Monisha Kaltenborn satisfied with Jerez tests

Powered by V6 turbo/hybrid Ferrari who has had fewer avatars than his counterpart Renault, the Sauber C33 F1 Team was able to string together laps on the Jerez track for the first winter testing session of 2014. With Esteban Gutiérrez and Adrian Sutil at the wheel, the car byHinwil convinced Monisha Kalternborn, Team Principal of the team founded by Peter Sauber.

“We are satisfied with the first session. » explains Kaltenborn. “Our car was ready just in time. The fact that the C33 worked from day one is the conclusion of a lot of work done by the entire team. A big congratulations to everyone involved. We wanted to see if the mechanics and all the systems worked. The cars are very complex this year due to the new Power Unit, but we have already reached a good level. Of course, it is also important to collect a lot of information. We have a lot of work to do with data analysis and implementing improvements. »

The only downside highlighted by Monisha Kaltenborn concerns the braking of the C33 and the electronically controlled system on the rear wheels. “ The pilots and engineers were not happy about this. It was a software problem in the first place. We were able to make improvements throughout the event, but there is still room for improvement. »

A new aerodynamic package will be brought to Bahrain, which will bring many changes to the C33s. “ We plan to have most of the parts on the car for the first session in Bahrain. This includes new front and rear spoilers as well as several other small items on the car. Other elements will follow for the second test in Bahrain. »

Regarding the 6 V2014 turbo engines, Monisha Kaltenborn doesn't want to move too quickly. “It is very difficult to judge at this stage. The only thing you can place in an order is the number of laps the teams did with the respective engines. The order is clear: Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault. But comparing performance is impossible at present. Some could still play other cards. I'm sure there will be changes until the first race in Melbourne. For now this is just a snapshot. »

The next test session will take place in Bahrain, on the Sakhir track, from February 19 to 22.

Find the report of the Jerez tests carried out by our special correspondents in Spain in the 1946 issue of AUTOhebdo, already available in digital version and from Wednesday February 5 on newsstands.