Cuky wrote:ParkerArt wrote:
Do you think Williams paid more or that Lotus and Force India were offered a discount from Mercedes HPP? I can't see Mercedes needing to 2014 engines as a baseline so I am thinking that either Lotus and FI didn't want to spend the cash for a power unit that likely
isn't going to be the 2015 engine used at Melbourne or that Mercedes didn't want to built more that a few pre-2015 development engines and offered Lotus and Force India a deal 2014-spec units.
Well, Force India will run VJM07 at first test. It is easier to just use 2014 PU in 2014 car than to modify 2014 car for 2015 PU for one test. And if you consider that there were rumors that Force India was in financial problems last year it makes sense. As for Lotus, I don't have a clue why they would be running with 2014 PU
Other than a good tour to Spain for a number of engineers and mechanics, what on earth would you achieve by running last year's car, this Winter. Especially, when you didn't do much on the car due to budgetary reasons for the whole of second half last year. If they have financial problem, better avoid the first test altogether and save lots of $$$. Jerez isn't an ideal test track for anything other than the system checks and to see if your new car has any gremlins. If you are not running, a new car, better stay at factory and concentrate on new car. There isn't any news from Pirelli either, saying they have significantly changed their compounds, which you can then test and get some data in comparison to last year's tyres. If anything, the first winter test is useful for new cars.