Rest assured, there is nothing mysterious about a shakedown in itself. In fact, it is nothing more and nothing less than a short-term test before the test. You could simply say, “Does it or does not do it?” During such a session, teams and drivers get a first impression of the still virgin car. All systems are tested step by step and first impressions are exchanged between driver and engineer. Drive smoothly, give serious gas, drive out, look up the pit. And that several times. That is the pattern. This way you can easily detect and remedy the first hitches and teething problems before the real work begins.
Max Verstappen, for example, was very pleased with the shakedown with the new Red Bull RB16 this week. “The first impression was good. Once you have started the car, you follow the normal procedures,” said Verstappen. In many cases, teams combine a shakedown with a film day, in which promotional films are recorded for both the team and the sponsors and partners. That gives the teams the scope to travel a maximum of one hundred kilometers on the asphalt. A combined shakedown / movie day provides a nice amount of extra and very valuable technical information.
“It was ‘just’ a movie day,” said Verstappen. “But it is important that everything functions well and that you already know how to build up some speed before you travel to Barcelona as a team.”
And with that the Dutchman hits the nail on the head. Thanks to the combined shakedown and film day at Silverstone, Red Bull already has a solid foundation to build on during the first real test day on Wednesday, February 19 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Call it a flying start. So it’s not surprising that more teams eagerly embrace this possibility. Because hick-ups and fumbling in Barcelona, if there really have to be kilometers and progress has to be made, nobody is waiting for that. Just ask McLaren and Williams …
View the first meters of Max Verstappen in the new Red Bull below.
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