” he told AS. “Especially on Saturday, we started to make progress with a set-up that allows us to turn porpoising on and off whenever we want.”
“We know why it happens and what stops it. We know when it makes us faster or slower. If you look at other cars, Ferrari still keeps it in some circumstances. We’ve played with the suspensions, the camber, slipstreams and so on. And we’re significantly better.”
‘EL PLAN Positive’;
https://www.givemesport.com/87983777...-new-f1-season
Bottas hails ‘clear step’ from Alfa Romeo but concerned over reliability
Hamilton Lyndon-Griffiths
14/03/2022, 13:41
Valtteri Bottas admits completing a full race distance is his “biggest concern” ahead of this weekend’s season opener in Bahrain, after reliability troubles plagued Alfa Romeo in Formula 1 pre-season testing.
And while the Finn is upbeat at the direction Alfa’s performance is going, he conceded reliability was a major concern heading to the first race of the season.
“I’ll be more confident once we speak with the team next week and when I hear that all the issues we understand 100% and we make sure that they don’t happen again,” Bottas said, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
‘Alfa Romeo Reliability?’;
https://readmotorsport.com/2022/03/1...r-reliability/
Albon – Williams ‘Ticked All Their Boxes’ in 2022 Pre-Season Testing
By Joe McCormick
March 14, 2022
Alex Albon and Nicolas Latifi are both optimistic about their chances in the upcoming F1 season, as Bahrain pre-season testing has come to an end. It was an up-and-down handful of days for the British team, after a fire caused damage to the rear of Williams F1 Team’s 2022 challenger, but 142 laps of testing on day three has helped raise morale within the team.
After being forced to make up for Friday’s lost time on Saturday, Latifi was reflective in his statement for Williams, claiming that he is happy with the amount of data they have collected – despite the issues that were overcome from day two.
‘Williams Optimism’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...eason-testing/
-
Lewis Hamilton fears Mercedes issues will last two months at the least - 'It's crazy'.
Lewis Hamilton has admitted that Mercedes may not be in a position to challenge for race wins until May at the earliest after struggling at pre-season testing in Bahrain.
By STUART BALLARD
06:40, Tue, Mar 15, 2022
LEWIS HAMILTON is far from comfortable in the Mercedes W13 ahead of the new season.
The Silver Arrows entered pre-season testing in Bahrain amid reports that they had found the magic formula in the simulator.
A new, bold sidepod design was unveiled with everybody in the paddock wanting to take a closer look at the W13.
‘W13 Crazy For Two Months!’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ell-Bahrain-GP
Lewis Hamilton warned of 'genuine problems' at Mercedes as ex-F1 designer speaks out
MERCEDES still have plenty of work to get their car up to speed for the first race of the season this weekend.
By STUART BALLARD
17:00, Mon, Mar 14, 2022 | UPDATED: 17:00, Mon, Mar 14, 2022
The new F1 season is just days away now but former F1 car designer Gary Anderson has spelled out the 'genuine problems' Lewis Hamilton and George Russell face ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Pre-season testing results are always taken with a pinch of salt as some teams hold back on their full potential.
Anderson believes Mercedes' issues will only be fixed if they follow the same route of Red Bull. "They’ve got genuine problems. It’s a difficult one to say to what level those problems go," Anderson told The Race.
"I don’t think they’re trying to run the car in the right window right now. They seem to have gone around the porpoising problems by making the car stiffer. Making the car stiffer then leads to more brake locking and a car that doesn’t ride the kerbs or bumps very well.”
‘W13 Genuine Problems’;
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...la-One-F1-news
Red Bull chief says Mercedes car is ‘not that impressive’ ahead of new F1 season
Daniel AustinMonday 14 Mar 2022 4:49 pm
Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko says the team has the fastest car on the grid heading into the Formula 1 season opener in Bahrain this weekend, and believes that rivals Mercedes’ new car is ‘not very impressive.’
Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and new team-mate George Russell both voiced concerns about the ability of Mercedes new W13 to compete at the front of the field.
37-year-old Hamilton went as far as to say: ‘At the moment, I don’t think we’ll be competing for wins.’
‘W13 Uncompetitive’;
https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/14/red-b...o=newsnow-feed
‘One week’ until 2022 hierarchy revealed – Sainz
ANDREW MAITLAND
MARCH 15, 2022
With mere days until engines fire up on the 2022 world championship in Bahrain, the Formula 1 world is scrambling to figure out the early pecking order.
“We’ve waited months, why can’t we wait one more week before drawing conclusions?” smiled Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, tipped as a potential title contender.
The early analyses appear to show the fabled Maranello team as neck-and-neck with world champion Max Verstappen’s Red Bull camp – and apparently half a second ahead of Mercedes.
‘Hierarchy Revealed In One Week’;
https://grandpx.news/one-week-until-...evealed-sainz/
F1 pre-season testing 2022: Jolyon Palmer's Takeaways
14 Mar 2022
Who's where in the pecking order? What are the drivers' biggest challenges for 2022? Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer draws his first conclusions after Bahrain's pre-season testing.
‘F1 Takeaways’;
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/v...630413586.html
Schedule for the 2022 F1 Bahrain GP
15/03/2022, 07:50
Author RacingNews365 Staff
Here's the full weekend time schedule for the Bahrain Grand Prix, which will take place from 18-20 March, as the 2022 F1 season officially gets underway.
Date Event Time (GMT) Time (Local)
Friday 18 March Practice 1 12:00-13:00 15:00-16:00
Friday 18 March Practice 2 15:00-16:00 18:00-19:00
Saturday 19 March Practice 3 12:00-13:00 15:00-16:00
Saturday 19 March Qualifying 15:00-16:00 18:00-19:00
Sunday 20 March Race 15:00 18:00
F1 Schedule;
https://racingnews365.com/schedule-f...-f1-bahrain-gp
-
Tech Draft: 2022 F1 Pre-Season Thoughts & Analysis.
The flame of F1 innovation burns on brightly. In a ground effect car; the faster you go, the more downforce is generated. A heavier car is more difficult to rotate mid-corner than a lighter one. FIA’s attempt at cost cap is somewhat wanting.
Mark Kay
15 March, 2022
Well, here we go, folks! After an abnormally brief inter-season break, we are but 72 hours away from the first money shots of 2022, a new era, one we are anticipating as the dawn of a more competitively diverse and entertaining stanza in this sport that we all are so passionate about.
So, here I go with my best endeavours in putting together the best and succinct appraisal of the 2022 F1 pre-season.
If you are looking for my opinion on a quantitative comparison that underpins early season predictions, you may as well turn your attention elsewhere, because this is not what this review is about.
‘Seasons Thoughts’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...ghts-analysis/
It’s a whole new era for the sport and anything can happen” – Max Verstappen
By Nick Golding
March 15, 2022
Verstappen is very excited for the season to begin, especially with it being the first Grand Prix of the new era of Formula 1.
“We learnt a lot at testing in Barcelona and Bahrain, I’m very excited to turn our attention to racing now, it’s a whole new era for the sport and anything can happen. The focus is to bring the grid together and make it easier to follow, I hope we see that in the first race. Everything is so new so there are a lot of unknowns heading into the first race of the season. “
Pérez is excited for the new season, the Mexican already feels much more settled with the team this season than he was last year, Pérez like many others though has no idea where the team’s car will position come the season opener.
“I am looking forward to the new season, automatically you feel more settled going into your second year with a team. I feel more prepared because I now know exactly how the Team operate and the Oracle Red Bull Racing philosophy, so that makes a difference. Every team is in the same position starting the season, in that we don’t know the car as much because of the shakeup in regulations but we had a really good test, both in Bahrain and Barcelona. “
‘Excitement’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ax-verstappen/
Marko: ‘Mercedes always whine, then it suddenly goes boom’
Date published: March 15 2022 - Sam Cooper
Helmut Marko does not believe Mercedes’ pre-season complaints are true and still expects their car to go “boom” come the Bahrain Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton said he does not think the team will be “competing for wins”, while his new team-mate George Russell said the Mercedes performance “isn’t there.”
Sandbagging is a technique that has been deployed by Mercedes in the past and it seems this time around, the rest of the grid is not buying it.
‘Sandbagging And ‘Whine’!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/helmut...es-whine-boom/
Aston Martin car ‘nothing like’ the one in the wind tunnel
Date published: March 15 2022 - Sam Cooper
Aston Martin have said the AMR22 seen on track during testing is “nothing like” the one they are working on in the wind tunnel.
On the final day of testing in Bahrain, Aston Martin were one of the lower teams in terms of time with Sebastian Vettel in 10th position and Lance Stroll in 16th, but they have already been making improvements following the data they gathered both in Bahrain and Barcelona.
Their performance director, Tom McCullough, has said the car Vettel and Stroll drove on track is wildly different to the one they are working on back at the factory in the UK. “The car you are seeing now is nothing like the car we have in the wind tunnel,” he said, as reported by motorsport.com.
‘Nothing Like The Wind Tunnel!’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/aston-...nel-different/
“I’m obviously very excited for the first race of the year” – Alex Albon
By Nick Golding
March 15, 2022
Incredibly with his drive for the season coming in the form of Williams, Albon will have started all three of his seasons in the sport, with a different team! Albon, who remains heavily connected to Red Bull, is very excited for the season to start after all the hours of work put in over the winter.
“I’m obviously very excited for the first race of the year and to be back racing. It will be the result of all the hard work over winter and everything we’ve learnt from six days of testing, so I’m looking forward to seeing that come together and pushing as much as we can. The track is tricky because, as we saw in testing, it’s very windy, sandy and hot which are tough conditions to contend with. It’s a good track for racing though, so it should be an exciting weekend for Formula One.”
‘Williams FW44’;
https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2...ar-alex-albon/
Gary Anderson: Every F1 team’s 2022 sidepod design ranked
16th March 2022, 06:05
By Gary Anderson
Given how prescriptive the 2022 Formula 1 regulations are, it’s a surprise to see the most visually-different crop of cars for many years.
It’s always difficult when a small group of engineers sits down to write the regulations then hands them out to the teams. At that point, hundreds, if not thousands, of engineers will scour them intensely to find the grey areas that might just give them that tenth of a second.
The sidepods have been the most visually different. Those differences, combined with the porpoising problem, might just go hand-in-hand. So I thought it would be worth taking a close look at each team’s solution.
‘Porpoising Solutions’;
https://the-race.com/formula-1/gary-...design-ranked/
KYLE.ENGINEERS: How the Mercedes W13 works
Editor
16 March, 2022
Mercedes stunned the Formula 1 community during the Bahrain pre-season test with its upgraded W13 and its radical “zero-sidepod” design. How does it work? Kyle Forster explains in another Kyle.Engineers video.
The video is divided into five sections; starting with an introduction, with the second part discussing the the legality of the rearview mirrors on the W13, something that many consider not in line with the regulations.
The third part of the video touches on the side pods’ legality, followed by a fourth that explains the benefits of those slim side pods. The final part is reserved to highlight the drawbacks of the side pods.
‘W13 ‘Zero-Sidepod’ Design’;
https://www.grandprix247.com/2022/03...des-w13-works/
Haas trialled Mercedes’ ‘zero-pod’ concept last summer
Date published: March 16 2022 - Henry Valantine
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has revealed the team already took a look at using Mercedes’ radical sidepod concept in developing their own car last year.
But having started developing their 2022 car earlier than any other team, Haas have had more scope to try out different design routes on their way to building the VF-22, but felt the Mercedes design wasn’t quite for them.
“This exact concept was our first design. We had it in the wind tunnel last July, and we already noticed there that it gives advantages in slow corners,” Steiner said, quoted by Auto Motor und Sport. “But as an overall package, we saw greater potential in wide sidepods.”
‘Haas Rejected the ‘Zero-Pod’ Concept’;
https://www.planetf1.com/news/haas-t...depod-concept/
