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The first pre-season test last week at Barcelona officially kicked off F1’s new era. The teams got their first chance to test their brand-new cars and ensure they are reliable and performing as they had hoped for, before heading to Bahrain next week.
Right from the get-go, Ferrari managed to impress the most, racking up more mileage across the three-day test than any other team. With both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz equally sharing the workload, they brought the Scuderia’s tally up to a staggering 439 laps. That number is roughly equivalent to more than six Spanish Grand Prix distances.
The team’s radical approach to the new regulations has produced the striking F1-75. The Prancing Horse is finally hoping to break into the front of the field and end its two-year-long winless streak.
Meanwhile, reigning world champions Mercedes finished the test in a close second position with more than 390 laps worth of mileage across the three days. The Brackley team started slowly compared to Ferrari and McLaren, but rapidly picked up the pace. It eventually finished the test with the overall fastest and second fastest laps.
With Lewis Hamilton returning to the sport with fresh vigor after his disappointment last season, the German team will be hoping to provide the Briton with a competitive package to finally seal that elusive eighth F1 world title.
Further down the order, McLaren also managed to impress. Especially on the first two days, Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris often topped the timing sheets for the team. The British outfit also seemed to have uniquely escaped ‘porpoising’, which plagued almost every other team. This might turn out to be an advantage once the season gets underway.
Red Bull has underwhelming start to 2022 F1 season
When Red Bull finally unveiled the real RB18 at the Barcelona test, the radical machine was met with surprise and admiration. Sporting a unique sidepod and underfloor tunnel design that was unlike anything else seen on other cars, the team was expected to impress during the test.
Yet, the team had a relatively underwhelming start to the season, as it neither managed to rack up the most mileage nor did it trouble the top of the timing charts. Furthermore, the team also experienced reliability issues on day two when Sergio Perez was at the wheel, hampering their run programs.
Laps completed by each F1 team during the Barcelona test
