Red Bull Racing are getting terribly nervous about the prospect of inclement conditions at next week’s second test at Jerez, with weather reports suggesting rain could fall for the entirety of the four day test at the Spanish track. To think, grown men nervous about a bit of rain. Ludicrous!
Actually it’s not the idea of getting a bit soggy that’s got the Red Bull guys worried. It’s the prospect of testing in the wet for four days, having missed the first (and perfectly dry) test at Valencia this week.
With rivals Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes all having gotten three days of dry running in, these teams are already at something of an advantage. If the next test is indeed wet, Red Bull will be very much on the back foot. It would leave them with just two tests to sort their car for the season opener in Bahrain- which we can assure you won’t be a wet race.
Red Bull took the decision to skip the first test in Valencia this week so as to maximise development on their new car. It was a gamble, and rain in Jerez could see it fail to pay off.
With the teams touted as Red Bull’s rivals already having a considerable number of dry testing miles under their belts they should be on their way to understanding their cars and ironing out any problems that may have arisen. Whilst testing in the wet could be used to solve any technical glitches it would do Red Bull little good in terms of understanding how their new RB6’s aerodynamics were working or how the car handled with different fuel loads.
Were Red Bull to lose the Jerez test to rain they’d be left with just 8 days of (hopefully) dry running to prepare their car for the season opener on March 14th. Were there to be any problems blighting their new racer they could end up playing catch up from the word go- hardly ideal for a championship assault. Red Bull’s concerns may have their rivals doing a rain dance upon entry to the Jerez circuit next week.
Also scheduled to make their testing debut at Jerez next week are Force India and newboys Virgin. They too will be hoping for dry conditions at the Spanish track.
