2014 F1 season preview - Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, Lotus and McLaren

Ferrari

Ferrari have been criticised for their vacuum cleaner nose by some sections of the media and the fans. In Jerez, the F14T didn’t make the best debut that the Italians would have envisaged. Kimi Raikkonen was in the car, which quickly stopped, bringing out the red flags. During the second day, the ‘Iceman’ was in the car again and he completed 47 laps without any issues. Alonso took to the cockpit for the remaining two days, setting fast lap times immediately. He had to park the car on the third day, but the issue was quickly fixed and the F14T was back out on track.

In Bahrain, the team tested the new elements of the car including the clutch, brake-by-wire system and the ERS. In all, this is one team that could have been sandbagging as predicted by the experts, and the prancing horses desperately need a championship winning car more than ever.

Lotus

Next up is Lotus, with their strange take at the regulations, another highly criticised solution, this time involving two noses. The Enstone based squad missed the first test in Jerez, which is quite ironic considering that a while back, they posted a picture with their suggestions for 2014 rules. One of those was that any team absent from the first test should take part in a non-points scoring Korean GP amongst the other teams that didn’t take part. Maybe they just wanted an extra GP?

It seems like Lotus will be the top Renault-powered team this year, if Red Bull don’t pick themselves up. During the first day in Bahrain, Romain Grosjean completed just 8 laps in the E22. Mechanics had to replace the energy store unit of the ERS already on the first day. Not the best debut.

Over four days of the second pre-season test, they managed to put in some useful laps, but often had problems. They did however run a full power car, and not a downgraded version, which suggests that their issues aren’t as big as they seem. If Renault can sort out their problems, Lotus could be a strong competitor for some podiums during the season.

McLaren

Next in the order is McLaren, who fell down the standings last year. This year, they seem to have built a decent car which may be quite competitive at times in the season. Jenson Button will remain with the team and this year, he will be joined by rookie Kevin Magnussen, who could surprise everyone this year. The nose of the car is quite interesting, with very wide front wing mountings allowing plenty of air into the diffuser.

In Jerez, the team faced electrical system problems which meant they were unable to run on the first day. After those teething problems were fixed, Jenson Button took the wheel of the MP4-29 on the second day, which was partly wet, and completed 43 laps. Kevin Magnussen made his debut in an F1 car on the third day, but had to make space for Jenson Button in the morning as the team decided to expand the Briton’s running time. 92 laps were completed altogether. On the last day, Magnussen extended the mileage of the MP4-29 by a further 110 laps and gained experience on a damp track.

In Bahrain, Magnussen was in the car for the first two days, racking up 81 laps on the first day and 46 on the second. An IT problem appeared on the second day which limited running, but Magnussen still managed the fastest lap of the day. The team started looking at aerodynamics and evaluating updates from Jerez. On the third day, Button logged 103 laps, which included a race simulation. Another 66 laps were added to the mileage the following day, as Button performed some setup work.

During the final test in Bahrain, the first two days were focused on reliability. Day 2 was limited by a gearbox issue, but Button still managed 52 laps in the last 75 minutes of the day. New parts were fitted to the car for the final days which meant the focus was on them. Both drivers tried the new components, but a small problem limited Magnussen’s time behind the wheel on Day 3. Day 4 also wasn’t very positive due to an engine change taking place in the garage. Button managed just 22 laps during the day.

Overall, reliability seems very good for the Woking squad, with decent pace at times. McLaren could get some podiums if their development goes well. Magnussen seems like a very confident and skilled driver and should be closely followed throughout the season.

Written by: Jakub Kot