Tombazis: “It won’t be a new 2014. Some will be ahead, but it’s much easier to catch up”

F1 at the gates of the revolution In the Montmeló shakedown the new generation Formula 1 cars took to the track for the first time all (or almost all) together for a very first test. Which, although very partial, provided a promising picture for Mercedes: if it is true that only the teams are aware of the work programs and therefore of the correct weight to attribute to the times, one cannot lie about reliability, and the Brackley team completed 500 laps, more than any other. The numerous mileage brought home by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli is an advantage that Mercedes will take with them into the Bahrain tests (11-13 February, 18-20 February). Added to this are the rumors about the strength of the power unit built in Brixworth, a source of controversy throughout the winter due to the compression ratio issue. And in the meantime the “fear” of the fans of the other teams is that of a new case – 2014, the season in which the power units came into force and the dominance of Mercedes began, which ended only seven years later. Tombazis’ words For FIA single-seater director Nick Tombazis, there is no risk of history repeating itself: “We have simplified the rules (for example, the MGU-H has been removed, editor’s note), and this will ensure that the variations in performance will be reduced. Furthermore, in 2014 the simulation capabilities were different, and some got it very wrong. I believe that will not be the case this year”, this is his comment to RacingNews365. “Finally, we have regulations within the budget cap that give those who are behind a little more time to develop.” The reference is also to ADUO, a concession system to help motorists in difficulty. “Do we expect everyone to be at similar engine levels in the first race? Of course not. Some will be in a very good situation, others will struggle a bit, but we have put all the ingredients in place so that they can catch up as quickly as possible,” he concluded.