F1: Talking points after the first pre-season test of 2022 in Barcelona

Pre-season testing usually sees headlines focused on early flourishes and teething problems on-track; yet this shakedown week in Barcelona developed very quickly into something far more significant. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine meant the 20 drivers and their teams were immediately thrust into the media spotlight for off-road queries, with Formula One acting quickly on Friday to remove the Russian Grand Prix from the 2022 calendar. 

However, that was not the only notable story to emerge from three days of testing vasty different cars amid the new regulations. With under two weeks until the second test in Bahrain, Sportsmail looks at what we’ve unearthed this week in Catalonia.  

The Russian Grand Prix in Sochi has been axed for this season's Formula One campaign

The Russian Grand Prix in Sochi has been axed for this season’s Formula One campaign

It was among a number of significant developments during pre-season testing in Barcelona

It was among a number of significant developments during pre-season testing in Barcelona 

F1 MAKES A STAND 

Vladimir Putin giving the order for Russian troops to invade Ukraine early on Thursday morning sent the whole world into a state of shock – and the F1 paddock was no different. 

Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, rather impressively, immediately stated he would not attend the Russian Grand Prix if it went ahead as planned in Sochi in September, boldly saying: ‘It’s wrong to race in that country.’ 

With sporting events being taken away from Russia at a rate of knots, F1 executives – including president Stefano Domenicali via video-link in London – and their teams discussed a plan of action on Thursday evening. 

Sebastian Vettel, to his credit, immediately stated he would not attend the Russian Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel, to his credit, immediately stated he would not attend the Russian Grand Prix

And by Friday lunchtime, the statement was released. Formula One would not be going to Russia this year, an obvious and correct decision. 

It is a huge development and leaves a spare slot in the 2022 schedule. Turkey’s Istanbul Park, which filled in after a nine-year absence in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the Covid pandemic, seems an obvious front-runner to take its spot, with Qatar and a second race in Bahrain also mooted as options. 

For now though, talk of a replacement race is immaterial and not the most pressing of concerns amid the current Ukraine crisis. 

COULD NIKITA MAZEPIN LOSE HIS SEAT? 

The day before Russia’s invasion, Nikita Mazepin insisted he was a ‘supporter of sports without politics’ when questioned on his homeland’s imminent threat to Ukraine. 

A couple of days later, the 22-year-old’s comments look brazenly out of kilter, with his future in the sport suddenly in doubt. 

Haas are American-owned, but Russian-backed by chemical company Uralkali, whose deputy chairman is Mazepin’s father, Dmitry. 

Nikita Mazepin's future in Formula One is suddenly in doubt following Russia's invasion

Nikita Mazepin’s future in Formula One is suddenly in doubt following Russia’s invasion 

Haas removed Uralkali’s branding and the colours of the Russian flag for Friday’s running – and outspoken team principal Guenther Steiner admitted there were problems which needed discussing soon. 

‘Yeah, it needs to be resolved,’ he told reporters when asked about Mazepin’s future.  

‘As I said before, not everything depends from us here. There is more than the F1 team involved, there are governments involved, so I have no idea what is coming from that side.’

As season starts go, losing a driver due to circumstances outside your control is just about as exasperating as they come. Watch this space. 

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner (L) said there were problems which needed discussing

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner (L) said there were problems which needed discussing

MERCEDES AND RED BULL… AGAIN 

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton topped the standings on the third and final day of testing, inching out team-mate George Russell by 0.095 seconds. 

And who followed? The Red Bull pair of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, in third and fourth respectively. 

The dual hegemons at the top again. Hardly a good indicator in a season where teams and races are expected to be close given the ground-force changes. 

Yet Russell, for one, played down the timings: ‘Lap time-wise, I don’t think it’s representative at all. Even though we are top of the timesheets, I wouldn’t read too much into it.’

He’s right. With teams operating different strategies and approaches to pre-season testing on their journey to the first race weekend in the Middle East, being top of the tree has little value at this early stage. 

DRIVERS’ FASTEST TIMES – FRIDAY

1) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 1:19.138 seconds

2 George Russell, Mercedes 1:19.233s

3) Sergio Perez, Red Bull 1:19.556s 

4) Max Verstappen, Red Bull 1m19.756 

5) Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin 1:19.824 

6) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari 1:19.831

7) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari 1:20.072

8) Alex Albon, Williams 1:20.318 

9) Nicholas Latifi, Williams 1:20.699 

10) Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren 1:20.750

11) Lando Norris, McLaren 1:20.827

12) Fernando Alonso, Alpine 1:21.242

13) Guanyu Zhou, Alfa Romeo 1:21.939

14) Pierre Gasly, Alpha Tauri 11:22.469 

15) Nikita Mazepin, Haas 1:26.229

16) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo 1:30.433 

PORPOISING  

It’s been the buzz phrase in the paddock all week. 

A bouncing phenomenon virtually every car was experiencing at high speeds this week, ‘porpoising’ is a result of the new aerodynamic features of the 2022 car. 

It is caused by the leading edge of the floor being pushed closer to the ground – with the downforce correspondingly increasing – and the closer it gets, the more powerful the ground effect is. 

This increases the downforce until it stalls, and the front of the car rises up suddenly in response to the release of the load. On the straights, with stiffer suspensions and tyres too, it causes the cars to bounce violently up and down at speeds of 180mph. 

As Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz described: ‘It doesn’t feel great. We’re doing 300km/h and jumping 30-40mm up and down. Annoying. Hopefully it’s resolved and it’s not something we need to live with because it’s quite on the limit.’

Those engineers will be hard at work over the next fortnight.  

OPTIMISM FOR CHASING PACK 

For both Ferrari and McLaren – who finished third and fourth respectively in last year’s constructors standings – it was an encouraging few days in Spain. 

McLaren’s Lando Norris went fastest after day one, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was quickest on day two. 

Russell was suitably impressed: ‘Some teams are looking pretty fast – a red team and an orange team in particular look very competitive.’

McLaren's Lando Norris went fastest on day 1 of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

McLaren’s Lando Norris went fastest on day 1 of testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was quickest on day two in encouraging signs for both teams

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was quickest on day two in encouraging signs for both teams 

In a sport which saw Red Bull break Mercedes’ monopoly last year, the addition of two more teams seriously into the fray was exactly what the new rules were designed to achieve. 

The early indications are heartening at worst, and exciting at best.   

PROBLEMS ELSEWHERE…  

After a largely incident-free opening two days, half of the teams in the field endured frustrating ends to testing week No 1. 

Alpine’s Fernando Alonso – who has admitted he has remained at the sport at the age of 40 due to these new regulations – had only 12 laps under his belt before a hydraulics issue forced him off. 

AlphaTauri’s Mr Consistent Pierre Gasly spun off the track after 40 laps, and Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou also went for a spin, before the red flag was waved when his camouflaged Alfa Romeo broke down. 

Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou was forced off the track in his camouflaged Alfa Romeo

Chinese rookie Guanyu Zhou was forced off the track in his camouflaged Alfa Romeo

Aston Martin’s Vettel suffered an oil leak – ruling Lance Stroll out of the afternoon session too – while Mazepin was also forced into the garage for seemingly the same reason. 

Mick Schumacher was the unfortunate driver who was prevented from appearing in the afternoon following a ‘suspected leak’ which had forced Haas off the track.

An inevitability, perhaps, with new cars and new regulations in what is set to be a year of unpredictability and overhaul. Plenty to ponder for all 10 teams ahead of the formal pre-season test in Sakhir starting on March 10.

source: dailymail.co.uk