Sakhir, 1 Mar 2014: Nico Hulkenberg returned to the cockpit of the VJM07 today as Sahara Force India completed the penultimate day of pre-season testing in Bahrain doing 100 or more laps for the third day.
Day Three Statistics:
Chassis: VJM07-01
Laps: 115 laps
Mileage: 622 km
Fastest lap: 1:36.205
Classification: P6
Nico Hulkenberg: “Lots of laps today, which is good, and it’s the third day in a row that the team has done more than 100 laps. When I jumped in the car this morning I could feel the progress the team has made since I last drove at the end of last week, so it shows we are moving in the right direction. The track conditions were quite tricky because it was windy, but otherwise it was a successful day and my feeling with the car is pretty good. We got through the test programme and hit the objectives for the day, including a race simulation in the afternoon. For the final day tomorrow we will continue doing our homework for Melbourne, ticking off the boxes and try and do another race simulation.”
Andrew Green, Technical Director:
“Once again we were able to do a lot of valuable work today and hit our target number of laps, which is very satisfying. At this stage of testing we still have lots of items to evaluate, but we’ve been able to combine this with giving Nico the opportunity to explore numerous set-up options ahead of Melbourne. He managed to try all the different tyre compounds available today and did three solid long runs at the end of the day, which went to plan. Nico also ran through some of the new procedures needed this year, especially those for grid formation.” -A Sahara Force India press release.Nico Hulkenberg at Bahrain Testing. A Sahara Force India photo
A short statement on the home page ot Formula One Teams’ Association at www.fota.co said:
As of the 28th of February 2014 FOTA will be disbanded, as a result of its members’ having re-evaluated their requirements in the face of a changing political and commercial landscape in Formula 1.
Volkswagen to “sweep streets” of León as 1st, 2nd and 4th in WRC standings
First gravel rally of the year around the geographic heart of Mexico
High altitudes pose additional challenge for man and machine
Wolfsburg, 28 Feb 2014: Gravel for the first time, high altitudes, and a welcome problem – Volkswagen face a special challenge when they line up at the Rally Mexico (06–09 March). The three Volkswagen works duos will feel gravel under their Polo R WRCs for the first time this season at the third round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). The teams swap the winter of Monte Carlo and Sweden for the summer temperatures of Mexico. And then there is a geographic anomaly on the WRC calendar: with altitudes on the special stages ranging from 1,832 metres above sea level to a staggering 2,781 metres, the World Championship leaders will quite literally be hoping to race off into thin air at the head of the field, according to a Volkswagen Press Release.
The engines lose up to 30 per cent of their performance in these conditions. And Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) as World Championship leaders, Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) in second place, and Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) in fourth place in the World Championship find themselves confronted by another problem. Their positions in the World Championship standings mean they have the dubious honour of being first out onto the route. As such, they will take on the role of “street sweepers” in León, clearing the special stages of loose gravel – the scourge of good stage times – for the following cars.
“While the focus was more on driving ability at the first two WRC rallies of the year in Monte Carlo and Sweden, the material will be put to a bigger test this time around in Mexico,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. “Adjusting the engine management system to cope with the extreme altitude is a fiddly job for the engineers, who must find the right balance between reliability and losing as little performance as possible. Furthermore, our driver/co-driver pairings have a Herculean task ahead of them. Their positions at the top of the World Championship mean they may – or must – open the route. Despite this huge handicap, I firmly believe that Jari-Matti Latvala, Sébastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen will provide the odd bit of magic here and there, and hopefully surprise everyone.”
Who is quicker than Speedy Gonzales? – Small miracle needed on day one
With every World Rally Car that passes, more and more of the thick layer of gravel is cleared from the special stages. This effect even continues into the second loop of special stages at the Rally Mexico. This is a clear disadvantage for those opening the route. As such, even more pressure is on the drivers and co-drivers in the Volkswagen team. The works duos will be looking to limit damage on day one of the rally with a flawless job and perfectly calculated risks. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila top the Driver and Co-Driver standings with 40 points. As such, they will be first out onto the special stages on the opening day. Their team-mates Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia will follow two minutes later. With 35 points to their name, they are currently second in the World Championship. Another four minutes later, it is the turn of Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (24 points, fourth place in the World Championship) to hit the road.
The rules regarding the starting order in the WRC were revamped ahead of the season. The first day of the rally is now always run in the same order as the World Championship standings. The order on the remaining days is according to the overall standings at the end of the previous day’s rallying. Unlike in previous years, there will be no qualifying ahead of the start of the rally.
Like jogging with a snorkel – engines toil in thin air
The performance of the 1.6-litre turbo engines in the World Rally Championship is limited using an air restrictor, in accordance with WRC regulations. The effect is similar to breathing through a snorkel whilst jogging. With altitudes of around 2,800 metres above sea level in the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanajuato mountains, this effect is compounded at the Rally Mexico. The higher you get, the lower the oxygen content in the air, resulting in less efficient combustion. Furthermore, the air resistance for the turbo charger is also reduced. This increases the revolution speed in this component, and only by making adjustments with the engine management system is it possible to avoid a mechanical overload. The engines consequently generate 28 to 30 per cent less power than they do at the Rally Sweden.
“The altitude at the Rally Mexico affects the engine more than any other part of the Polo R WRC,” said Dr. Donatus Wichelhaus, Head of Engine Development at Volkswagen Motorsport. “On the one hand, the air pressure drops the higher you get, which in turns results in lower oxygen content in the air. On the other hand, the air resistance in the turbo charger is also reduced. As a result, this component achieves higher revolution speeds than at any other rally. In order to guarantee stability, but still lose as little performance as possible, we used various simulations even before last year to prepare for Mexico.”
In the heart of Mexico: mine shafts, winding roads, and “El Chocolate”
The extremes at the Rally Mexico provide a distinctive, contrasting programme for drivers, co-drivers and fans alike. The pop concert feeling of the “Guanajuato Street Stage” with 80,000 adoring fans is in stark contrast with the solitude of the highlands. A short special stage of just over one kilometre is more than offset by a 56-kilometre boneshaker. The Rally Mexico is one of the most multifaceted on the WRC calendar. Three special stages are worth particular mention, purely because of their length: “El Chocolate” on Friday at 44 kilometres, the 54-kilometre “Otates” on Saturday, and “Guanajuatito” with about 56 kilometres against the clock.
The most popular spectator point comes on the “Derramadero” special stage. Among the exquisite ingredients that combine to make the final, televised Power Stage so mouth-watering are the ultra-quick winding roads, a descent of about 200 metres within just 2.5 kilometres, and the “El Brinco” jump, which sees the World Rally Cars fly through the air in spectacular fashion. And all that just four kilometres from Cerro del Cubilete, at the top of which a 30-metre tall statue of Christ marks the geographic centre of Mexico.
Quotes ahead of the Rally Mexico
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
“I like the Rally Mexico. The goal for this year is obviously to repeat last season’s victory. The special stages in Mexico, some of which are very long, are always a big challenge for us. As the second car out, we start in the knowledge that the road conditions will improve with each car. My starting position is definitely better than that of my team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, but the guys behind us will have even better conditions. As such, we will have to perform as well as possible on the opening day, in order not to throw away any hopes of victory early on. One of our strengths last year was the engine in the Polo R WRC. We had fewer problems with the conditions, the thin air and the ensuing loss of performance than our rivals did. However, we all start from scratch again in 2014.”
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
“The win in Sweden was a special moment for me, and has obviously given me an extra dose of confidence. We used tests in Spain to prepare meticulously for the forthcoming gravel rally in Mexico and the difficult conditions we will encounter there. The scrapping of qualifying means I, as the championship leader, have to be first out onto the route in Mexico. It goes without saying that this is a handicap. However, rules are rules. This is definitely outweighed by the pleasure of travelling to Mexico as the leader in the World Championship. I will be sporting about it and do my best whatever the circumstances. If everything goes perfectly to plan, it could still even be possible to win. However, that is not my main goal. We want at least to finish in the points. A place on the podium would be great.”
Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“Sweden was a perfect weekend. We were in contention to win the rally, and second place was ultimately a fantastic result for Mikko and me. Once you have made it onto the podium, you obviously want to do it again. However, you cannot lose your sense of reality. We are now looking forward to Mexico, which is completely new territory for us. It will not be easy for us, as I have never actually competed at this rally. I was able to take part in the ‘Recce’ last season, which allowed me to gain an initial impression. My goal is the top five. I am definitely physically and mentally fresh going into the rally weekend. After Sweden, I went home and spent some time with my family and friends. I also went to New York for a weekend to relax a little. I’m ready to go again now though!”
Three questions for … Martin Hassenpflug
You are the Car Chief for World Champion Sébastien Ogier’s Polo R WRC. In order to be successful, there has to be absolute trust between the Car Chief and the driver. How long did it take you both to build up that level of trust?
Martin Hassenpflug: “It actually happened relatively quickly, as we are both about the same age. It was obviously also an advantage that we had contested the entire 2012 season together with the Škoda Fabia. Since then, there has been a blind understanding between us and we have cooperated absolutely seamlessly. That obviously pays dividends on hectic rally weekends.”
You have worked with many drivers. Can you tell us what makes Sébastien Ogier so special, and what makes him stand out from the other drivers?
Martin Hassenpflug: “Sébastien is definitely determined to win all the time. Ok, nearly all the drivers have that, but it is really extreme in his case. (laughs) When it is all or nothing and the rally is underway, he switches into winner mode – and away we go!”
You and your team pamper and look after the Ogier Polo several times every day. When was the last time you washed your wife’s car?
Martin Hassenpflug: “Actually, that happens very rarely. Every so often I will take it to the car wash, or vacuum the seats and floor at the petrol station. But that is about it. However, I have yet to hear any complaints that I have only been cleaning Séb’s Polo and not her car. After all, that is my work, while her car is private – as such, they are two completely different beasts.”
The number for the Rally Mexico: 3
Volkswagen have their sights set on win number three of 2014 in the third round of the World Rally Championship (WRC). The team from Wolfsburg, and its three driving duos, also travel to León and the surrounding area as defending champions and leaders in all three classifications (Driver, Co-Driver and Manufacturer). Last year, Sébastien Ogier not only claimed overall victory on Volkswagen’s third appearance in the World Rally Championship, but also picked up three bonus points for winning the Power Stage.
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Overall Standings
Drivers’ Championship
Sakhir, 28 Feb 2014: On the first day of pre-season testing a Ferrari topped the timesheet, since then every day has seen a car with a Mercedes engine go quickest. Today added a slight variation to the theme with the same driver going quickest for the second day in a row, with Force India’s Sergio Pérez once again the fastest man at the Bahrain International Circuit.
Along with Pérez, Daniel Ricciardo and Pastor Maldonado were continuing for Red Bull and Lotus respectively, while the other eight teams opted to switch drivers for day two of this final test. That saw Fernando Alonso appearing for Ferrari, Fel
Sergio Perez tops time sheets again on Day 2 during the Bahrain testing on Friday. A Sahara Force India photo
ipe Massa for Williams and Jenson Button at McLaren. Jules Bianchi stepped into the Marussia, Lewis Hamilton took over at Mercedes, Jean-Eric Vergne at Toro Rosso, Esteban Gutiérrez for Sauber and Marcus Ericsson at Caterham.
It was Pérez who set the first time of the day with a lap of 1:46.166. He followed that with a more representative 1:38.014 on his next lap. That stood for half an hour before Alonso announced his presence, going quickest with 1:37.274, before the Mexican driver took top spot back with 1:36.440, 90 minutes into running.
That came shortly after the first red red flag period of the day. Hamilton beached at Turn Three on new hard tyres. Mercedes, tongue-in-cheek, suggested they were testing the gravel. Running resumed as soon as the W05 was recovered and continued until Button necessitated a second red flag, slowing to a halt with a mechanical issue some two and a half hours into the session.
Repairing the McLaren took much of the day but Button was able to resume with 75 minutes of the day remaining and finished the session with a long run.
“We had a problem within the gearbox,” said Button after the chequered flag. “It took a while to change – as anything within the power-unit does these days – but we got back out at the end, and everything ran smoothly, which was good. It was a shame to lose that time – it’s the first major issue we’ve had this winter; but it’s better to suffer it here, rather than at a race weekend.
“We were still able to do a long-run on high-fuel this afternoon. The basic car is good, and there’s a great deal of potential there, but there’s still a lot of work to do. We have a good understanding of the power-unit, and we know how to race it, but, in terms of balance and grip, the car isn’t quite there yet.”
When running resumed shortly before noon, everyone had a time on the board baring Ricciardo, who to that point had only managed installation laps. That would change soon after with the Australian getting on the board with a lap of 1:40.867. Shortly before that, however, Pérez had improved upon his best lap, lowering the benchmark to 1:35.570. That time would stand until the end of the session, despite Force India completing 75 laps after lunch.
“It feels very good to have another full day and to do so many laps,” said Pérez. It’s my last time in the car until we arrive in Melbourne and I’m feeling positive about how things are going. The set-up work today was very useful because we tried some different things to have a better direction for the first race. Everything went to plan and we managed to complete all the long runs in the afternoon.”
After lunch it was Lotus’ turn to bring out a red flag as Maldonado’s E22 caught fire. It was sufficiently serious to end Lotus’ participation on day two. “We had a localised fire in the car which ended our running early and caused a reasonable amount of damage to the E22,” said trackside operations director Alan Permane. “We’re inspecting the chassis and installation very carefully to deduce the cause of the fire and rectify any issues we find. Clearly this is not how we wanted to spend our day, but our focus is getting the most from the remaining days of the test.”
Less spectacular was Mercedes decision to end their day 90 minutes before the close with a gearbox problem, but track marshals had to deal with another fire when Ericsson was required to exit the Caterham quickly as it started to burn, causing the final red flag of the day. It wasn’t all bad news for the Renault teams, however, as Vergne completed 61 laps for Toro Rosso and Ricciardo 66 for Red Bull. The Australian finished the day third quickest in the RB10, less than two-tenths off the best time of the day – though with Red Bull still lagging behind in its pre-season programme, the comparison with teams concentrating on long runs is invalid.
“It went a lot better today,” said Ricciardo. “In the afternoon we did some good stuff. We had a go on the soft tyre, which was nice, to see how the car responds with a bit more grip. We also did one long run at the end, which was very important, just to see how the car is behaving with the tyres. A big improvement everywhere over yesterday and a much more optimistic outlook now I think. We still have a lot to learn and understand, but we’re making progress and the past two days have been a big step in the right direction.”
Testing continues tomorrow.
2014 second Bahrain test day two – unofficial times
1 Sergio Pérez Force India 1:35.570s 108laps
2 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:35.634s +0.064s 122laps
3 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1:35.743s +0.173s 66laps
4 Felipe Massa Williams 1:36.507s +0.937s 103laps
5 Jenson Button McLaren 1:36.901s +1.331s 52laps
6 Jules Bianchi Marussia 1:38.092s +2.522s 75laps
7 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:39.041s +3.471s 89laps
8 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:39.636s +4.066s 61laps
9 Esteban Gutiérrez Sauber 1:39.976s +4.406s 106laps
10 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1:41.613s +6.043s 31laps
11 Marcus Ericsson Caterham 1:42.516s +6.946s 55laps
Sepang (Malaysia), 28 Feb 2014: Yamaha Factory Racing’s Valentino Rossi has completed the second official test of the 2014 MotoGP season as the fastest rider. Rossi wrapped up the three days of riding at the Sepang International circuit in Malaysia with a fastest time of 1’59.999, one of only two riders to drop under the two minute mark after an impressive fastest lap today.
Whilst still struggling to find a perfect solution to the new Bridgestone tyres, Jorge Lorenzo was able to find a change to make some improvement to set up today. The Mallorcan was still less than satisfied overall with the grip levels on offer from the 2014 rubber. Lorenzo was able to step a little closer to the front than yesterday, wrapping up in seventh, just over 0.6 of a second from his teammate in first.
The Team now move directly to Phillip Island in Australia for a further test before the season kicks off under the floodlights of Qatar on the 23rd March.
Valentino Rossi, who did 41 laps today, with a best lap of 1:59.999 topped the time sheets: He said: “First of all I am very happy because I am in first position and I did a good lap. I was one of the only ones in the 1’59s which is positive, especially because with the 2014 tyres in the first test we tried a time attack and I was more than one second slower than today. This test we have always been at the top and fighting for the first position so it’s positive. We still have some problems when it’s very hot over long distance with the new tyres, so we still have to work, but we made a good step from the first test. The next test in Philip Island will be very important to understand if also there we improved a lot like here because I am more than one second faster than the second test of last year so we have been working well.”
Jorge Lorenzo clocked 7th fastest time after 70 laps. “We found a better solution today to improve our situation and adapt these tyres at this track. The tyres are much harder in the sidewalls. At this track, with this tarmac that is very slippery, it’s not the same as Phillip Island or Mugello for example, it’s impossible for us to be competitive. This tyre is much worse for Yamaha and better for Honda. Our bike is competitive, at a similar level to the competitors but with the tyre we have problems. We tried a simulation today and it was worse and worse every lap. In the edge there is a problem with no grip but also when you pick up the bike it spins. You can improve the feeling a little to get more grip but when the tyre starts to drop the problems get worse and worse,” Lorenzo said.
Sergio Perez who topped the time sheets in Bahrain on Thursday. A Sahara Force India photoBahrain: After a four-day hiatus Formula One returned to the Bahrain International Circuit today to begin its final pre-season group test before shipping out to Australia and the first grand prix of the 2014 season. Force India’s Sergio Pérez recorded the fastest lap of the day, though few teams seemed to be searching for outright pace. Headline times were several seconds slower than those recorded at the circuit last week. Instead, the day saw the front runners largely focussing on long-run pace and – as is now expected at the last test of the winter – fitting aerodynamic parts closer to a race-specification than those seen previously.
Pérez finished nine-tenths of a second quicker than Valtteri Bottas, though the Finn recorded the highest mileage of the day, with 128 laps for Williams. Kimi Räikkönen for Ferrari was third quickest, Nico Rosberg fourth for Mercedes and Adrian Sutil fifth for Sauber. McLaren’ Kevin Magnussen was sixth fastest. He completed 109 laps, joining Pérez (105) and Bottas in three figures. That was seventy laps more than seventh-fastest Daniel Ricciardo managed for Red Bull – he did, however, had the consolation of being the fastest of the Renault-engined cars. Eighth on the timesheet was Marussia’s Max Chilton who was followed by Daniil Kvyat for Toro Rosso, Pastor Maldonado for Lotus and Caterham’s Kamui Kobayashi.
Bottas was the first man out on track, leaving the garage almost immediately the pitlane exit light turned green, though all 11 teams were lapping within the first half-hour. The first time of the day was set by Ricciardo, with a 1:40.262. The Australian dropped that to 1:38.642 moments later, over a second faster than the RB10 managed at the previous test.
If that were a reassuring start for one Renault team, the opposite was true at another as Caterham caused the first red flag of the day, with Kobayashi pulling his smoking car over 40 minutes into the session.
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg gave the timesheet a familiar shape when he went fastest an hour and a half after the start with a lap of 1:37.722. That stood as the benchmark for an hour before Pérez took a second out of it with a lap of 1:36.051. He then improved to 1:35.290 as the lunch break approached.
“We really needed a good day to start this week and today we had it,” said Pérez. “We managed to do a lot of laps, try several different compounds and mappings, and it’s been a fantastic day in terms of learning about the car. Tomorrow is my last day in the car before the season starts so hopefully we can have another solid day to be in good shape for Melbourne.”
In a change to the timetable for the previous test, a half-hour break was scheduled for 1300, compensated with an extra half hour on track at the end of the day. The change was for the benefit of the track marshals rather than the teams – though some had a busy lunch break as Pastor Maldonado stopped out on track a few minutes before the interval. Lotus had been trialling a new exhaust system and later revealed this to be the source of the breakdown. They did not run again during the day.
After lunch Kvyat caused another red flag, stopping the Toro Rosso at Turn Two but there was happier news from the other Italian team. An unspecified glitch had restricted Raikkonen to just 12 laps in the morning but Ferrari were able to resolve the issue and allow the Finn a full afternoon of running – though it was he who brought the session to a slightly premature conclusion, stopping out on track a few minutes before the scheduled close.
Things were going the other way at Red Bull. Ricciardo completed 32 laps in the morning but failed to build on that, spending much of the afternoon in the garage as the team suffered a problem with its exhaust. Ricciardo added a further seven laps at the end of the day – but with Red Bull wanting a significant increase in track time this week, it was not the ideal start to proceedings.
“We sent Daniel out for a long-ish run, but we had to abort about five laps in, as we noticed some issues on the sensors,” explained race engineering co-ordinator Andy Damerum. “We brought him in, had a look at the car and discovered that we had a problem with the exhaust. So we had a long afternoon in the garage, but we did manage to get Daniel back out at the end of the session, which was good. We have some work to do overnight but hopefully tomorrow we’ll be able to run in a similar style to this morning.”
Testing continues tomorrow and will run until Sunday.
2014 second Bahrain test day one – unofficial times
1 Sergio Pérez Force India 1m35.290s 105laps
2 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1m36.184s +0.894s 128laps
3 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 1m36.432s +1.142s 54laps
4 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m36.624s +1.334s 89laps
5 Adrian Sutil Sauber 1m37.700s +2.410s 89laps
6 Kevin Magnussen McLaren 1m37.825s +2.535s 109laps
7 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull 1m37.908s +2.618s 39laps
8 Max Chilton Marussia 1m38.610s +3.320s 44laps
9 Daniil Kvyat Toro Rosso 1m39.242s +3.952s 56laps
10 Pastor Maldonado Lotus 1m40.599s +5.309s 31laps
11 Kamui Kobayashi Caterham 1m42.285s +6.995s 19laps
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The dispersion of water increases from 60 to 65 l/s (+ 8%)
Milan, 26 Feb 2014: Teams will get their final chance to test the 2014 P Zero tyres and prepare for the forthcoming Formula One season at the last four-day test in Bahrain this week. Coming straight off the back of the previous four-day test in Bahrain last week, the teams will be able to keep up their testing momentum as they assess the four new slick compounds in the Pirelli range: P Zero Orange hard, P Zero White medium, P Zero Yellow soft and P Zero Red supersoft. At the first test of the year in Jerez, the teams also got the chance to test the Cinturato Green intermediate tyres and Cinturato Blue full wets. Please see and utilise the attached copyright-free 3D video, the first of a series of to be issued by Pirelli this year, which explains the precise functionality of the tyres.
Here is how the Pirelli Formula One tyre range looks in 2014:
P Zero Orange hard
The toughest tyre of the range is designed for circuits that are often characterised by high ambient temperatures, putting the highest energy loadings through the tyres with fast corners or abrasive surfaces. The compound takes longer to warm up, but offers maximum durability – which frequently means that it plays a key role in race strategy. This is a high working range compound. Like all the 2014 tyres, this is a brand new compound with a new construction to meet the requirements of the latest cars, with increased torque, extra energy recovery systems, but reduced aerodynamics.
P Zero White medium
Theoretically this is the most perfectly balanced of all the tyres, with an ideal compromise between performance and durability. As a result, it is very versatile, but often comes into its own on circuits that tend towards high speeds and energy loadings. This is a low working range compound. As is the case with all the 2014 tyres, there is a new profile at the front to take into account the altered vehicle dynamics and improve handling.
P Zero Yellow soft
This is one of the tyres most frequently used tyres in the range, striking a very good balance between performance and durability, with the accent on performance. It is still biased towards speed rather than long distances, but is nonetheless capable of providing a competitive advantage both at the beginning of the race on full fuel and when used as a ‘sprint’ tyre at the end. This is a high working range compound. All the compounds are generally slightly harder than their equivalents last year, in order to deliver the same performance despite the extra forces placed on the tyres.
P Zero Red supersoft
The softest compound in the range is ideal for slow and twisty circuits, especially in cold weather, when maximum mechanical grip is needed. The supersoft benefits from an extremely rapid warm-up time, which makes it ideal in qualifying as well, but the flip side to that important characteristic is of course increased degradation. This is a low working range compound. One of the key evolutions this year has been optimisation of the footprint pressure and temperature distribution. This presents a more even contact with the asphalt, improving grip and handling.
Cinturato Green intermediate
The intermediates are the most versatile of the rain tyres, dispersing approximately 25 litres of water per second at full speed. They can be used on a wet as well as a drying track. The Cinturato Green is a new concept for this year, with a number of the development aspects also transferred to the full wet tyre.
Cinturato Blue wet
The full wet tyres can disperse up to 65 litres of water per second at full speed (increased from 60 litres last year) making them the most effective solution for heavy rain. The latest evolution of the Cinturato Blue means that it is also effective on a drying track, with increased durability. The full wet tyre has a new compound and a redesigned rear tread pattern to further reduce aquaplaning. The result of this intensive work is increased driveability in a wide variety of conditions.
Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery: “We saw more work on tyres at the recent Bahrain test than there had been at the very first test in Jerez, and with teams likely to be attempting more qualifying and race simulations this week in preparation for the opening grand prix, we would expect this upward curve of tyre work to continue over the final four days in Bahrain. It’s still early days, but so far we’ve seen both performance and durability from our latest P Zero tyres, which all feature new compounds and structures to maximise the unique power characteristics of the latest-generation cars. The contact patch is greater, to help put down the extra torque, and the working ranges are wider to reduce degradation. As the lap times in Bahrain have shown, we’re already very close to 2013 levels of performance, despite much smaller capacity engines and a completely fresh set of technical challenges.”
Testing Facts:
Teams are allowed an overall maximum total of 135 sets of tyres for testing this year, including the in-season tests. The maximum total for the three pre-season tests is 85 sets of tyres: 25 sets for Jerez and 30 each for the two Bahrain tests.
Teams have a certain number of fixed compound choices totalling 22 sets per car in Bahrain (see table below). On top of that each team was also able to choose in advance eight more sets to try in Bahrain. The ‘base’ slick compounds – ‘winter’, hard, medium and soft – were selected by Pirelli in advance together with the teams to reflect the characteristics of Bahrain.
More Testing Facts and Figures:
Compound
Amount provided per team *
Fastest time in 2013 **
Supersoft
N/A
N/A
Soft
2
N/A
Medium
10
1.32.330
Hard
8
1.36.961
‘Winter’ hard
2
N/A
Intermediate
N/A
N/A
Wet
N/A
N/A
* Above choice made by Pirelli in agreement with the teams. Each team could choose further 8 sets for this test.
** Based on the results of the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix.
24 Feb 2014: The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has today announced an extension to its agreement with OMP Racing S.p.A., with the Italian motor sport company continuing as Official Supplier of Racewear to the federation in 2014 and 2015.
OMP Racing is a world leader in the design and creation of accessories and components for motor sport and among other initiatives it will be supplying technical racing clothing to FIA Officials and Safety Car Drivers across a range of the federation’s championships. This will include fireproof overalls, shoes, gloves and underwear, products that were researched and developed in the company’s manufacturing facility located in Ronco Scrivia, near Genoa (Italy).
Commenting on the agreement FIA President Jean Todt said: “The FIA is pleased to be able to continue its relationship with OMP for the supply of racewear to our personnel. Safety is always at the heart of the FIA’s motor sport mission and it is crucial that our event officials have access to equipment that meets the rigorous standards we set in this regard. OMP has been a leader in its field for over four decades and we are looking forward to working closely with the company in the coming years in order to further enhance safety and efficiency across our championships.”
Paolo Delprato, OMP C.E.O., added: “The extension of our agreement with the FIA, the top authority that guarantees safety in motor sport, is a further confirmation of the good work we have been carrying on for over 40 years. For some years the focus of our R&D department has been directed towards the development of leading products that blend performance, quality, comfort and safety. Therefore, being chosen by the FIA as official supplier is very satisfying, as it is a further demonstration of our competence. OMP is also very pleased that it is to be the exclusive supplier of FIA technical clothing for the Formula E electric single-seater championship, which, commencing in September 2014, will represent the biggest innovation in motor sport of the last few years. This is a real challenge for the future, and one in which OMP is delighted to take part.”
Bahrain, 22 Feb Mercedes tops time charts on the last day of testing at Bahrain on 22 Feb 2014. A photo by Pirelli Tyres2014: The Formula One teams have been able to complete more testing distance with Pirelli’s new 2014 range of tyres in Bahrain, as they begin to get a better picture of how the latest tyres interact with the radically different new cars. A number of teams were able to complete race simulations, as well as qualifying and pit stop practice, assessing every aspect of tyre usage. Weather conditions remained dry and warm, in the region of 20 degrees centigrade or higher: temperatures that are much more representative of the season as a whole.
In accordance with the nominations they had made in advance, the teams were able to try out the entire 2014 range of P Zero tyres in Bahrain, as well as a special ‘winter’ hard compound, with a faster warm-up.
Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director:
“The teams were able to learn more about tyres over the four days in Bahrain than they could in Jerez two weeks ago, thanks to increased running time and optimal weather conditions. Although the teams are still at a comparatively early point on the development curve with their new cars, testing data so far indicates that the 2014 tyres are more consistent and durable than their predecessors. As a result, we are also seeing fewer ‘marbles’ on the circuit: one of our objectives at the start of this season. However, teams are likely to improve their performance and understanding of the car-tyre package still further in the test to come, which means that the lap time differences we have been seeing between the compounds are likely to come down: especially when the teams discover more downforce as the season goes on. We’ve collected plenty of useful data from this test, but of course we are still ready and able to change the specification of the tyres for the start of the season if this is shown to be necessary.”
Testing Facts:
Teams ramped up their distance considerably over the four days of the test. In total, 482 laps were completed on the first day of the test, with 676 laps on day two, 695 laps on day three and 469 laps on day four.
Teams had a maximum of 30 sets of tyres per car to test in Bahrain. Pirelli, in conjunction with the teams, chose 22 of those sets (plus an extra medium ‘prototype’ set – used to test the performance of tyres without tyre warmers, which is part of the 2015 regulations). The teams were then able to choose in advance the remaining eight sets, up to their maximum permitted total of 30. In total, 135 sets of tyres are allowed per team for testing purposes throughout 2014.
The performance differences in Bahrain between the compounds so far are approximately as follows: the supersoft is around 0.7s per lap faster than the soft, the soft is around 1.2s per lap quicker than the medium, and the medium is around 1.3s per lap quicker than the hard. These gaps should come down considerably as the cars evolve.
More Testing Facts:
A total of 24 drivers took part in the Bahrain test, completing 2,322 laps and 12,566 kilometres. Last year, the second test of the year took place in Barcelona, over exactly the same four-day period, during which the drivers completed 16,006 kilometres.
The total testing distance completed so far this year, combining Jerez and Bahrain is 3,792 laps and 19,074 kilometres. This time last year, the teams had completed 6,970 laps and 31,640 kilometres of pre-season testing (Jerez and Barcelona 2013 combined).
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg set the fastest time of the Bahrain test, with a time of 1m33.283s on Saturday with the P Zero Yellow soft. By way of comparison, the fastest race lap at the Bahrain Grand Prix last year was 1m36.961s, set by Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel. Pole position at the Bahrain Grand Prix last year was 1m32.330s: within a second of Rosberg’s fastest test time today. At the Bahrain race last year, pole was also set by Rosberg.
The highest number of total laps completed at this year’s Bahrain test by any one driver was 174 laps, from Nico Rosberg (Mercedes). Williams driver Valtteri Bottas set the second-highest total, 171 laps.
Testing numbers:
Total number of sets brought to Bahrain: 341 sets which equals 1,364 tyres
– of which supersoft tyres: 14 sets
– of which soft tyres: 61 sets
– of which medium tyres: 139 sets
– of which hard tyres: 94 sets
– of which ‘winter’ hard tyres: 28 sets
– of which intermediate tyres: 3 sets
– of which wet tyres: 2 sets
Total amount of sets used: 199
– of which supersoft tyres: 5 sets
– of which soft tyres: 37 sets
– of which medium tyres: 89 sets
– of which hard tyres: 51 sets
– of which ‘winter’ tyres: 17 sets
– of which intermediate tyres: 0 sets
– of which wet tyres: 0 sets
Longest run:
16 laps on the supersoft compound
16 laps of the soft compound
22 laps on the medium compound
22 laps on the hard compound
9 laps on the ‘winter’ compound
0 laps on the intermediate compound
0 laps on the wet compound
Highest / lowest ambient temperature over four days: 27 °C / 17 °C
Highest / lowest track temperature over four days: 37 °C / 18 °C
Testing Times:
Day 1
1. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) 1m36.880s on Soft New
2. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 1m37.879s on Medium New
3. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1m37.908s on Hard New
Day 2
1. Kevin Magnussen (McLaren) 1m34.910s on Supersoft New
2. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) 1m36.445s on Soft New
3. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 1m36.516s on Soft Used
Day 3
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1m34.263s on Soft New
2. Jenson Button (McLaren) 1m34.976s on Supersoft New
3. Felipe Massa (Williams) 1m37.066s on Soft New
Day 4
1. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1m33.283s on Soft New
2. Jenson Button (McLaren) 1m34.957s on Soft New
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1m36.718s on Soft New
ends
Sergio Perez remained behind the wheel of the VJM07 today as Sahara Force India concluded its first week of testing in Bahrain.
Day Four Statistics:
Chassis: VJM0701
Laps: 19 laps
Mileage: 120 km
Fastest lap: 1:39.258
Sergio Perez: “It’s a shame to lose the track time this afternoon, but I think we can feel quite positive about what we have learned this week. Every lap in the car gives us more information and we are always trying something new. I was not able to do the long runs we planned this afternoon so it’s important to do those next week. We also need to start pushing the performance and set-up work, which is not really an area we have focussed on that much yet.”
Otmar Szafnauer, Chief Operating Officer:
“Although we didn’t cover a large number of laps today, we were able to complete some aero work this morning and evaluate some more set-up items. The programme was cut short by a drivetrain issue just before lunch, which confined us to the garage for the rest of the afternoon. With the amount of work involved in resolving the problem and the lack of time available, we decided it was better to regroup and put our efforts into achieving our objectives next week.”
endsSergio Perez in a Sahara Force India car. A Sahara Force India photo
Quotes ahead of the Rally Mexico
