After the conclusion of the third day of F1 pre-season testing, we now have a clearer idea of what to anticipate in the upcoming season, including the performance of each team and their cars.
While it may be premature to make a final assessment on the cars, their performance during the first half of the season will largely reflect their performance during pre-season testing.
During the winter break, teams focused on enhancing their car’s performance, resulting in significant improvements. Despite the rarity of breakthrough performances, it appears that all teams have successfully developed faster and more stable cars.
Redbull’s RB20 appears stunning. Fans were taken aback by the radical new sidepod design, featuring small inlets and compact sidepods reminiscent of the Mercedes W14 E. Concerns arose among fans regarding Redbull’s approach to RB20, especially after Mercedes had to abandon their Zero sidepod concept midway through the 2023 season. Nevertheless, the RB20 seems to be performing exceptionally well, showcasing enhanced stability and a more commanding presence.
The engineers at Ferrari have made significant improvements to address their most critical concern, which is tire wear, in light of the new regulations. Lap times have shown improvement compared to 2023. There has been a significant increase of over 1.5 seconds in Sainz’s average lap time on hard tires when compared to Bahrain 2023 Grand prix. Earlier in 2023 it was quite evident that Ferrari had quite a significant tyre degradation issue that hampered their overall race pace, now that the issue seems to have been sorted, will we witness a Redbull vs Ferrari championship fight?
However, Aston Martin’s performance resembles that of a car from the early 2023 season rather than the later stages. Haas, the one and only American team on the grid has alot going on. Gunther
Nevertheless, Aston Martin’s performance mirrors that of a car from the early 2023 season rather than the later stages. Haas, the sole American team on the grid, is facing numerous challenges. Gunther Steiner was dismissed earlier this year and replaced by Ayao Komatsu, who has much to demonstrate. Haas’s performance has significantly declined over the past few years, with the team encountering difficulties in achieving competitive race pace.