By Carlo Platella
The first qualifying of the season ends with the position of Verstappen and Red Bull, the only constant in a new Formula 1. The pursuers, led by the Ferrari-Leclerc duo, demonstrate significant progress, which goes beyond the tenths shaved off the clock. The result is an incredibly compact grill: the new cars, at the center of discussions in recent weeks, take a step back, leaving the stage to teams and drivers.
The human beyond the machine
For years the habit has been to wait for the tests to get an idea of the values on the field, then postponing it to the first qualifying sessions, then to the race and subsequently to the first Grands Prix. All to wait for a verdict that will never arrive, at least in current Formula 1, where the humanunderstood both as a driver and as a team worker, matters as much as the car. This is a victory for the ground effect regulations, after two years of inevitable adjustment, with the Federation having set itself the objective of bringing the pilot back to the center of the competition.
Qualifying in Bahrain confirms the evolution already glimpsed in recent years: 20 pilots in 1 second and 15 cars in 7 tenths in Q1, moving to 9 cars in half a second in Q3. In such a balance, the judgment on the quality of the 2024 projects is relative, with the development however equally relevant, in a competition where a couple of tenths are equivalent to two rows. This is a practice in which Red Bull is once again impeccable, capable of giving Verstappen a more docile and suitable RB20 for qualifying, after the difficulties that emerged at the beginning of the weekend.
Not just skiing
We must therefore get used to reading differently a Formula 1 that has changed in recent years. The investigations into the hierarchies between the cars reach a certain point, with the balance of power no longer set in stone, as it might have been a few years ago. The verdicts are now affected by the preparation from match to match and even by individual episodes. One of these is the slipstream that Verstappen benefits from in Q3, which Red Bull has sought several times in the past. The world champion's pole position, however, goes far beyond all this. One of Max's greatest strengths is his ability to be fast from the very first strokes, capable of immediately perceiving the limit of adhesion to promptly print those times which others arrive at later.
Knowing how to put yourself in front from the first moments is an increasingly rewarding skill in the Formula 1 of balance. If years ago the top teams could afford to qualify for Q2 and Q3 with the harder compounds, this is no longer possible. Secure your qualification now It thus allows you to save a precious set of soft tires not only for the race, but also for the decisive session. Leclerc, the loser of the day, admits that not being able to make a first attempt in Q3 with new tires deprived him of the necessary confidence, preventing him from repeating that time in Q2 which would have earned him pole.
Another Ferrari
There is an air of regret at Ferrari for a pole position that was believed to be within reach, a reaction that says a lot about the team's awareness of the progress made since last year. The growth goes beyond the 2 tenths of delay accused by Verstappen, compared to the 3 of the 2023 edition, numbers which instead could tell of a similar picture. The times of the SF-23 were mainly the result of its excellent speed on the straight, but the new Rossa excels in the second sector of Bahrainwhere balance and aerodynamic load emerge, a trait which is therefore very indicative of the qualities of a car.
On the other hand, both Leclerc and Sainz pay for the delay accumulated in the first sector, not only attributable to the wake from which Verstappen benefits. In Bahrain Ferrari suffers some more difficulty in getting the tires up to temperature, thanks to the asphalt being 5°C colder than on the coolest day of the tests. On the other hand, the two SF-24s arrive at the last sector with tire pressures and temperatures still within the optimal ranges, a sign of excellent tire management throughout the lap.
Mercedes progress
The Brackley team is satisfied with fourth place on the grid with George Russell, who is contrasted with ninth place with Lewis Hamilton. Mercedes worked over the weekend to tame it the excessive rotation in corners of the W15, well-liked anyway after the car was often “dead” at the crux point in 2023. However, the top speeds on the straight with the same engine mapping are less positive, after the exploits on Friday. For the Star there is still work to be done to make up for the important delay on the forehand.
Who proves himself Aston Martin is excellent in the long run, in an area that was one of the main gaps in 2023, with Alonso passing less than 2 km/h behind Perez's Red Bull. The Spaniard will start sixth on the grid, but in perspective the AMR24's delay from Verstappen is only 4 tenths, compared to 6 in 2023. McLaren finally it confirms itself in the leading group, but the papaya cars are still last in the straight-line speed measurements. On the other hand, the MCL38 certainly does not lack competitiveness in the second sector, proving to be excellent in terms of aerodynamic load and balance, as indeed its progenitor was.
Verstappen's escape seems obvious in view of the race, with the greatest interest in understanding what the actual advantage of the new RB20 will be at this start of the season. Behind the world champion, however, the fight promises to be uncertain, with the steps to the podium open to any candidate. In such a balanced Formula 1 and with a race heading towards the two stops, strategies and the human factor will reign supreme, as indeed they will for the entire championship.
#Verstappen #Ferrari #Formula #changing
