Autosport - 5 March 2015 | Page 72

WorldMags.net KARUN CHANDHOK’S TRACKSIDE VIEW WHY MERCEDES IS FAVOURITE XPB IMAGES SEASON 72 PREVIEW Former HRT and Lotus F1 driver KARUN CHANDHOK attended the final Barcelona test for AUTOSPORT, offering his expert analysis of how the cars looked on track 1ST MERCEDES 72 AUTOSPORT.COM MARCH 5 2015 “THE ENGINE IS STRONG, BUT I THINK THE MERCEDES IS ALSO QUICKER IN CORNERS” KARUN CHANDHOK and generating front mechanical grip, yet gives the drivers confidence to lean on it. Clearly the engine is strong, but I do think that Mercedes is also quicker in the corners than its rivals. The engine driveability seems totally sorted, and coming out of the medium and slow-speed corners the rear just stays beautifully in line. WorldMags.net S BLOXHAM/LAT Mercedes starts the season as favourite. Both Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were able to hustle the car around and really attack any real issues apart from tyre warm-up problems in the mornings. Viewed from the T1/2/3 complex, the front of the car responds more sharply on turn-in than anyone else’s, but what’s impressive is that the rear keeps up. Even on the odd occasion when I saw Nico get the rear out of shape at the exit of Turn 2, the front end was so good that, despite being off-line on the entry, he could steer it back to where he wanted to for Turn 3 and just carry speed through. When I went to watch down at Turns 11 and 12, where they change direction from left to right, it does look almost like the car is rolling