After a long wait Formula 1 Preseason testing is finally here and we can already see another RedBull dominated season coming toward us
Only 3 days of Formula 1 preseason testing in Bahrain were all we needed to confirm what everyone suspected. 2024 is another year for Red Bull and Max Verstappen to dominate the sport. Hopes of a closer battle might have to go for the fight for P2 in the standings, after a 3-day long show of dominance by the energy drinks manufacturer. With a revolutionary concept of no sidepods, very different from the one Mercedes brought the last 2 years. However, the Milton-Keynes structure and their aerodynamic genius, the engineer Adrian Newey managed to make it work, unlike the Silver Arrows.
Behind the most likely future drivers and constructors champions things are way closer. Data analysts and F1 experts have not reached a consensus of the real order of the grid. Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin are the ones we could see in a fight for the third step behind the bulls. But, also Red Bull‘s second team VISA Cash App Racing Bulls or RB for short looked fairly promising and could be on the fight for podiums and points regularly.
Do testing times matter?
The answer is not just a yes or a no. In modern F1 of course doing a qualy lap capable of getting the car on pole or at least in a good grid position is important. Contrast to last year’s Haas, capable of some amazing Q3 appearances but with disastrous tyre management that made that effort totally useless. Red Bull, Ferrari and Aston Martin all looked very strong in tyre degradation, losing little to no pace across a long stint. Formula 1 preseason testing is a complex world. With cars capable of using various engine power modes and configurations it’s extremely difficult to tell if the pace we are seeing it’s representative of the real thing. In fact, Formula 2 times tend to be way more accurate, but keeping in mind most of their testing happened during an extremely rare rainy day in Bahrain makes it just as hard.
Only two teams passed the barrier of the 400 laps. Both with Ferrari engines Haas and the Scuderia completed the longest testing stints. Haas needed to turn around their problems with tyre degradation from last year and Ferrari had a new concept that needed testing. On the other hand, Williams had the most technical problems and could be in for a difficult start of the season.
Some fans decided to take the 2024 season as just a very long preseason for 2025
Another easy season for Max Verstappen and with some of the most expected silly seasons in ages for next year make 2024 look like a transition year. Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari red, knowing who could take the Red Bull and Mercedes second seats next to Max and George or who the lineup for the 2026 Audi entrance in the sport could be are the questions keeping fans interested. Formula 1 has that special something. Being able to cause interest with the outside of the sport as much as the actual racing. Netflix’s show Drive To Survive and its success is a living proof of that.
The start of the season is less than one week away. With the Bahrain Grand Prix taking part from Thursday to Saturday instead of the usual Friday to Sunday format and with the following Saudi Arabian GP doing the same.
Guillermo Lorenzo Manzano
