Formula 1 has awakened from its hibernation. But hardly anything has stayed as it used to be. Lewis Hamilton now wears Ferrari-Rot instead of Mercedes-Schwarz. Nico Hülkenberg drives clean for the future Audi team and no longer for Haasf1.
And the Hamilton replacement at Mercedes is an 18-year-old Italian who only got his driver's license in January. Andrea Kimi Antonelli ahead of the calls of a child prodigy. A total of six rookies are at the start. As many as it hasn't been for a long time.
“The top four teams will be the top four again this year”
His compatriot Sainz would rather have more test days for this less simulator time. Alonso knows that you cannot necessarily be trusted, but after the test runs on Bahrain's GP route at almost winter temperatures, a forecast after 20 drivers had stopped 3896 rounds: “The top four teams will be the top four again this year. And at the moment McLaren makes the strongest impression. “
That is the unanimous opinion of the analysts in the data universe of Formula 1. The fastest car in the second half of 2024 saved its lead over the winter and maybe even expanded a bit. In the comparison of the racing simulations, Lando Norris and Oscar Piatri hung their competitors, who at the same time model a racing distance.
The world championship was half a second faster than Charles Leclerc in Ferrari and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in Mercedes. Red Bull-Neuling Liam Lawson was even further behind. “Let's wait until Verstappen sits in the car,” said sports director Helmut Marko. The Dutch climbed to the Red Bull on the last day of the test, which was retrofitted overnight with a new front wing and modified underbody. The wing worked, the soil did not. The nervous driving behavior promptly returned that the engineers actually wanted to drive out the car. Verstappen was not even granted a best time of the day. George Russell grabbed him by 21 thousandths of a second.
McLaren showed an early form that should take care of the opponents. Bahrain's course has traditionally always been a problem-route for the designer world champion. “Last year we were only fourth strength here. The many slow curves require a good traction from the car. That was our weak point in the past. It looks like we have improved in the discipline without having sacrificed our good sides, ”said team boss Andrea Stella.
Verstappen was a slight progress at his Red Bull. In numbers three tenths per round. He's not really happy yet. “The car has become more predictable. But we are still clearly missing. ” Internally, he put the gap to McLaren to three to four tenths. He can't even make up for that. At the moment it is only enough for a three -way battle with Ferrari and Mercedes for the places of honor.
“We still have to put work in our car”
The mood was pressed at Ferrari. Anyone who only missed the brand rating by 14 points last year can dream of the title. You thought you were at eye level with McLaren, but you have to find that it is not enough. “We still have to put work in our car,” admits Hamilton. The Englishman feels comfortable in his new home, even if he needs more time to acclimatize. “The car is completely different from the Mercedes. I have to learn every switch in the cockpit, change my driving style, get used to other work processes and build trust in my new team. That doesn't work overnight. “
The chaser field has moved closer to the four victory candidates. Williams pilot Carlos Sainz achieved the best time of the week with little gasoline in the tank, but even then you have to drive this round. Alpine also surprised positively. “We are fighting for fifth place with Williams,” said Flavio Briatore, who is supposed to save Alpine on behalf of the President.
Michael Schumacher's former boss not only spits big tones. He pulled two large sponsors ashore with the equivalent of $ 70 million and fell three engineers. At Williams he sees the advantage in the driver pairing. “You have two good people with Sainz and Albon.” Alpine has to rely on Pierre Gasly. Rookie Jack Doohan is already under pressure, even though he has only driven a race. If the Australian does not come close to his teammate up to the third World Cup run, he threatens to replace it. Franco Colapinto, whom Williams has signed, sits on the replacement bank.
At the end of the field, Sauber is the team that is to be Audi in a year. The numbers from the wind tunnel promise significant progress, but on the track the car does not yet do what you expected from it. “We still have to understand a few driving characteristics,” said Formula 1 project manager Mattia Binotto.
For Nico Hülkenberg, it was primarily about getting to know each other. “It's like getting from one rental car to the other. You also need a period of getting used to. ” Therefore, a lot of time in the three days of Bahrain put a lot of time into the coordination work. The last 20 rounds Hülkenberg felt the first progress in a continuous run. The clean felt more constant. Technical director James Key promises that the last word has not yet been spoken: “That was only 80 percent the new car. The rest comes in Melbourne. “
