What will Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull look like in 2017?
F1 WILL usher in a new era in February when the all-new 2017 cars are unveiled following the sport’s rules overhaul.
With big changes to aerodynamic rules, and the introduction of wider tyres, expected to produce cars which look visibly different and are significantly faster, 2017’s “launch season” is one of F1’s most anticipated for years.
Renault is currently the first team scheduled to unveil its 2017 car with the challenger to be revealed on February 21 at an event in London.
Force India, meanwhile, will present its new car at an event at Silverstone on February 22, a day before it’s the turn of Mercedes. The world champions will launch their car at the home of the British GP on Thursday February 23.
The Silverstone event will involve a fan meet-and-greet with Lewis Hamilton and his new teammate Valtteri Bottas, while the W08 will also complete its first laps of the season around the historic circuit.
Ferrari will be launching its as-yet-unnamed challenger the following day during a two-day filming day at its Fiorano test track, three days before winter testing begins at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
Lewis Hamilton will be hoping his new Mercedes delivers him a fourth world title.Source:Getty Images
And McLaren has already picked Friday February 24 for its launch day, with CEO Zak Brown promising that fans will be “excited” by the new livery. The car, to be named the MCL32, will be launched at its Technology Centre in Woking.
Two days later and, on the eve of the first Barcelona test, the new Toro Rosso will break cover on Sunday February 26 — the day before the first test begins.
A number of teams held the first official photocalls with their 2016 cars on the morning of the first Barcelona test and that scenario is set to be repeated in 2017.
F1’s pre-season program again runs to two four-day tests at Barcelona, the first session running from February 27 — the day after the Toro Rosso reveal — until March 2 and then the second from March 7-10.
The first grand prix of a 20-race season is in Australia on March 26.
2017 car launches
February 21: Renault RS17, London
February 22: Force India VJM10, Silverstone
February 23: Mercedes W08, Silverstone
February 24: Ferrari, Fiorano and McLaren MCL32, Woking
February 26: Toro Rosso STR12, Barcelona
VETTEL’S HORROR START TO 2017
Vettel didn’t have the best start to his 2017 campaign.Source:Getty Images
Sebastian Vettel’s first day of F1 track action in 2017 ended prematurely after he crashed during a wet tyre test for Pirelli at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit.
Driving the 2015 SF15-T in artificial wet conditions, the four-time champion crashed into the barriers approaching the fast left-hander leading to a hairpin on Ferrari’s private test track.
The German was unharmed in the accident, but the damage to the car meant he did not return to the track.
Ferrari, who is simulating 2017’s expected higher downforce levels on the two-year-old car, is due to complete a second day of testing on Friday.
Although official pre-season testing does not begin until February 27, Thursday was the third time Ferrari has taken to Fiorano with its 2015 car this month. Last week Kimi Raikkonen and new third driver Antonio Giovinazzi focused on correlating simulator data with the track.
Pirelli was granted an extra test to trial its 2017 wet tyres which, like this year’s dry compounds, are around 25 per cent wider than last year’s.
— with James Galloway
No comments:
Post a Comment