Official Pre-season testing thread

Engineers, team principals and drivers up and down the pitlane are bracing themselves for what could be a muddled start to pre-season preparations when the first test begins at Jerez on January 28.

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So far only 3 teams have a launch date with technically only two confirming their attendance (by launching at the event).

McLaren MP4-29 - Friday 24th January (Online Presentation)
Mercedes W05 - Tuesday 28th Jaunary (Jerez test 1st day)
Caterham - CT04 - Tuesday 28th Jaunary (Jerez test 1st day) - Assume they'll announce their driver line-up then too.


Please add details of which teams and drivers are attending when/if such info becomes available. Will Lotus be the only team to pull out of the test?


In other news SkyF1 intend to bring some coverage from the test, although proper live coverage won't be available until FOM lets it happen:

Tuesday 28th January
20:00 to 21:00 – Day 1 Highlights
- round-up at 20:00
- Ted’s Notebook at 20:30
22:00 to 23:00 – Day 1 Highlights (R)
Wednesday 29th January
20:00 to 21:00 – Day 2 Highlights
- round-up at 20:00
- Ted’s Notebook at 20:30
22:00 to 23:00 – Day 2 Highlights (R)
Thursday 30th January
20:00 to 21:00 – Day 3 Highlights
- round-up at 20:00
- Ted’s Notebook at 20:30
22:00 to 23:00 – Day 3 Highlights (R)
Friday 31st January
19:30 to 20:00 – The F1 Show Special: The MM Hall of Fame Awards
20:00 to 21:00 – Day 4 Highlights
- round-up at 20:00
- Ted’s Notebook at 20:30​

 

Sweepstake on who's engine will detonate first?

 

A poll you say

 

Boullier claims everything is fine at Lotus and his team wont be the only ones missing at the first test....

 

Well it can't be engine related, seeing as Caterham are Renault-powered and are confirmed.

 

Well Red Bull and Mercedes have skipped the first test in the past too. So maybe Lotus are finishing something that isn't ready yet... I hope

Still could be engine related as maybe the engines arrived late as the financial situation with Maldonado was announced late?

 

I expect Tuesday to be a busy day for the (Fire)Marshall's with all those new "Power plants" going pop!
I wouldn't read too much into the lap times at the first test, most teams will be aiming to improve reliability of their engines.
They may turn the wick up in the final tests in Bahrain.

 

I'm going for Ferrari.. followed by the Mercs, Renault will have the least powerful, most fuel efficient engine and most reliable and Vettel will win WDC by simply plodding along waiting for the others to blow-up..

To early for the doom and gloom?

 

Far to early, leave it till at least the end of Jan

 

After a bit of digging through Twitter theres reports that Marussia may not make the Jerez test either. That said (and with respect to Marussia) Lotus should be several steps ahead of Marussia, even with their current troubles.

 

Yeah, one of them too!!

 

No one would choose to miss this test. It's a third of their test days and with the regulation change it's vital to get as much running as possible. They need to get rid of teething problems in terms of reliability, every bit of data is important at this stage and the drivers need to get used to the new formula too. They always talk about diminishing returns as you go longer into a set of regulations, when they're brand new there's huge potential to find or lose lap time.

It probably is engine related as they haven't been confirmed with Renault yet.

Weird that Boullier says he's certain other teams won't make it. I'm calling bullshit on that one, I think everyone else will be there.

 

Because of the change in regs, every km driven will be important to the teams. Any team missing the test will suffer.

Even the work they do on the simulators would need to be calibrated back to what the cars are doing on the road to make sure they have set them up correctly.

 

I agree with you all, they could have at least turned up with a hybrid 2013 car to test some of the other areas.

With a bit of luck on Lotus part. the Jerez test could be a wash out

 

I agree with AG that with such limited testing and R&D, no team would choose to miss a test unless there was no relevant data to be gained. If that is the case, they would by definition not be ready to compete - be that either financially or competitively.

 

Who else could be missing the Jerez test?

Of those unconfirmed, Ferrari are rumoured to launch on the 23rd or 25th, AMus says Sauber, Force India and Toro Rosso will be at Jerez, Marussia say they will also be there. That leaves:

• Red Bull
• Williams

 

Boulier said he knows for a fact. So it must be one of them or he is gonna look silly.

 

Williams F1 Team ‏@WilliamsF1Team 2h
We'll be on track in Jerez in just over 2 weeks.... and everyone is looking forward to getting going now!


So either Red Bull are missing Jerez or Boullier was lying.

 

Red Bull have been very very quiet

 

Yeah, I'd noticed that too. Odd.