F1 Suzuka, the report cards of the promoted ones
1. Ferrari. A Sainz as tough as marble, predictably angry, less predictably reinvigorated after falling off the Maranello tower. A Leclerc who raises his head after three and a half weekends of covers handed over to anyone wearing red. A car that finally responds on Sundays, when it counts most, to the point that tire degradation is no longer a problem. It's right that there is satisfaction, it's wrong that there is satisfaction, because Ferrari has developed slowly or poorly too many times during the season. Red Bull has already brought the first package after four races, in Maranello there is talk of Miami (or, considering the Sprint format in Florida, more probably Imola), that is, in a month. Vasseur adopted a scientific approach, solving one problem at a time: strategy, key technicians, tire degradation; the drivers have never been a problem but here too there was the desire to take a step forward with the signing of the most successful in history. He must also be left to work on the development front and has earned trust: he inherited the rubble and is building a building.
2. Yuki Tsunoda. In a Formula ½ where points are excluded even more than other years for those driving cars from the second half of the grid, Tsunoda already has seven after four races. Ricciardo came to Faenza to miraculously show off, but only took points in Mexico last year. And he is 6-22 against a driver who has a CV and salary well below his. For me, the best of the weekend: he is calm, more mature, and the results are arriving, due to a virtuous circle that even leads him to say “Top jobs, guys” at the pit stop, without even unsheathing the katana that he usually carries with him in the car.
3. Fernando Alonso. The old sailor also brought the boat to port yesterday: sixth place with a car that you never understand if it's going strong – seeing him – o whether it is a garden composter – seeing Stroll. He gives DRS to Piastri to defend himself from Russell and launches into legendary declarations in the post-GP. The only one to make every Sunday and every weekend interesting. Have it.
F1 Suzuka, the report cards of those who failed
3. Lance Stroll. “We are very slow on the straight“. As if I were dribbling with Baggio and scolding him when the ball drops. And this the day after he went out in Q1 while Alonso was four thousandths of a second from the second row. But on the other hand, if he had had these problems, he would have stopped a long time ago.
2. Logan Sargeant. In the race you are saved at the beginning because there are those who manage to do worse, including Alpine which is a Greek cry, Hülkenberg who fails at the start and Sauber who, well, is Sauber. He rightly sees himself 12th and gets excited at Degner 2. For the rest: two years in Suzuka, two years on grass, two years of imperious logs, confirming how much the team is doing him a favor by letting him race, and that he does very well to give every piece of the car to Albon. In Shanghai he will run in a circus balance on the right rear: there is no match on the flying lapand even on the race pace if he has two well-charged wingers he can beat himself.
1. Alpine. The only two cars in the world overtaken in 20 minutes by Sargeant, whose only overtaking maneuver in memory involved a Dacia stopped at a remote traffic light in Louisiana. They blame a contact at the start after which 30 downforce points would have been lost, but Ocon and Gasly arrived as they started: from 15th down. It is by far the worst team in Formula 1 2024: some (Mercedes) are in confusion, others are small (Williams), are thinking about the future and have non-F1 drivers (Sauber). If even Ocon, who would be a politician if he weren't a pilot, raised his voice on the radio, it means that the situation is complex. Sorry for him and Gasly, who are two decent drivers and don't deserve these slaps. Their luck is that at the end of the season they can escape from this madhouse. The only reason I see them still there in 2025 – masochism aside – would be a team sale. Otherwise they have to move out.
#Report #Cards #Suzuka #podium
