Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Formula 1 pre-season testing continues in Bahrain next week. Teams may begin to show their hand in Sakhir after prioritising functionality in the Barcelona Shakedown.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was the fastest driver last week, a tenth quicker than former Mercedes teammate George Russell. But the Silver Arrows were still widely regarded as the standout performers of the test.
Indeed, Mercedes were the only team to complete more than 500 laps. The car already looks near-bulletproof despite the scale of the regulation changes.
Lewis Hamilton led the way in Barcelona but the gaps were tight!
Who impressed you most in the shakedown? ⬇️
Every driver emphasised that mileage was their only concern in the first few days of running. But in the final days of the Bahrain test, we can expect some qualifying simulations that offer a clearer picture of the pecking order.
Juan Pablo Montoya reveals the extent of Mercedes’ sandbagging
Juan Pablo Montoya, a former F1 driver and now a pundit, has ‘heard’ that Mercedes haven’t even come close to pushing flat out in their W17.
In fact, he says they may still have another three to four seconds in their pocket. That means Russell could have set a mid-1:12 in full qualifying trim.
Barcelona shakedown complete ✅ Which team has surprised you the most? 👇
Oscar Piastri’s pole time at last year’s Spanish GP was a 1:11.546, but the track conditions were far more favourable. What’s more, this year’s cars were predicted to be anywhere between one and 2.5 seconds slower.
“I’ll give you an idea,” Montoya told AS Colombia. “The times they were doing in Barcelona, from what I’ve heard, are between three and four seconds away from the car’s full potential.
“To put that in perspective, when we’re talking about the car that’s far behind being two tenths of a second off the pace, when we go to Barcelona, you’ll see that the pole position will be around 1:12, and they’re doing 1:16.”
Could Mercedes have a 2023 Red Bull-style season?
Montoya was then asked whether Mercedes could be as dominant as Red Bull were at the start of 2023. The team scored four one-two finishes in the first five races and were unbeaten until round 15.
One key difference is that Mercedes supply engines to McLaren, the reigning world champions. Their power unit is seen as the basis of their superiority, but it will also strengthen Zak Brown’s team.
“Someone will get it right, and someone will get it wrong,” Montoya said. “If Mercedes is far superior, does that mean all the Mercedes teams are going to be strong?”
Mercedes are currently involved in a rules dispute with their rivals relating to an alleged fuel compression trick. If the FIA allow them to exploit the loophole they have found, it could hand them an inexorable horsepower advantage.
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