The morning will be most encouraging for the world champions Red Bull,
however, whose running so far in pre-season has been mired by a host of
problems, some to do with the Renault engine, and some to do with the car
itself.
At the end of the final day of the last test, the usually buoyant Ricciardo
was honest enough to admit: “It wasn’t a great day. I guess we need more
time.”
Adrian Newey, the team’s technical boss, will be hoping for a clean afternoon
as they look to make up lost ground on Mercedes, who have emerged as the
early season favourites on account of their high mileage and impressive pace.
Meanwhile, the position of Bernie Ecclestone at the summit of the sport has
appeared more secure this week than last, when a high court judge said the
F1 supremo was “untruthful and corrupt”.
Donald Mackenzie, the chairman of CVC, the private equity firm which owns the
largest shareholding in Formula
One, is not expected to sack Ecclestone unless he is found guilty in
a bribery trial due to start in Munich in April. No public pronouncements
from Mackenzie are anticipated on Ecclestone’s future in the wake of last
week’s not guilty high court judgement.