Dark horses of Red Bull can turn F1 season into a much-needed thriller | Giles Richards


With the new regulations 2017 will be a season-long development race, and the Red Bull team looks best-equipped to challenge the dominance of Mercedes

They are called testing sessions but the two weeks Formula One is spending in Barcelona this year are proving to be a mighty tease as well. Sandbagging and keeping one’s cards close to one’s chest are long-established elements of the pre-season runs, but this year, with brand-new cars designed to the new regulations, no team want to reveal too much and lose any advantage they may have stolen over the winter. Times – only ever a loose guide before the real business begins – are therefore perhaps less revealing than ever but in the case of the new Red Bull it could be that what we are not seeing will be of greater import come the opening race in Australia.

Related: Lewis Hamilton warns new F1 rules will make overtaking more difficult

Continue reading...