FORMULA 1 - 2015

[MIKA27]

2015 Force India F1 car delayed and likely to miss second test

Force India's new Formula 1 car is now unlikely to run until the final Barcelona test later this month, AUTOSPORT has learned.

The Silverstone-based team has already missed this week's running at Jerez, having originally only planned to launch the VJM08 at the next test at Barcelona.

However, with the team falling behind schedule with getting the car ready, deputy team principal Bob Fernley has revealed that now looks set to only make it out on track for the final pre-season test that begins on February 26.

"Given the workload and timescales involved, it's now looking more difficult to make the first Barcelona test," he told AUTOSPORT.

"Everybody is pushing to try to make it happen, but it's far more likely the VJM08 will run at the final Barcelona test at the end of February.

"That means we will use the 2014 car at the next test. The mileage on the VJM07 will still allow us to run with the 2015 Pirelli compounds."

Despite doubts over when its new car will be ready, Fernley has made it clear that the outfit is in no danger of missing the first race.

"We will be in Melbourne for the start of the season, there's no doubt about that," he said.

"Yes, testing time with the new car will have been limited, but we are doing everything possible to make sure we arrive in Australia in reasonable shape and with as many miles on the car as possible."

PRODUCTION DELAYS TO BLAME

Fernley has admitted that issues with suppliers have complicated matters for the team, but he denied recent reports that it is still without its final chassis.

"It's true to say that expenditure is at its highest at this time of year and we are reliant on a large number of suppliers," he said.

"Although there have been some production delays, the chassis is delivered and going through the various preparation stages.

"We are still awaiting delivery of some 2015 components, but we have commenced the car build process."

[MIKA27]

'Stupid part' blights Renault teams' Jerez Formula 1 test

Renault has revealed that its Formula 1 testing efforts at Jerez have been hurt by reliability worries over what it calls a "stupid part" on its engine.

While rivals Mercedes and Ferrari made an encouraging start to their 2015 programmes, Renault outfits Red Bull and Toro Rosso have had a tougher time.

AUTOSPORT has learned that concerns about the durability of a small metallic shaft that is related to the Renault ERS water pump has left both its teams having to limit their maximum stint lengths.

Renault's managing director Cyril Abiteboul revealed that the problem with the part only emerged in dyno testing last week - which meant it was too late to sort out a solution for this week's running at Jerez.

However, a proper fix will be in place for the next test, which starts at Barcelona on February 19.

"We know what the issue is; we know what we have to do," Abiteboul told AUTOSPORT. "It is just that logistics did not allow for this to take place here.

"It is a metallic shaft that we have to change, and we have to optimise and review the design.

"It is something that was working very well last year, but we decided to change and improve it a bit further with the overall packaging of the engine to also support Red Bull in their attempt to also have very good packaging. That is why we did not really care for that part.

"Usually you have very specific simulations, design tests, and validation protocol. But honestly we did not do it for this part because it is such a stupid part..."

UNRELIABILITY A CONSEQUENCE OF WINTER PUSH

As well as the issues with the metal part, Ricciardo had to have an engine change on Tuesday and both Red Bull and Toro Rosso have encountered battery problems related to unrefined mapping settings.

Abiteboul says that the reliability problems that Renault have encountered in testing are the consequence of its aggressive push to close down the gap to Mercedes this year.

"We are trying to keep things calm and under control," he explained. "I think strategically for this season and next season, the sort of gap that we have to face is not the sort of gap that you can recover in one winter.

"It is such an environment that we have no choice but to be a late braker. And when you are a late braker in this business you must be prepared to take some risks and see a few issues on track."

[MIKA27]

F1 HAS TURNED UP ENGINE VOLUME FOR 2015

Formula 1 appears to have turned up the volume for the 2015 season, if the first days of testing in Spain are anything to go by.

Those at the opening test at Jerez this week have noticed that the upgraded 2015-spec turbo V6 power units are definitely louder than last year’s.

Schmidt said: “And the tone is more like a racing engine than a lawn mower.”

Mercedes’ engine boss Andy Cowell said: “I don’t know why this is so, as we have definitely not done anything deliberate to make them louder.”

Auto Motor und Sport speculated that the improved sound has been due to changes in exhaust length made solely for performance reasons.

[MIKA27]

GERMAN GP DEMISE A DISASTER SAYS LAUDA

Formula 1 legend and Mercedes F1 team boss Niki Lauda says the demise of the German Grand Prix would be a disaster for the sport.

Amid the Nurburgring’s ownership troubles and Hockenheim not agreeing an alternative deal for 2015, the Rhein Zeitung newspaper on Monday quoted Bernie Ecclestone as saying: “I’m as sad as the fans that there will be no formula one race in Germany.”

The F1 supremo explained the likely demise of the event by saying that “as the attendance has been so low for the last few years, it is not commercially viable for the promoters in Germany”.

Lauda, the legendary triple world champion and now team chairman at reigning champions Mercedes, commented: “I hope this is all just sabre-rattling.

“For Germany and for Mercedes, it would be a disaster if there is no German race,” the Austrian told Sport Bild.

Lauda said he cannot understand why F1 is no longer viable in Germany. “The organisers in Germany have to pull themselves together.”

“We have Rosberg in a Mercedes and Vettel in a Ferrari — what more can Formula 1 possibly offer? There must be a way to make it a profitable event,” Lauda insisted.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON MAY REMAIN AT MERCEDES TO END OF F1 CAREER

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton is on the cusp of agreeing a new deal that could see him live out the remainder of his Formula 1 career at Mercedes.

Hamilton at Jerez has been locked in tough talks with team chiefs Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff, amid speculation Mercedes might be eyeing Fernando Alonso while Hamilton is lining up Ferrari as an alternative.

Publicly, however, Hamilton and Mercedes have been making mutual declarations of love, and the major German daily Bild claims they are now close to agreeing a new deal for 2016 and beyond.

“Lewis Hamilton is on the verge of signing a new Mercedes contract,” the newspaper declared.

“Hard negotiations over two days have taken place at Jerez and it is quite possible he has even committed for the next five years and will thereafter retire,” Bild added.

Die Welt newspaper, meanwhile, quoted Wolff as insisting that Mercedes is keen to keep Hamilton.

“We know what we have with Lewis,” he said. “He is a real global star and the Lewis Hamilton brand is very valuable not only for formula one but also for us.

“Our relationship with him is very, very solid and I would be surprised if anything goes wrong,” Wolff added.

[MIKA27]

JEREZ DAY 4: RAIKKONEN AND FERRARI END TEST ON TOP

Kimi Raikkonen put Ferrari back on top of the timesheets as Formula 1’s first pre-season test of 2015 came to a close at the Circuito de Jerez in Spain.

The Finn’s best time of 1:20.841 came late in the day, on a soft tyre run, after he had spent most of the day heading the field on medium and hard tyres.

His late flourish was also the fastest time of the test, a tenth of a second quicker than that set by team-mate Sebastian Vettel on day two of the four-day outing, suggesting that Ferrari have a made a development leap with their poer unit package.

The previous day, Sauber’s Felipe Nasr broke Ferrari’s grip on the top of the timesheets yesterday and today team-mate Marcus Ericsson kept the Swiss team at the top end of the order with a best time of 1:22.019, again set on soft tyres.

Lewis Hamilton set the day’s third fastest time with a lap of 1:22.172, 1.3s down on Raikkonen’s best. Perhaps more importantly his 117 laps took Mercedes test total to an enormous 516. The defending champion’s total for the day was set despite a morning spin that left his W06 stranded at the chicane.

An earlier stoppage was caused by Red Bull Racing Daniil Kvyat. Forty-five minutes into the session he stopped on track with the team later diagnosing an ERS problem that restricted the Russian to the garage for the rest of the morning.

He eventually returned to the fray just before 1pm and ran faultlessly thereafter, racking up 64 laps for the team’s biggest single-day total of the test.

“Once we’d sorted the issue the car ran perfectly all afternoon and we were able to get through the key elements of the programme we had mapped out,” said Red Bull’s head of race engineering Guillaume Rocquelin. “This week has all been about establishing reliability and while we’ve had a few niggles the car is pretty much where we want it to be.”

“We focused on medium and long runs all week and Dany was able to do more of that work this afternoon. We did lose track time over the four days and that’s always frustrating, as you inevitably have to scratch some things off the ‘to do’ list, but the major items were covered so I would say we’re leaving Jerez in pretty decent shape.”

Despite the positive spin, it’s been a tricky week for the Milton Keynes outfit, with their day two running being disrupted by a broken front wing and day three being compromised by the need to change a power unit.

McLaren also had a difficult final day. The team made early progress with the MP4-30, with Jenson Button posting 35 laps, but its running was cut short by a fuel pump issue. Button’s morning running had also been disrupted by an oil system problem.

“Unfortunately, we’ve had a few issues this week – all of which have been pretty small – but cumulatively they meant we were stuck in the garage for quite some time,” said the team’s Engineering Director Matt Morris. “Still, our prime objective coming away from this test was to ascertain that the main car architecture worked, and we’ve done that.

“Today, we had a couple of stoppages, but we were still able to get on with our aero progamme – obtaining correlation data for the guys back at the factory, just so we can check that everything’s working as we expected.”

Honda’s Yasuhisa Arai added: “Of course, we’d anticipated there would be issues – this is a test, after all – but the difficulties we faced here were more than we’d expected, so we weren’t able to get the running time we’d ideally wanted. Nonetheless, Fernando and Jenson’s feedback has been positive and comprehensive – they’ve given us some very good information.”

Elsewhere, Max Verstappen had a busy final outing of the week, putting 97 laps on Toro Rosso’s STR10.

“It was good to run STR10 in anger and after overcoming some niggling problems on the first two days, we managed to do some really high mileage on the final two,” said Toro Rosso Technical Director James Key.

“That was useful, because it meant both our drivers managed to complete a full and comprehensive programme. Our focus has been entirely on reliability, while allowing the drivers to experience every aspect of the job. We haven’t done any work on performance so far and we will not do that until the end of the month.”

“We are not looking at our lap times for now. The important topics are reliability, consistency and driver work, to tune the car to their requirements and give them as much preparation time as possible.”

Romain Grosjean got a first taste of Lotus E23 but his running was cut short after 53 laps with a power unit problem.

[MIKA27]

KALTENBORN: FERRARI HAS MADE A BIG STEP FORWARD

Sauber team principal Monisha Kaltenborn has joined those who are highly impressed with the progress made by Ferrari over the off-season winter months.

Like the Maranello based works team, the Swiss outfit Sauber has made an obvious step forward ahead of the 2015 season. The common element is Ferrari’s improved V6 turbo power unit package.

“From the data we have here,” Sauber team boss and co-owner Kaltenborn told Motorsport Aktuell at Jerez, “we assume that Ferrari has made a big step forward.

“How much progress there is relevant to the competition, I cannot say right now,” she admitted.

Kaltenborn also insisted, however, that Sauber itself – completely pointless in the 2014 season – can take much of the credit for the strong showing so far of its new blue and yellow C34 car.

“It was important for us to take a different approach,” she said. “The fact that we dare to take a risk and go a different way.

“We must take a clear step forward,” Kaltenborn added. “It cannot be that we stay where we ended up last year. We belong somewhere else because we can build better cars than that.”

[MIKA27]

FORCE INDIA WILL MISS NEXT TEST BUT WILL BE IN MELBOURNE

Force India’s car is unlikely to be ready until the third and final session of Formula 1 preseason testing in Barcelona in three weeks.

Force India initially planned to drive in this week’s first tests in Jerez in southern Spain, albeit with last year’s car, before making a late call to skip it because there was little to learn from doing that.

It also will pass on the second tests from February 19-22, and instead hopes to be ready for the final session from February 26-March 1.

“Although everybody is working toward getting the VJM08 to the next test session in Barcelona, it’s more likely the new car will appear at the final Barcelona test,” the team said in a statement on Wednesday.

Force India finished sixth in the constructors’ championship last year, with German driver Nico Hulkenberg finishing ninth and Mexican Sergio Perez one behind in the drivers’ standings.

It secured nine top-six finishes overall: Seven for Hulkenberg and two for Perez, who had the best performance with third place at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April.

They have the same line-up for this year’s championship, which begins on March 15 in Melbourne, Australia.

[MIKA27]

F1 TO DISCUSS 1,000 BHP ENGINES IN PARIS MEETING

Formula 1 is targeting a return to four-digit horse power with the sport’s powerful strategy group set to meet over the issue, in Paris on Thursday.

High on the agenda for discussion will be Bernie Ecclestone’s desire for 1,000 horse power by 2017.

The F1 supremo has confirmed to Forbes that the so-called new engine ‘unfreeze’, allowing manufacturers to more freely develop their turbo V6s throughout the season, will not be enough.

“(It’s a) good power unit and a wonderful bit of engineering but not designed for formula one,” he told business journalist Christian Sylt.

Indeed, a new report by Italy’s authoritative La Gazzetta dello Sport reveals that Ecclestone is preparing to propose a move to a 2.2 litre, bi-turbo V8 which would deliver pwoer similar to the F1 trubo engines of the eighties [above].

Others may argue that the current V6 architecture is fully capable of delivering the kind of horse power punch that Ecclestone is seeking.

Andy Cowell, engine boss at F1 pacesetter and reigning champion Mercedes, told Speed Week: “The maximum power output of the V6 turbos, if we reach 100 per cent thermal efficiency, is 1,630hp.

“That would be perfection, and perfect is what we strive for,” he added.

FIA president Jean Todt confirmed that the issue of engines will be discussed at the Paris meeting on Thursday.

“Personally,” he is quoted by Russia’s f1news.ru, “I am open to any constructive suggestions, but on the condition that we ensure the stability of the technical regulations.

“If it is possible to increase engine power under the current rules, then it can be considered a normal evolution,” the Frenchman added.

[MIKA27]

ECCLESTONE COMMENTS CATCH NURBURGRING BY SURPRISE

The apparent demise of Formula 1’s historic German grand prix is causing a stir in the country, after Bernie Ecclestone triggered controversy when he told the Rheine Zeitung newspaper that Germany will not host a race in 2015.

And major dailies including Welt and Bild are reproducing the F1 supremo’s subsequent claim that the reason for the uncertainty is due to “lousy” crowds at the Nurburgring and Hockenheim.

A Nurburgring spokesman, meanwhile, said he was “surprised” when Ecclestone declared that there will be no German GP in 2015.

“What I can say,” Pietro Nuvoloni told Sport1, “is that we had a conversation with Mr Ecclestone about two weeks ago and we agreed confidentiality. We were a little surprised by what Mr Ecclestone said, although he did revise it three or four hours later.”

At the Jerez test on Tuesday, Mercedes’ Niki Lauda and Nico Rosberg said they hoped Ecclestone and German race organisers ultimately resolve their problems.

A Mercedes spokesman, meanwhile, told Welt: “Firstly, the German grand prix is our home race, but on the other hand it is one of the most traditional races on the formula one calendar.

“For us and for F1 it would be a great shame if it did not take place this year, but we are not responsible for the formula one calendar,” he added.

FIA president Jean Todt also said the issue is between the German circuits and Ecclestone.

“So far I can only refer to the calendar,” he told Russia’s f1news.ru, “and if you look at the championship for 2015, you will see the German grand prix.

“If there are any commercial problems, it is not the FIA but rather the commercial rights holder that should comment,” Todt added.

[MIKA27]

HOPE FOR MCLAREN AS THEY COMPLETE DECENT MILEAGE

After two tricky days, the McLaren appeared to have turned a corner, managing 32 trouble-free laps around Jerez, which enabled them to put the first serious miles on both the MP4-30 and the Honda RA615H power unit.

Work from the night-shift mechanics ensured Fernando Alonso was able to take to the track as soon as the session started; and, after a couple of exploratory installation laps and aero checks, they were able to ramp up his programme, extending the length of each run.

Despite only running on a damp track, and using Pirelli’s intermediate tyres, Alonso racked up a decent number of laps until he was side-lined before lunch.”

He had just begun a timed run when he felt something awry with the car – he returned the car to the garage, where the team discovered a loss of cooling water pressure. Fixing the issue required the removal of the power unit – a lengthy change that we couldn’t have completed in time for the car to return to the track [Wednesday].”

Eric Boullier, McLaren-Honda racing director summed up the day: “Jenson’s final lap last night made us all feel happier, because we felt we’d cured the issues that had affected us on Sunday and Monday. This morning, it was a relief to see the car get out of the garage at 9am, and run without problems for several hours.”

“Fernando’s comments were very positive, too: he said the car was reacting well to changes, and felt stable. Operationally, we’ve already covered everything in our programme, but what’s even more positive is that we’ve been able to carry out a number of longer runs. They’ve shown us that the car doesn’t have any conceptual or architectural issues.”

“It’s good to see that the car is effectively able to run straight out of the box, without any major issues. That’s the most positive point of the day.”

[MIKA27]

FRUSTRATING DAY OF MIXED FORTUNES FOR RICCIARDO

Red Bull’s third day of testing at the Circuit de Jerez in Spain got off to a slow start when the team detected an issue and elected to change the power unit in Daniel Ricciardo’s RB11.

Once complete, the team was able to get him back out on track where the car ran reliably for the rest of the session, with Ricciardo registering a series of useful long runs.

“Although we were limited with running today, we got some long runs together and that was encouraging,” said Ricciardo . “I was happy to do some 10-15 lap runs as that’s always where you get a better understanding of the car. Every lap we do we understand something more about the car or the driveablility of the Renault power unit. So it was a decent afternoon.”

“In terms of where we’re at, it’s impossible to know about the pace because we don’t know what people are running, but I think the consistency today was good, we put a few laps together in the end, so a few positives to take away from [Tuesday],” added Ricciardo.

Head of Race Engineering Guillaume Rocquelin commented: “A day of two halves really. The engine issue arrived very early – I think Daniel had about five laps on the board at that point. We knew what the issue was and so we decided to change the power unit and that took some time.”

“However, when we got Daniel back out the car ran without any problems and we were able to put together a couple of longer runs, which were good. In the end we managed a decent total of laps given the restricted running and we’re happy with how the car performed.”

[MIKA27]

LOTUS PROGRESSING WELL WITH MERCEDES POWERED E23

Lotus F1 Team enjoyed a productive day of testing at the Circuito de Jerez with Pastor Maldonado completing 96 laps, setting a best time of 1:22.713,as the team continued with installation and functionality checks with the E23 Hybrid as well as initial performance assessments.

Maldonado reviewed his day behind the wheel, “It was a good day and we’ve learnt a lot more about the E23. The car feels strong and we know there’s more to come. We’re still checking all the systems and learning how everything works, but I’m very happy with progress over the last two days.”

“We were able to run with different tyre compounds today so there’s a good basis for knowing where we need to look in terms of set-up. I’m really looking forward to getting back into the car in Barcelona.”

Lotus trackside operations director Alan Permane said, We’ve completed a solid programme [Tuesday] and been able to log a lot of data as we begin our initial understanding of the E23. Yesterday’s issues were quickly diagnosed and rectified.”

“We’ve run very reliably with only a connection issue to delay our first run this morning. Pastor’s jumped straight back into the car after the winter break and has given us everything we’ve needed over the last two days, now we’re looking forward to Romain getting his first taste of the car [Wednesday],” he added.

[MIKA27]

Marrusia's F1 return given a boost

Marussia's hopes of making it onto the 2015 F1 grid have been given a boost after it was announced the team are to come out of administration.

The Banbury squad missed the final three races of last season after they went into administration in October before ceasing trading in November with more than 200 employees made redundant.

However, the team are determined to take part in the 2015 Formula 1 season and their administrators have announced they will exit administration later this month via a Company Voluntary Arrangement.

"Since the appointment of administrators negotiations have taken place with a number of parties to try and secure a long-term solution for the team," said Geoff Rowley, joint administrator at FRP Advisory.

"We can confirm that negotiations continue towards a longer term viable solution for the business and participation of a team in the 2015 season.

"It is envisaged that, prior to the commencement of the first race of the 2015 season, investment into the business will be made upon the company exiting from administration via a Company Voluntary Arrangement, which is planned for 19 February 2015.

"A CVA is a restructuring process agreed with the company's creditors which allows for a turnaround of the business and the creation of a longer term viable solution for the team.

"Given the confidential nature of the negotiations underway we are unable to provide further details.

"The joint administrators would like, on behalf of Marussia F1 Team, to thank all involved with the team for their support during this process."

Reports also claim that the team have paid their 2015 entry fee and are hoping to make a return as Manor GP.

[MIKA27]

F1 testing: Sauber denies doing glory runs at Jerez

Sauber has not been doing low-fuel 'glory runs' in a bid to chase Jerez Formula 1 testing headlines, insists Marcus Ericsson.

Felipe Nasr put Sauber on top on day three of the test, while its drivers were second behind Ferrari on every other day.

On each occasion the Sauber time came on soft tyres, but Ericsson's Wednesday best was set early in an 11-lap run, indicating a heavier fuel load.

Asked by AUTOSPORT how much of its hand Sauber was showing this week, Ericsson replied: "We have quite a bit of margin, to be honest, so that's positive.

"We've had a really good test. It's been very positive that every day we've done a lot of laps and we've had no real issues with the car.

"And it was interesting for me driving on day one and day four to see the progress we've already started to make.

"The car I drove on Sunday to the car I drove this afternoon is quite a few steps on in feeling."

Sauber failed to score a point for the first time in its F1 history in 2014, but Ericsson said the vices apparent in last year's C33 - which he tested in Abu Dhabi during the winter - appeared to have been cured.

"It's difficult to say because I'm coming from a Caterham an this is quite a big step up," he said.

"But also compared to the car I tested in Abu Dhabi, we have improved.

"I think the car has made progress. It's a better car this year.

"It's more stable in general, and under braking and through the corners it gives the driver more confidence.

"Also I think Ferrari have made a good step on the power unit compared to the one I drove in Abu Dhabi. But still we have to wait and see what others have got."

The Swede added that the Jerez pace had been good for Sauber's motivation after its tough 2014 season.

"I got the feeling all winter that everyone in the team is really excited about this season," Ericsson said.

"I think this week made that feeling even better and gave more energy to the guys back home."

[riazp]

Man o Man i'll tell you what, those red bull's in the camo look freaking amazing. One of the nicest designs i've seen on a F1 car.

[MIKA27]

Man o Man i'll tell you what, those red bull's in the camo look freaking amazing. One of the nicest designs i've seen on a F1 car.

Completely agree mate, RBR also state that the design will be even better for the Melbourne GP.

[MIKA27]

HAMILTON: IT’S BEEN PRETTY AMAZING THIS WEEK

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton admitted he was amazed by the amount of mileage the Mercedes team covered with their new car – the Mercedes W06 – during the four day Formula 1 preseason test at Jerez, in southern Spain.

Speaking to media at the end of the final day, Hamilton said, “It’s been pretty amazing this week to see how reliable the car has been and how much mileage we’ve covered. The team here at the track and back at the factories is so enthusiastic and energized which is great to see.”

The team completed 516 laps, a total of 2284 km, of the Circuito de Jerez during the course of the four day test, and on the final day alone combined with the other Mercedes powered teams – Williams and Lotus – they managed a total of 1076 km, suggesting that the current version of their V6 turbo power unit is increasingly bullet proof and a lid being kept on the outright pace.

“It’s been really positive from that perspective and every day here the car has got better as we learn more about it. Everyone will keep bringing upgrades through pre-season, so the cars will develop and they will improve and that then carries on through the first race,” predicted Hamilton.

Last year the W05 powered Hamilton to 11 victories, and was substantially better piece of kit than anything their rivals were able to muster, but Hamilton would not be drawn into making detailed comparisons, “I can’t really say much about the performance of the car yet but it doesn’t feel any worse than last year’s, which is a good sign.”

“We all loved the experience of last year and everyone wants to do it again. This is where you prove out the car – looking for as many laps as you can, not searching for fast times,” added the double F1 world champion.

[MIKA27]

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES IN FORMULA 1

In comparison to last year this edition of Formula 1 testing at Jerez was a huge success and illustrates what a difference a year makes in Formula 1.

Last year was the dawn of the new V6 turbo era, the brand new technology was hardly plug-and-play plus the cars were slower… much slower and quieter too.

Fast forward a year and lap times at the same venue are three seconds per lap faster, there is more noise and the most glaring changes are in the team line-ups, particularly Sebastian Vettel in the red of Ferrari, Fernando Alonso at McLaren and a host of rookies embarking on their first season at the pinnacle of the sport.

And looking back who was fastest of all over four days at Jerez in 2014: Kevin Magnussen in a Mercedes powered McLaren… makes you think!

At the recently concluded 2015 session in southern Spain a reinvigorated and new-look Ferrari team has emerged as an early front-runner to challenge for this year’s Formula 1 championship, after posting quicker times than Mercedes in all four days of pre-season testing this week.

Kimi Raikkonen gave Ferrari another boost with the best time on Wednesday’s fourth day- the quickest from anyone all week – after new teammate Sebastian Vettel was fastest over the first two days.

“These past few days of testing have produced encouraging signs. The team has worked well, both at home and at the track,” said team principal Maurizio Arrivabene, who replaced Marco Mattiacci late last year in a turbulent year for Ferrari that also saw the resignation of long-standing team principal Stefano Domenicali in April.

“But above all, I am pleased that the group has rediscovered its motivation and team spirit,” Arrivabene added, alluding to the rifts that tore Ferrari apart in 2014.

Raikkonen, the 2007 F1 champion, clocked a best lap of 1 minute, 20.841 seconds on the Jerez circuit in southern Spain.

However, with two further sessions left before the start of the new season, Arrivabene remains wary of forecasting success – understandably so, seeing as Ferrari failed to win a race last year for the first time since 1993.

“I don’t think our competitors – one in particular [Mercedes] – have shown their true potential,” he said. “I think we will only discover the truth about them and about ourselves at the last Barcelona test session.”

Marcus Ericsson was second quickest Wednesday, just over one second behind for Sauber, and defending F1 champion Lewis Hamilton third fastest for Mercedes. They all completed more than 100 laps: Hamilton topping with 117.

“It’s been one of our highest weeks (in terms) of mileage,” Hamilton said. “The things we have to work on can be easily rectified.”

Two more testing sessions- in two and in three weeks’ time – should be to Raikkonen’s liking, given that he holds the lap record on Barcelona’s Catalunya circuit.

But Mercedes still looks the car to beat when the season opens on March 15 in Australia, since Ferrari’s pace is still hard to qualify given that it could be running on a lower fuel load.

“They look like they are doing shorter runs, so more kind of qualifying attacking runs, which we are not,” said Hamilton, hinting that Mercedes still has speed to spare.

“I would imagine we’ll have more parts there (in Barcelona), more mechanical test items,” the 30-year-old Hamilton said.

Nico Rosberg’s two sessions on Sunday and Tuesday produced 308 laps of largely smooth and faultless driving, whereas Hamilton’s were slightly more difficult.

Hamilton stopped just short of 100 laps on Monday, losing time because of a water leak, and on Wednesday span the car.

“Nothing much really, it was just a bit damp,” Hamilton said, playing down the mishap. “I was the first on slicks.”

The problems continue for both McLaren and Red Bull, which has the inexperienced 20-year-old Russian Daniil Kvyat driving instead of Vettel.

Kvyat broke the front wing on Monday and missed most of Wednesday’s morning session after returning to the garage early.

Despite boasting two-time champion Fernando Alonso and 2009 F1 champ Jenson Button, McLaren is still scrambling.

A troublesome power unit, meanwhile, limited McLaren to only 12 laps over the first two days and 32 on Tuesday – the lowest of any team on day 3 of testing.

There was an improvement on the final day, with Button managing 35 laps and times substantially closer to the pack, which was perhaps the first glimmer of hope for the Woking outfit.

[MIKA27]

TOST PRAISES TORO ROSSO ROOKIE DRIVERS

Toro Rosso leave Jerez on a high after four days which saw their rookie drivers Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen rise to the occasion, delivering solid and impressive performances while discovering the potential of the STR10.

Team principal Franx Tost said at the end of day four of testing in Spain, “The two drivers did a very good job, producing a strong performance, building up speed over the entire test. If the team and drivers can keep this momentum going in the remaining two tests, then we will be very well prepared by the time we get to the first race of the season in Melbourne.”

“We have had four profitable days testing, during which both our drivers managed to complete a high mileage. That meant we were able to learn a lot about our car. Generally, it ran reliably, with the only issues we encountered being small ones and we are confident we can iron them out before the next test in Barcelona.

“The whole team worked very hard and I thank them all for the great effort and the team spirit,” added Tost.

[MIKA27]

HONDA BOSS HAILS POSITIVE SPIRIT AFTER FIRST TEST

Honda motorsport chief Yasuhisa Arai admits that he had anticipated problems ahead of their fully fledged Formula 1 test with McLaren at Jerez, but despite the problems hailed the efforts and positive attitude that has prevailed in the aftermath of the four day test in Spain.

Arai summed up, “Looking back at the first four days of testing, I’m both happy and relieved that we’ve been able to get the car here and watch it run on the track – it’s a new car and a new power unit, so a huge undertaking for many people in both Sakura and Woking. I’m proud of all their efforts.”

It was a trying four days that the team and their two drivers Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button had to endure, with relatively limited mileage and nowhere near a decent pace.

“Of course, we’d anticipated there would be issues – this is a test, after all – but the difficulties we faced here were more than we’d expected, so we weren’t able to get the running time we’d ideally wanted,” admitted Arai “Nonetheless, Fernando and Jenson’s feedback has been positive and comprehensive – they’ve given us some very good information.”

Despite the circumstances of the Jerez test, Arai revealed, “There’s now an incredible amount of positivity within the organisation. We’ll return to the track in Barcelona – with some modifications – and will be stronger at the next two tests.”

“I’m extremely pleased to see Honda back where it belongs – in Formula 1,” he concluded.

[MIKA27]

GROSJEAN UPBEAT AFTER ONE DAY IN THE LOTUS E23

Lotus, particularly Romain Grosjean, endured a torrid 2014 season where from a front runner and potential race winner in 2013 he was in among the backmarkers last season, but after his first day at the wheel of the Lotus E23 the Frenchman was upbeat.

He said at the end of the final day at Jerez, “My first impressions of the E23 Hybrid are good. Both the Power Unit and the chassis are going in the right direction. I completed over fifty laps today and I can honestly say that all of them were enjoyable to drive.”

Lotus ditched their long standing association with Renault, and are now a Mercedes powered team.

Grosjean added, “The team has made very good progress if you consider where we were this time last year. It’s a very good start and I’m a happy driver.”

The team will next appear in test action at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya on February 19-22.

[MIKA27]

SCHUMACHER SON STARTS ON LADDER TO FORMULA 1

Michael Schumacher’s son Mick (above) is set on his own road to Formula 1, with news that he is signing to compete in Formula 4 this season.

Following in the footsteps of his father and also uncle Ralf, 15-year-old – who has raced karts in recent years under the pseudonym Mick Junior – is reportedly about to tread into the world of single-seater cars.

Dutch reports say he is close to signing for Van Amersfoort’s Formula 4 outfit. Last year, Max Verstappen – only two years older than Mick – leapt straight from a F3 campaign with Van Amersfoort into a Toro Rosso race cockpit for 2015.

Two-time DTM champion Timo Scheider told Sportwoche: “Especially in the rain, Mick seems to be exceptionally fast – obviously he has inherited the genes of his father.”

Van Amersfoort did not confirm the media reports.

[MIKA27]

Ferrari: Rivals sandbagging

Although encouraged by Ferrari's showing in pre-season testing, Maurizio Arrivabene believes one rival in particular has yet to show their true pace.

After last year's dismal campaign in which Ferrari failed to secure a single grand prix win, the team has come out the blocks firing in pre-season.

New signing Sebastian Vettel topped the timesheets on the opening two days at Jerez while his team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was quickest on the final day.

Added to that the team has managed some decent mileage in the new SF15-T.

Vettel covered 149 laps on his two days with Raikkonen putting another 200 on the car on days three and four.

Ferrari team principal Arrivabene is happy with what he has seen over the last few days.

He said: "If one makes a comparison to last year, these past few days of testing have produced encouraging signs.

"The team has worked well, both at home and at the track and our drivers did a great job, providing the engineers with valuable feedback.

"But above all, I am pleased that the group has rediscovered its motivation and team spirit."

The Italian, however, has warned that the true picture has yet to begin taking shape as he feels Ferrari's rivals - "one in particular" - were sandbagging at Jerez.

"In terms of performance, I don't think our competitors – one in particular – have shown their true potential over these past days.

"I think we will only discover the truth about them and about ourselves at the last Barcelona test session."

[MIKA27]

Kvyat to do his talking on the track

Daniil Kvyat is refusing to look too far into the future and discuss the possibility of winning races this year, saying he wants his "results to do the talking".

With Sebastian Vettel moving to Ferrari at the end of the 2014 season, Kvyat was promoted from a Toro Rosso seat to the cockpit of the Red Bull.

Asked by the official Formula 1 website if he could "believe his luck" after earning a Red Bull drive with less than a year in F1, the 20-year-old replied: "I don't believe in luck. This is a result driven environment and if I hadn’t been driving well in 2014 I would not be at Red Bull Racing - even if Sebastian had left.

"Now I have to react to this situation, as this is the real world of hard facts and not a fairy tale planet where luck is the currency.

His team-mate Daniel Ricciardo put up a good fight against Mercedes last year by winning three races and, although Kvyat would no doubt like to emulate the Australian, he doesn't want to talk too much about his chances.

"I don't like to talk about eventualities - I want to let real results do the talking," he said. "I cannot see the future and it is my philosophy not to talk but to do. And the less you talk and the more you show in the season, the better it will look."