Wednesday January 25, 2006

Early winter testing

The testing part of the F1 season is in full swing and several 2006 cars have been announced. Here is a blow by blow list of who has done what so far... The number of *'s show how good I think they are doing - but no one really knows until the first race...

Renault. Not tested their new V8 on the track yet - something they might regret if they have major problems. So they have had to take their existing engine and lower its power output. But vibrations and other differences do mean this is no real test of what the V8 will be like... ***

Mclaren. The engine for them was the weak link in their package and clearly they don't want a repeat of the engine blow ups this year. They are using Gary Paffett as their new test driver and he has been subjected to one spectacular engine failure already. ***

Ferrari. Broke the usual test ban after the 2005 season finished. Schumi has also broken his usual keep out of the car and have a long holiday policy he has done in previous years. Badoer has had a couple of nasty front suspension failures . They have been testing their own V8's. ***

Toyota. A team to watch perhaps. The first with their 2006 car on the track and tested V8's last year too. The car will have an aero upgrade in Feb and they are doing well. They are changing to Bridgestone tyres so there is a lot of a learning curve there perhaps. ****

Williams. A new engine Cosworth and tyres Bridgestones mean there is plenty to do. They seem to have reliability and it is usually easier to make a reliable car fast but not a fast unreliable car reliable ( as we saw with team Mac last year..) **

BAR. Still puzzling over last years car but they are also running their usual Concept car before the launch of the defacto RA106. The engine is reliable which is good and they have shown a good consistant turn of speed. ***

Red Bull. Using Ferrari engines, which they had to wait for, they used restricted Cosworth engines for testing purposes. The team will benefit when Adrian Newey

BMW Sauber. It will take a while before the impact of being owned by makes its mark and the extra money buys new employees and other resources. I don't think anyone is expecting miracles. **

Midland. The Jordan name is gone and the yellow paint job. not much seems to have changed and the Russian owner has hardly been spending plenty of cash on the team. The Dallara chassis they will use for 2006 is not expected for a while yet but they have tested the customer Toyota engine in last years car. *

Scuderia Team Rosso. What a mouthful and another new paint job for the old Minardi team. They are going to use a restricted V10 in 2006 and that might leapfrog them ahead on the grid. They will however be using modified Minardi 2005 cars in 2006 not ex Red Bull ones.. *