Feb.2 (GMM) Red Bull and Lotus caused a stir on Monday as the first test of the 2015 pre-season continued at Jerez.
Daniil Kvyat had a bad start to life as a race driver for the energy drink company’s senior team by running off the Spanish circuit and damaging the front wing.
“That was the only one we have here,” said team boss Christian Horner.
So Red Bull simply removed the wing from its damaged nose supports and sent the Russian driver back out on track for slow installation laps.
“We hope the new parts arrive as early as possible,” Horner added. “Tomorrow morning, definitely.”
According to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, meanwhile, Red Bull team owner Dietrich Mateschitz has joined the scores of fans who love the new zebra-like camouflage test livery.
“One of Seb’s helmet designs prompted us to do it,” said Horner. The German report said Red Bull is now planning a “more extreme” livery for Melbourne.
Meanwhile, after missing the opening day of running, Lotus got its new E23 out on track on Monday with Pastor Maldonado at the wheel.
Insiders were impressed with the front of the black and gold car, featuring a Mercedes-like ultra-short nose that is tipped to be widely copied by rivals in 2015.
Another new car with an impressively short nose this year is the Williams.
“It is definitely the shortest nose Williams has ever built,” said technical boss Pat Symonds.
Auto Motor und Sport said the Grove team made no fewer than four attempts to pass internal crash tests with the short nose, ultimately settling for the current version with the conspicuous bulge at the tip.