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Presented as the most significant change in Formula 1 in years, the 2017 regulations intended to shake up the existing hierarchy seem to have had little effect, at least judging by the first laps of the new cars.
The first tests of the 2017 single-seaters on the Barcelona circuit have already given us a glimpse of how the teams are adapting to the new regulations. At first glance, the hierarchy seems much the same as at the end of last season. Mercedes remains the benchmark in terms of lap times and reliability. After the shock of Nico Rosberg's retirement and the confirmation that Valtteri Bottas will take his place, the Brackley team quickly got back to work, barely shaken by the dramatic events of the offseason. The Silver Arrows set the fastest time – 1:19.705 – in the first week and completed a total of 557 laps, suggesting that the new W08 is already performing well. Bottas has settled in well and has even won over Lewis Hamilton, who seems relieved to no longer have Rosberg as his direct rival. Their budding partnership should give Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda confidence that the team's human dynamics will be calmer this year. Who can compete with Mercedes? All eyes have turned to Red Bull and its ambitious driver duo, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen. So far, they have kept a low profile and their lap times are still far from those of Mercedes and Ferrari. With a different tire mix and engines that have not yet been pushed to their limits, we will have to wait for the next few days—and the first races—to assess the true performance of the top three teams.
The positions in the middle of the pack are more difficult to determine. Haas, now equipped with the new Ferrari engine, has shown impressive speed, but persistent brake problems, a recurring issue since 2016, could handicap it. Sporting director Günther Steiner remains optimistic: “Coming here with a completely new and reliable engine is incredible. The others, who are not to be outdone, have had a few problems. Ferrari has taken a big step forward compared to last year, and that's great.” His comments highlight Ferrari's progress in terms of performance and reliability, which contrasts sharply with McLaren-Honda, which seems to be stuck. With limited track time, Stoffel Vandoorne and Fernando Alonso are already behind in the development of the MCL32. Team principal Eric Boullier is putting pressure on Honda to deliver before the first Grand Prix so that the team does not suffer the humiliation of the last two seasons again. Alonso has expressed his frustration, saying that the current aerodynamic packages and engines leave little room for driver influence, but he added that he hopes to get a little more out of the car by adapting his driving style.
Renault, which fields Nico Hulkenberg and Jolyon Palmer, seems satisfied with its first tests, noting pleasant surprises in terms of performance. The situation is different for the customer teams, Red Bull and Toro Rosso, with the latter facing reliability issues and poor pace, which the team attributes to difficulties with the powertrain.
Further down the rankings, Force India, Sauber, and Williams have been diligent but unremarkable. Williams did, however, enjoy a moment of glory with its young driver Lance Stroll, who nevertheless struggled to adapt, going off the track several times and limiting the team's running time.
The second week of pre-season testing in Barcelona should provide more insight into each team's true pace and the degradation of Pirelli's tires under the new 2017 specifications. As always, the Italian tire manufacturer holds a key piece of the puzzle for the coming season.
