The 2024 Formula 1 season has finally begun, with the first day of winter testing at the Sakhir circuit. If we always say that even what is seen during free practice during a race weekend is to be taken with due precautions, one can imagine how what was seen on the first day in Bahrain should be duly weighed, but observing times, data and images are some first impressions in our opinion noteworthy has emerged.
RB20 further loading step
The first overall feeling is that those who hoped that RedBull could “get the car wrong” in search of something too extreme can only be disappointed. The RB20 appeared to be a marked evolution compared to the already dominant car last season, with some factors being particularly clear. The car seems to really go on track driven by Verstappen who was able to find performance with great ease whenever he tried to find a better time. The long runs have always been metronomic and fast, the stability of the car has always seemed fantastic. The times have always been lowered and in the laps following the one launched no problem of tire overheating was recognised, with indeed always incredibly constant progressions across the entire performance spectrum, starting from the slowest window in the morning, up to the fastest moment in the late afternoon.
We also looked at the telemetry data in more detail, which we do not report here in the graph given the amount of information in 8 hours of track, but the sections where on average Verstappen always showed an average speed significantly higher than the competition were all those of steep curves high speed and, therefore, high load, showing a significant potential evolution in terms of vertical downforce. In short, Max and his RB20 don't start as favorites just because they are defending champions, but the track shows that they are ready to pick up where they left off.
Very close behind everyone, Ferrari appeared with a stronger front
Looking behind Red Bull the impression is that there is a mix of Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Racing Bulls. Yuki Tsunoda immediately appeared very fast and consistent, and the car appears like a semi-updated version of the RB19, with all the peculiarities of the case. Mercedes started quietly, but Russell's last stint of the day showed excellent numbers and good containment of degradation, although the onboards still showed a certain bounce in the car. For its part, Ferrari carried out its program without any hitches and appeared with similar performances to its rivals. The impression is that work has been done on two key aspects, limiting tire degradation and improving front axle grip.
On this last point it appeared quite evident that the SF24 found itself thick with a rear that was also too light, compared to a front that seemed characterized by a decidedly more marked reactivity than in the past. However, it is difficult to say whether the red car is ahead or behind Mercedes and McLaren for now, given the differences in programs and set-ups. Aston Martin, however, did not appear at its best, with stints that were always very slow or with high degradation, while the fact remains that we are not able to know the fuel loads and the specific test programs of each team.
Tomorrow the nature of the projects
After the first day of data collection, it is very likely that tomorrow, the second day dedicated to testing, the settings will be decidedly perfected and, therefore, it will be possible to try to understand the nature of the project of each machine, each with its own balances, both of a mechanical and aerodynamic nature. For example, it will be interesting to note if Red Bull will try to load the car a lot with fuel (something rarely tried in tests last season) and if Ferrari will find the right aeromechanical balance between the two axles. However, the show has only just begun.
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