23/02/2014
NEWS STORY
Although drivers and team bosses insist that little should be read into the current test times the stats reveal that a clear pattern is already forming.
While the Jerez test, what with its changeable weather, not to mention the initial problems encountered as the teams tried out most of their packages for the first time, might be regarded as FP1 and FP2, things got a little more serious in Bahrain this week as the focus switched to FP3 and qualifying.
It is correct to say that because so little is known about fuel loads, tyre compounds and the like we are not able to predict with any real authority who is quickest, we can certainly see who has reliability... and who hasn't.
In terms of pace, Mercedes heads McLaren, with Ferrari seemingly third ahead of a close group which includes Williams and Force India. In other words, Mercedes powered cars fill four of the top five places.
This carries across in terms of reliability also, with the Mercedes powered teams completing 6,264 miles in Jerez and Bahrain, more than Ferrari (3,094) and Lotus (2,497) combined. And let's not forget that Ferrari is supplying three teams to Lotus four.
Unsurprisingly, Mercedes powered drivers are right up there in terms of driver mileage, though Fernando Alonso (as ever) is giving them a run for their money.
It was once said that politicians use statistics like drunkards use lampposts: not for illumination, but for support. While it would be foolhardy to look at these stats and bet your house on Mercedes winning the title, surely it would be equally silly to totally ignore them and not recognise that - certainly in the early stages of the season - Mercedes will have the edge and last year's champions have a lot of work to do.
Driver Test Mileage - Jerez and Bahrain
| Driver | Team | Miles | Kms |
| Rosberg | Mercedes | 1102.41 | 1774.1 |
| Alonso | Ferrari | 1017.42 | 1637.3 |
| Magnussen | McLaren | 872.82 | 1404.6 |
| Hamilton | Mercedes | 807.09 | 1298.8 |
| Button | McLaren | 796.7 | 1282.1 |
| Bottas | Williams | 690.62 | 1111.4 |
| Gutierrez | Sauber | 672.88 | 1082.9 |
| Raikkonen | Ferrari | 641.09 | 1031.7 |
| Massa | Williams | 584.53 | 940.7 |
| Sutil | Sauber | 582.7 | 937.7 |
| Hulkenberg | Force India | 507.49 | 816.7 |
| Kobayashi | Caterham | 427.7 | 688.3 |
| Perez | Force India | 387.65 | 623.8 |
| Vergne | Toro Rosso | 382.76 | 616.0 |
| Ericsson | Caterham | 376.03 | 605.1 |
| Nasr | Williams | 292.57 | 470.8 |
| Maldonado | Lotus | 285.85 | 460.0 |
| Vettel | Red Bull | 275.76 | 443.8 |
| Frijns | Caterham | 256.19 | 412.3 |
| Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 233.26 | 375.4 |
| Juncadella | Force India | 222.87 | 358.7 |
| Ricciardo | Red Bull | 172.12 | 277.0 |
| Bianchi | Marussia | 95.69 | 154.0 |
| Grosjean | Lotus | 87.44 | 140.7 |
| Chilton | Marussia | 84.38 | 135.8 |
Team Test Mileage - Jerez and Bahrain
| Team | Miles | Kms |
| Mercedes | 1909.5 | 3073.0 |
| McLaren | 1669.52 | 2686.8 |
| Ferrari | 1658.51 | 2669.0 |
| Williams | 1567.72 | 2522.9 |
| Sauber | 1255.58 | 2020.6 |
| Force India | 1118.01 | 1799.2 |
| Caterham | 1059.92 | 1705.7 |
| Toro Rosso | 616.02 | 991.4 |
| Red Bull | 447.88 | 720.8 |
| Lotus | 373.29 | 600.7 |
| Marussia | 180.07 | 289.8 |
Engine Manufacturer Test Mileage - Jerez and Bahrain
| Engine Manufacturer | Miles | Kms |
| Mercedes | 6264.75 | 10081.9 |
| Ferrari | 3094.16 | 4979.4 |
| Renault | 2497.11 | 4018.6 |
Final Times in Bahrain
| Date | Driver | Team | Tyres | Time | Gap |
| 22-Feb | Rosberg | Mercedes | SN | 1:33.283 | 129.784 mph |
| 21-Feb | Hamilton | Mercedes | SN | 1:34.263 | 0.980 |
| 20-Feb | Magnussen | McLaren | SSN | 1:34.910 | 1.627 |
| 22-Feb | Button | McLaren | SN | 1:34.957 | 1.674 |
| 20-Feb | Hulkenberg | Force India | SN | 1:36.445 | 3.162 |
| 20-Feb | Alonso | Ferrari | SU | 1:36.516 | 3.233 |
| 22-Feb | Raikkonen | Ferrari | SN | 1:36.718 | 3.435 |
| 21-Feb | Massa | Williams | SN | 1:37.066 | 3.783 |
| 21-Feb | Gutierrez | Sauber | SN | 1:37.180 | 3.897 |
| 20-Feb | Bottas | Williams | MN | 1:37.328 | 4.045 |
| 21-Feb | Perez | Force India | SN | 1:37.367 | 4.084 |
| 22-Feb | Nasr | Williams | MN | 1:37.569 | 4.286 |
| 22-Feb | Maldonado | Lotus | SN | 1:38.707 | 5.424 |
| 21-Feb | Kvyat | Toro Rosso | SN | 1:38.974 | 5.691 |
| 22-Feb | Ricciardo | Red Bull | MN | 1:39.837 | 6.554 |
| 20-Feb | Kobayashi | Caterham | SN | 1:39.855 | 6.572 |
| 20-Feb | Vettel | Red Bull | MN | 1:40.224 | 6.941 |
| 19-Feb | Sutil | Sauber | MN | 1:40.443 | 7.160 |
| 22-Feb | Vergne | Toro Rosso | MN | 1:40.472 | 7.189 |
| 20-Feb | Grosjean | Lotus | HN | 1:41.670 | 8.387 |
| 21-Feb | Ericsson | Caterham | SU | 1:42.130 | 8.847 |
| 20-Feb | Chilton | Marussia | WNU | 1:42.511 | 9.228 |
| 19-Feb | Frijns | Caterham | MU | 1:42.534 | 9.251 |
| 19-Feb | Bianchi | Marussia | No Time |
Final Times in Jerez
| Date | Driver | Team | Tyres | Time | Gap |
| 30-Jan | Magnussen | McLaren | MN | 1:23.276 | 118.944 mph |
| 30-Jan | Massa | Williams | HU | 1:23.700 | 0.424 |
| 30-Jan | Hamilton | Mercedes | MN | 1:23.952 | 0.676 |
| 29-Jan | Button | McLaren | MN | 1:24.165 | 0.889 |
| 28-Jan | Raikkonen | Ferrari | MU | 1:24.812 | 1.536 |
| 28-Jan | Bottas | Williams | WNN | 1:25.344 | 2.068 |
| 30-Jan | Alonso | Ferrari | MU | 1:25.495 | 2.219 |
| 29-Jan | Rosberg | Mercedes | HN | 1:25.588 | 2.312 |
| 30-Jan | Hulkenberg | Force India | MN | 1:26.096 | 2.820 |
| 28-Jan | Perez | Force India | MU | 1:28.376 | 5.100 |
| 31-Jan | Juncadella | Force India | SN | 1:29.457 | 6.181 |
| 30-Jan | Vergne | Toro Rosso | WNU | 1:29.915 | 6.639 |
| 30-Jan | Sutil | Sauber | MU | 1:30.161 | 6.885 |
| 31-Jan | Bianchi | Marussia | MN | 1:32.222 | 8.946 |
| 28-Jan | Gutierrez | Sauber | WNU | 1:33.270 | 9.994 |
| 29-Jan | Ericsson | Caterham | WNU | 1:37.975 | 14.699 |
| 29-Jan | Vettel | Red Bull | IU | 1:38.320 | 15.044 |
| 31-Jan | Kobayashi | Caterham | IU | 1:43.193 | 19.917 |
| 31-Jan | Kvyat | Toro Rosso | WU | 1:44.016 | 20.740 |
| 31-Jan | Ricciardo | Red Bull | WU | 1:45.374 | 22.098 |
Chris Balfe