Barcelona tests: what did the drivers say in 2015?

Between vague language and genuine admissions, it will not be easy to separate truth from falsehood in the statements made by the drivers at the conclusion of the Barcelona tests. However, for readers eager for information, it’s possible to guard against false hope by revisiting the drivers’ statements made exactly a year ago, at the same preparatory stage of the season.

Nico Rosberg already knew he could count on the best car of the season. “I’m delighted with the winter we spent because I think we did a very good job with the car’s development. The others are fast too, but I’m optimistic; we have a good car. We were comfortable, fast when needed, and we have the best times in testing. So we can say that everything is going in the right direction!” the German declared in March 2015. These statements can be put into perspective with those of Toto Wolff in 2016, who admitted that Mercedes had experienced “its best winter” since its return to Formula 1.

The 2015 Ferrari promised to be much better conceived than its sad predecessor. Sebastian Vettel already imagined himself on the second row after Barcelona 2015, but he was right when he saw Mercedes as the favorite: “We will know a bit more in two weeks, but it is already clear that Mercedes is ahead of everyone. Behind them, there is a small group where it is very tight. It is difficult to say who is the main competitor to Mercedes, because it is very close between Williams, Red Bull, and ourselves. We can guess who will be on the front row unless they have problems, but behind them, I hope there will be the two Ferraris, and I don’t care much about who is behind us then.”

Valtteri Bottas expected a Williams as competitive as in 2014 and he was not entirely wrong, even if he had not anticipated Ferrari’s comeback: « *One of the things we learned this winter is that the FW37 is very reliable. The car we’ll have in Melbourne is very competitive, so this start of the season should be interesting for us.* »

On Daniel Ricciardo’s side, there was a reasonably cautious approach. In reality, the 2015 version of the Red Bull would soon prove disappointing: “Except for one team, Mercedes, I would say it’s quite close between us, Ferrari, and Williams, but we’ll see in Melbourne. I think there’s room for improvement on our part. Personally, I feel ready now, I think we’ll be competitive in Melbourne.”

Force India couldn’t yet rely on a highly developed car. It was only at Silverstone that the Indian team became truly competitive. Sergio Perez did not hide his team’s delay: « It’s always exciting to discover a new car, but it’s also good to have had a reference point with the old one. We know we are behind the competition, but the debut of the VJM08 on track was promising. It will take us two races, in my opinion, to really understand the car. »

At the 2015 Melbourne Grand Prix, Felipe Nasr was able to rely on a particularly well-born Sauber to immediately score 14 points, which would remain as the team’s best total. The Brazilian was optimistic as early as Barcelona and emphasized the reliability, a decisive aspect in Australia: « I’m very happy, we had no issues with the car. I completed 159 laps, which is quite satisfying for the team and for myself. The car is reliable, which allowed us to gather a lot of data. »

McLaren had overcome a cataclysmic pre-season for Honda’s first engine year. Eric Boullier did not hide his difficulties but remained nonetheless – wrongly – optimistic: « The lack of kilometers completed this winter means we are not as well-prepared as we wished. However, we can console ourselves by reviewing the data that confirms we have achieved the objectives we set for ourselves. The start of the season will be difficult for us, but we know we can develop this car very quickly to unlock its full potential. ».

After a disastrous 2014 season, Romain Grosjean concealed the progress of his Lotus but had anticipated Mercedes’ success: “I cannot tell you where we stand because it is confidential, but I can clearly tell you that today Mercedes is the best team. It is the benchmark that is extremely hard to chase. I think they are a second ahead of everyone at the moment, so they have done quite an extraordinary job.”

We see that, as a whole, the drivers and team leaders had left clear indications between the lines. Of course, it’s easier to realize this with the perspective of an entire year. But this little historical overview shows that the statements made by drivers, as regulated as they may be, can truly be clear and precise clues about the upcoming season.