While some Formula One teams struggled to get their 2014 cars working in pre-season testing on Wednesday, tail-enders Marussia suffered a breakdown before they had even got theirs to the Jerez circuit.
|Last Updated: Jan 30, 2014, 08:32 AM IST|Source: Reuters
Jerez, Spain: While some Formula One teams struggled to get their 2014 cars working in pre-season testing on Wednesday, tail-enders Marussia suffered a breakdown before they had even got theirs to the Jerez circuit.
The Russian-owned team had kept the Ferrari-engined car back in their central England factory to fix problems that emerged shortly before it was due to be dispatched to southern Spain last weekend.
It finally arrived on Wednesday, in a trailer towed by a van, after a journey across the English Channel and down through France that started on Tuesday morning.
"The van actually broke down just south of Seville just to add to the drama," a relieved team principal John Booth told Reuters.
Marussia are the last of the 11 teams to reveal their car, although Lotus - absent from the Jerez test - have only released a computer-generated image, and Booth assured fans they would like what they saw.
The Formula One cars seen so far have been a mixed bag, with some sporting `ugly` noses to meet new regulations and others like the Red Bull presenting a far more elegant front end.
"You will be amazed how pretty it is," Booth said of his car, which he hoped would be able to get out on track on Thursday morning.
He recognised his mechanics had a long night ahead.
"The systems are so complicated, I think it took everybody two days from finishing the car to firing it up," he explained.
Despite the hurdles, with many more sure to come on the track, he said it was essential to be at the test.
"There is so much new on the car that we don`t even start to understand yet," he said.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.