Formula 1 test drives: problems with Schumacher, Vettel and Mercedes

Start-up difficulties for Mick Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, plenty of sand in the gearbox even with long-term winner Mercedes: At the start of the Formula 1 test drives in Bahrain, both Haas and the world championship team had to change the gearbox on Friday morning. Vettel did his laps in the Aston Martin without any problems, then the green racer from Hessen stopped in the pit lane.

At Schumacher’s Haas VF21, the team reported hydraulic problems after a good one and a half hours and decided to convert, so Formula 1 newcomer Schumacher (21) only managed 15 laps before handing his car over to teammate Nikita Masepin after the lunch break. The Russian was significantly faster than the German (1.3 seconds) on his best lap in the afternoon, but the times on Friday were not yet meaningful – also due to a sandstorm that swept the track persistently.

“It would have been great to do the laps we lost because of the hydraulic problem in the garage. Fortunately, we were able to do a few more laps in the end. I was happy I could do them, I was happy to be in the car and I was happy that I could push and try out a few things from time to time, “said Schumacher afterwards.

The fastest man of the day was Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, the Dutchman was also the most successful kilometer collector with 139 laps. World champion Hamilton only placed himself in the midfield, the Mercedes star was tenth, but that wasn’t the problem: the world championship team only made 48 laps on Friday and was by far the bottom of the day.

Formula 1: Mercedes drives behind

“If we have even more problems, it will be difficult in just three days,” said Motorsport Director Toto Wolff during the lunch break, with a view to the very limited test time this year. The gearbox on Valtteri Bottas’ car had to be changed in the morning, after which the Finn only made six laps. Hamilton did at least 42 laps, but had to struggle with a lack of grip for a long time, and modifications were made to the W12 again and again.

At first, Vettel was able to do his laps in more than 30 degrees and strong winds without any problems – in a completely new look: After six years in Ferrari red, the four-time world champion is now on the road in British Racing Green after moving to Aston Martin. Then the tech devil overtook the German, who nevertheless covered 51 laps. His team-mate Lance Stroll (Canada / 46 laps) indicated in the afternoon as fourth overall that the Aston Martin can already be moved quite quickly.

Technical problems are doubly serious this year. For cost reasons, the test drives have been shortened from six to three days. Ideally, each driver only has twelve hours to get used to their new racing car in Bahrain before the start of the season on the last weekend in March.

Formula 1: The results of the first test day