Purple Bull boss unable to evaluate the influence Isack Hadjar’s crash could have on the group.
Hadjar was one in all 4 drivers on responsibility on Tuesday, representing simply two groups – Purple Bull and Ferrari – as rivals opted to sit down out the moist circumstances.
Late within the day, the Frenchman went off at Flip 14, reportedly damaging the rear wing and suspension.
Allowed only one extra day of testing, Mekies admits that it’s too early to say when the group shall be again in motion.
“The precedence proper now, as we communicate tonight, is to evaluate the injury on the automotive and to see what does it give to us by way of alternatives to run within the subsequent day,” Mekies instructed F1TV. “We solely have someday left, so we have now to ensure we place that card rigorously and it is an evaluation that may take nonetheless just a few hours.
“The guidelines is just too lengthy to be accomplished in just some days in Barcelona, so it is all the time going to be a matter of precedence and attempting to be versatile and adapt your programme as difficulties come out or if you discover attention-grabbing instructions that you must pursue.”
Requested concerning the incident, which adopted an off for Max Verstappen within the morning, Mekies stated: “Look, it was a really tough situation this afternoon, so very unlucky that it completed that method, but it surely’s a part of the sport. Once more, very tough, plenty of work to do on many facets and these type of issues can occur.
“These difficulties at present got here after a really, very constructive day yesterday (Monday) by way of the variety of laps Isack may full within the automotive and by way of his studying and growth and suggestions to the engineers.
“So, early days,” he smiled, “however nice power within the group, nice spirits between Max and Isack and the entire group and we simply cannot wait to have the following chance to run. However as I stated, it is one thing we try to analyse now and hopefully we get some reply a bit afterward.”
Regardless of the crash, the Austrian group managed 70 laps, whereas on Monday the brand new energy unit accomplished 196 laps, with Hadjar finishing 108 and Liam Lawson an extra 88 within the Racing Bull.
At a time little data is coming from the shakedown, the preliminary tempo and reliability of the Purple Bull energy unit is without doubt one of the large surprises.
“I’ve to say by way of what we had been anticipating from the ability unit on these first couple of days, I can solely repeat how proud we’re from all people again at base to have managed to provide us one thing that we may truly run with,” stated Mekies. “In fact, it is very early days and naturally, nothing is ideal,” he added, “however we may run, we may begin to study, work as one group. So, look, that was an enormous satisfaction.
“It does not change the scale of the journey in entrance of us, however definitely it is a first second that everyone in Milton Keynes needs to be pleased with.”
In the meantime the journey dealing with Williams is trying more and more laborious.
The Grove outfit is lacking this primary ‘take a look at’ having failed the necessary entrance crash take a look at 3 times. Nevertheless, it’s understood that in resolving the difficulty that lastly allowed it to move, the automotive was discovered to be between 20 – 30 kgs obese, an absolute catastrophe for a group from whom a lot is predicted this yr.
Because the Grove outfit seeks to type issues out, subsequent week’s official launch has been cancelled because the group opts for a digital affair as a substitute.
