Starts compared: Ferrari doubles in 2023. But it's a Formula ½

by VALERIO BARRETTA

Constructors' points: Ferrari has almost double compared to 2023

The Suzuka track provided the very first assessments of the 2024 season. It was known that miracles would not be enough in Japan: a car born well would go strong, while a car born badly would struggle to score points. And in fact last Sunday, on a real track and with all the main contenders in contention, the hierarchies of this start to the season were clearly visible: Red Bull in front, Ferrari second in strength, McLaren on the constructors' podiumAston Martin and Mercedes compete for the role of fourth fastest car.

Compared to 2023, the team that gained the most points after four races was precisely there Ferrari: while 12 months ago the points were 62, today they are 120. 58 more, practically double the sum achieved in the fourth race last year. This is undoubtedly thanks to the double in Melbourne – favored by the retirement of Max Verstappen – but also to the newfound continuity of performance of the car, now stable and predictable on every type of track and without that sword of Damocles of tire degradation which has so affected its performance. performance in recent years.

Starts compared, the numbers

Here is a summary of the start numbers of these two seasons.

If in absolute terms Ferrari has gained more points, the real leap forward is represented by McLarenwhich did not repeat last year's disappointing start and instead continued on the good things created during the 2023 season. The Woking team has more than quadrupled his points haulgoing from 14 to 69.

The most vertical decline in absolute terms is that of Aston Martin, which started very well in 2023 and is now off the podium. Close behind is Mercedes, the second worst team in the space of 12 months. In percentage terms, of course, Williams, Alpine and Kick Sauber are a special case, having not collected any points so far in 2024.

It remains to be noted that last year all the teams had already scored in the third race, for a total of 24 points: now, with one more GP, only seven out of ten have succeeded, collecting only 11 points, less than half. The only one with a positive balance is RB, who thanks Yuki's great form Tsunoda. But to get into the top 10, the Japanese also need help “from above”, in the form of retirements or disappointing weekends (for example that of Lance Stroll in Suzuka). Today, even more than yesterday, it is one Formula ½which certifies the failure of the new regulations, which should have brought the cars closer together and which instead served as the backdrop to Red Bull's dominance and a currently split grid.