Mercedes scares competition - Ferrari without "winning car"

Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari only have three Formula 1 test days left to pick up momentum for their title mission. Mercedes has set a signal with a technology trick.

Barcelona (dpa) - Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari take the brain teaser from industry leader Mercedes into the last Formula 1 tests. The four-time world champion did not want to overestimate the technical trick of the silver arrows.

"Maybe I underestimate it too, but I don't think it's the ticket to win," said Vettel in Barcelona after Mercedes had startled the competition with a new type of steering. "It's a lot more to build a competitive car, but it's certainly an innovation and we'll see if it's something everyone should take up or not."

"Es" is about "DAS" (Dual Axis Steering), i.e. a dual axis control. And as little as this system can be copied within a short period of time, the sign from Mercedes to its rivals is impressive: Even after six driver and designer titles in series, the greedy long-term winner is relentlessly questioning himself. "It is a brilliant idea because it is so simple in principle. You just have to figure it out," said Racing Point technology manager Andy Green to the specialist magazine "Auto, Motor und Sport".

On the second day of testing in Catalonia, Mercedes amazed its competitors. A board camera showed how world champion Lewis Hamilton pulled the steering wheel towards himself on a straight line and then pushed away from himself shortly before the curve. The front wheels tipped slightly inwards before returning to their original position.

This toe-in adjustment is used to regulate the temperature of the tires. The tires usually cool down on a straight line. Thanks to the so-called DAS, the front wheels are easily adjusted, which increases the rolling resistance. Additional friction creates heat, and warmed up tires offer more grip on a turn.

DAS was a powerful signal from Mercedes before the final three test days from Wednesday to Friday. According to the FIA ​​world motorsport association, it will not find its way into the completely revised set of rules for 2021. And even if Hamilton and his teammate Valtteri Bottas made a strong impression in Catalonia, not everything went smoothly. The Finn was temporarily slowed down by an electrical defect on the second day.

Vettel and Ferrari in particular still have a lot of work to do before the first Grand Prix of the year on March 15 in Melbourne, if the Scuderia is to finally win another title. Engine damage cost the German and his troops valuable time. The Italians took a different approach compared to last year, when they were considered a favorite before the opening race after impressive test days. The focus was on understanding the SF1000 and collecting data, not the lap times.

"We don't have a winning car for Melbourne. Others are currently faster than we are," said Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto with self-imposed reluctance. To date, Mercedes has proven to be not only faster, but also significantly more reliable. The Silver Arrows completed 494 laps, followed by Red Bull with Max Verstappen (471). Ferrari only managed 354 orbits.

Vettel's mood is not yet clouded. The balance of power finally shows up in Melbourne. And Hesse could also take "DAS" with humor. He would imagine the new steering behavior as "quite strange". "Imagine you're used to jogging and put on your jogging shoes. Then someone asks you if you don't want to run with flip-flops," said Vettel. "You can do that, but it feels very different."

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