Formula One stars have their say on new-look cars as they prepare to tear up Albert Park circuit

COOL, monstrous and the quickest in history. See what else the main men in Formula One have said about their new machines as they set sights on the Australian Grand Prix.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland talks to journalist at the paddock during a Formula One pre-season testing session at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, outside Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, March 7, 2017. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

FORMULA One stars are preparing to shatter lap records this year as the “fastest cars in F1 history” get ready to do battle at the Australian Grand Prix in two weeks.

As the teams finished their final day of pre-season testing in Barcelona yesterday, the consensus among the drivers was the new machines were faster, stronger and more physically demanding than before.

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Red Bull team chief Christian Horner predicted the cars could be up to five seconds a lap quicker on average at most tracks this season.

Formula One has undergone its biggest shake-up in years for 2017, with a rules overhaul bringing meaner-looking cars with wider chassis, wings and tyres.

The changes are aimed at breathing new life into Formula One as the sport searches for a challenger to the all-conquering Mercedes’ three-year championship reign.

Australian Red Bull ace Daniel Ricciardo loved the “more aggressive” look and higher speeds, admitting his body had taken more punishment in testing this week.

Driving the new F1 cars isn’t easy, says Daniel Ricciardo. Picture: Getty Images

“They’re cool, they’re fast, they’re certainly fast — the cornering speeds are a lot quicker,’’ Ricciardo said.

“You certainly feel it on the high-speed corners and the braking ... even though you’re strapped in the car, your body is twisting more, like my belts were like stretching this week which I hadn’t really had before just from the pure force.’’

Ricciardo’s former teammate Daniil Kvyat, now racing for Toro Rosso, said the cars were “very cool to drive” and expected the faster times seen in testing to continue to fall throughout the year.

“We are already around three to four seconds faster around this (Barcelona) track now, so I think we’re definitely going to see that at most of the tracks to start with and then maybe with the car evolution and tyre evolution it will go up to five,’’ Kvyat said.

“I think it’s going to be one of the fastest cars in F1 history, which is quite cool.’’

Three-time champion Lewis Hamilton described the new cars as like a big brother of the 2016 version and tested the drivers’ ability to push them to the limits.

“It’s like the big, big, big brother. It’s much faster, it’s bigger, it’s overall much stronger than last year’s car,’’ Hamilton said.

“It’s faster and it’s more of a challenge to extract everything from it. I love that I get to do this.’’

Valtteri Bottas is strapped into his Mercedes. Picture: Getty Images

Hamilton’s new teammate Valtteri Bottas, who steps into the seat at Mercedes after Nico Rosberg’s retirement following his championship win, expected race times and lap records to tumble this year.

But he added the season-opening Albert Park race would show what impact the new cars had on racing and overtaking.

“The race time from start to end is definitely going to be shorter ... there is going to be plenty of lap-time records breaking,’’ Bottas said.

“To drive they are very nice, you need to push the car more into its limits to get more out of it.

“How the racing is going to be car against car, that is still a question mark. I think Melbourne will be nice to see how the racing is really going to be and if there’s going to be more or less overtaking.’’

Veteran Williams driver Felipe Massa said the drivers had prepared for the greater physical challenges the cars would bring, with greater G-forces and strain on the neck.

“For the driver point of view, it’s really nice ... the car is really great feeling in terms of how much downforce and grip you have in the corners,’’ Massa said.

“How much load you have in your body, your neck, it’s a lot more difficult physically, but it’s a lot nicer and pleasure for the drivers point of view.

F1 world champion Nico Rosberg was in the paddock at winter testing in Catalunya. Picture: Getty Images

“For sure, maybe a little bit more difficult to overtake, but that’s how it is and hopefully we can have good fun.’’

Rosberg visited the first week of testing in Barcelona last week and described the cars as “monstrous”.

“They need to be proper gladiators out there because the cars will take them to their physical limits,’’ Rosberg said.

“We might even see drivers losing race wins just because of being game over physically. That is what we need.”