Even team chairman Niki Lauda thinks Mercedes has "the edge" over its rivals after the opening test at Jerez. Although teams were not focusing on performance in southern Spain, many pundits believe Brackley based Mercedes has stolen an early march on key rivals like Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.
"This (Jerez) was purely an engine test, so the teams had the chance to try the new engines," former triple world champion Lauda told Osterreich newspaper. "We drove three and a half grand prix distances and I am very satisfied," he said. "At the moment it looks as though we have the edge, but that could change very quickly," Lauda warned.
He said he sympathises with Red Bull, who struggled even to run the new Renault-powered RB10. "The new, hybrid engines are very sensitive and complex and not easy to get to grips with," said Lauda. "Technically, it's an enormous challenge and also at Mercedes we had many small problems, but we were able to solve them immediately," he added.
Lauda recently scolded Bernie Ecclestone for criticising F1's new, 'greener' era, and now he says the Briton is also wrong to complain about the sound of the V6 engines. "The engine noise is just as attractive as before," he insisted. Lauda isn't even bothered about the 'ugly' noses of 2014, insisting: "Once a car is quick and it wins, it is also beautiful."
Meanwhile, the Austrian great has slammed a German magazine called Titanic, who in the latest edition put Lauda's scarred face on the cover with the headline: "First photo -- this is how badly Schumi's accident affected him". Lauda told Haute newspaper: "It's impertinent, disrespectful and absolutely unacceptable. Who would print such rubbish?" (GMM)
Lauda thinks Mercedes has early 'edge' over rivals
- Published on 05 Feb 2014 16:04
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Jan 26
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M. Verstappen
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
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G. Russell
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L. Hamilton
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
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C. Leclerc
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Team profile
- Team name Renault
- Base Enstone, France
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Fernando Alonso 5
- Fernando Alonso 5
- Fernando Alonso 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Fernando Alonso 8
- Fernando Alonso 8
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Jenson Button 15
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
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