The twenty-four hours of testing completed in Bahrain defined an initial hierarchy of values on the field. However, not all verdicts are to be considered robust and the most unstable situations are destined to hold sway until next Thursday, when the first race weekend of the season will start.
The most immovable response is (obviously) the confirmation of the Red Bull-Verstappen tandem as the absolute reference. It is correct to mention the precise combination, because the RB20 itself in the hands of Sergio Perez appears to be a project born from other fathers.
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Many other verdicts revolve around the fixed point par excellence, not exactly unanimous but with a high possibility of finding confirmation in seven days. The Ferrari SF-24 seems to have been born well, an evaluation that goes beyond the improvements compared to the 2023 single-seater, taken for granted.
The 2024 'zero' Grand Prix was held late in the afternoon in Sakhir, when Verstappen and Leclerc took to the track thirty minutes apart for their respective race simulation. The first stint went (as Verstappen predicted) thanks to an enviable consistency of performance with the C3 compound, the soft one for next weekend.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Leclerc continued his simulation with two stops, first fitting the C1s and then the C2s, while Verstappen was not limited to just changing tyres. The Red Bull mechanics brought the car back into the garage, leaving after about fifteen minutes.
It is an important step, because with the two harder compounds (C1 and C2) Ferrari's pace, despite having been less constant than Red Bull, was confirmed to be faster, at times even much faster, to the point of giving rise the doubt that Max's car was topped up with fuel at the end of the first and second stints so as not to provide too many indications to his opponents.
The certain data is that Red Bull is very high performing and terribly constant. “He has negative tire degradation!”, commented a technician from an opposing team, highlighting how Verstappen was able to progressively lower his times lap after lap until he was called to the pits for the pit stop.
Another certain fact is that Ferrari has resolved several problems that affected it last year, some definitively, others partially. There has been a leap forward, but the question mark remains as to what the real gap will be towards Red Bull. This data will arrive next Saturday at the end of the race, and will in any case be the data for the start of the season, not a definitive verdict.
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team
Photo by: Motorsport Images
Always remaining on the race pace, the Scuderia is to be considered the second force in the field, with McLaren and Mercedes in its wake, both of which appeared more immature than the SF-24. Another aspect that takes center stage is always related to Red Bull. There are quite a few opponents wondering whether they will have to deal with two single-seaters or just the Max.
The front suspension of the Mercedes W15 with two adjustments
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Over the three days, the difference in performance between the world champion and Perez was notable, difficult to justify with a performance gap between two riders. It is likely that the work programs were different, that Max was put in a position to push harder than his teammate, but on the eve of the first race of the season “Checo” is already under special observation.
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