The 2024 Formula 1 season kicked off today with the cars on track for the first and only test session in Bahrain before the start of the world championship, which will start next week again in Sakhir.
Among the innovations for this new championship there will also be a new Safety Car, because alongside the classic 720 HP Mercedes AMG GT Black Series, this year there will be an updated version of the Vantage F1 Edition.
In fact, Aston Martin has been supplying the Safety Car together with Mercedes since 2021, the year in which it returned to the limelight in Formula 1 by officially entering the championship also as a team. However, although the English brand's car has undergone some updates over time, drivers have often complained about its inferior performance compared to the Mercedes, both in terms of load generated and power, which is why Aston Martin intervened with an updated version.
The new Vantage F1 Edition in the 2024 version will debut this year, more specifically on the weekend of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the second stage of the world championship after Bahrain. In fact, in Sakhir Mercedes will inaugurate the world championship with the AMG GT Black Series, which has remained identical to that seen in previous seasons from a specification point of view.
The old version of the Aston Martin Vantage Safety Car in the pit lane
Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images
The model used by Aston until last season had a deficit of around 200 hp, weighed 45 kg more than the Mercedes and also produced less aerodynamic load, so much so that the difference per lap was estimated at around five seconds. Although the role of the Safety Car is clearly to slow down the pace, on the other hand the Formula 1 cars must keep the brakes and tires within a certain temperature range, even trying to push in high-energy corners, finding some difficulty in more so when they were behind the Vantage.
Speaking at the Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen said: “The safety car was driving so slowly it was like a turtle. Incredible. To drive at 140 [km/h] on the straight, there wasn't a damaged car, so I don't understand why we have to drive so slowly. We need to investigate.”
“For sure the Mercedes safety car is faster because of the extra aerodynamics, because this Aston Martin is really slow. It definitely needs more grip, because our tires were stone cold. It's terrible the way we're driving behind the safety car”.
Aston Martin Vantage Safety Car with Aramco sponsorship
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
This is why this year there will be an updated version of the Vantage: in addition to the revised bodywork to try to improve the generation of aerodynamic load, the power has been increased by 150 HP up to 656 HP thanks to larger turbochargers, greater cooling and new elements for the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 supplied by AMG.
The new Vantage was spotted during the opening day of F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, complete with rear wing and dark green and black camouflage livery. Aston also supplies the F1 medical car, as does Mercedes, which in 2023 upgraded from the standard DBX SUV to the 707 model, named in reference to its power.
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