It doesn’t really feel like quite a lot of weeks in the past that the 2023 season was wrapping up in Abu Dhabi, however after the drama of battle of curiosity allegations and a brief Christmas break, the brand new 12 months has already been packed stuffed with storylines.
Automotive launches are one factor, however Guenther Steiner’s dismissal as Haas workforce principal and recent contracts for Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris now really feel like distant reminiscences following information of Lewis Hamilton’s blockbuster transfer to Ferrari in 2025, and the continuing investigation being confronted by Pink Bull workforce principal Christian Horner.
It would add as much as a much less quiet low season than up to now, however for a lot of of these concerned within the information cycle, the return of observe motion goes to be a welcome level of focus, with testing kicking off on Wednesday on the now-traditional venue of the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit.
Earlier than mentioning a few of the important subjects to look out for on the observe, there’s one other one which was raised by Fernando Alonso that feels prefer it wants addressing as I make my technique to the Center East. And that’s the truth that a World Championship that claims to be the top of motorsport offers drivers only one and a half days of testing every earlier than the opening race.
“I’ve been pondering all winter about this, how unfair it’s that we solely have in the future and a half to arrange our championship,” Alonso mentioned. “There is no such thing as a different sport on the planet with all the cash concerned and all of the advertising and the nice issues that we are saying about System 1, and being nearer and nearer to the followers… I can not perceive why we don’t go to Bahrain for 4 days, which may very well be two and two for the drivers.
“When you go to 3, which is an odd quantity, you can not divide between the drivers. I don’t know why we don’t go together with two automobiles, as a result of we’re in Bahrain, and we race there the next week.”
Granted, every race does include observe time, however Alonso’s obtained a degree. Not simply from a preparation standpoint for the drivers, but in addition when it comes to constructing curiosity and pleasure for the approaching season.
Hamilton’s frustration with Mercedes already has him heading for the door on the finish of the season, and he’s unlikely to remain quiet if the 2024 automotive underwhelms in pre-season testing. Steve Etherington/Motorsport Photos
These numerous tales I discussed earlier have performed a task in holding System 1 within the limelight, however with the ever-expanding schedule now seeing the primary race weekend start on the finish of February and run into December, there’s little room for F1 to be missed.
I have a look at the IndyCar schedule and really feel the thrill builds over an extended interval and will increase the worth of that opening race, but in addition every particular person occasion, too. From an F1 perspective, giving groups extra time to work on new automobiles, making a buzz throughout an even bigger break and ramping that up with extra winter testing alternatives – akin to the prolonged pre-seasons seen in different sports activities – may work. It actually appears like a greater steadiness may very well be struck, moderately than extra races merely crammed in.
All of that might be moot, although, if Pink Bull is roped right into a championship battle this season, as a result of pleasure will construct quickly. And this week will present the primary indicators of whether or not that’s a sensible proposition.
The RB20 is totally the automotive to observe. Not as a result of others can’t have finished one thing particular themselves, however due to the calculated threat that has been taken by the technical workforce working beneath Adrian Newey.
A change of idea was surprising, however there was a hanging completely different between the automotive Pink Bull unveiled in Milton Keynes final week and just about anything that was seen to this point.
Robust evolution would have seemed to be the protected wager, with Pink Bull setting such a benchmark final season that it might be extraordinarily powerful to catch if it simply made strong strides in comparison with the RB19. To go in a special route exhibits each a confidence within the work it has finished, however on the identical time it does open the door to some extra unknowns.
Max Verstappen referred to as it “managed aggressiveness”, and it might be silly to even recommend that Pink Bull might need obtained one thing mistaken given the best way the workforce has dominated this set of rules, but it surely actually offers it extra to grasp and hone and due to this fact how persistently it’s working – extra so than the lap occasions it’s doing – will present an indicator into how effectively the brand new automotive is performing.
When you’re in search of some early clues to good Pink Bull’s RB20 is straight out of the field, the variety of laps accomplished in testing may inform you greater than the stopwatch. Pink Bull Content material Pool
The identical is true for rivals who’ve typically gone in an analogous route to final 12 months’s all-conquering automotive, however with loads of their very own improvements. There’s an actual break up within the discipline between groups which have talked up important adjustments in design – Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Alpine and Stake are describing their automobiles as all-new – and the remainder.
Haas and AlphaTauri particularly have warned of accepting sluggish begins as a part of longer-term targets, whereas James Vowles typically repeats how comfy he’s to see Williams find yourself final so long as it’s placing the items in place to finally turn into a frontrunner as soon as once more.
With McLaren additionally promising an extra step ahead mid-season, whether or not the 2 factions are offering both a case of pre-season optimism or making an attempt to decrease expectations with a purpose to exceed them, one other key query at this stage is how just like these launch designs will the automobiles that hit the observe on Wednesday be?
A lot of the efficiency comes from the unseen a part of the automotive – the ground – that there may very well be important beneficial properties made by groups that appear like they’ve been comparatively conservative with their general design, however the actuality tends to be that the automobiles that seem at launches are noticeably completely different from those who truly run. You may embrace Pink Bull in that, too.
After 2023 ended with all 10 groups coated by lower than 0.7s in Q1 in Abu Dhabi, the promise is for an additional extraordinarily shut 12 months – Pink Bull pending – which implies any workforce struggling for mileage may effectively be on the again foot within the opening rounds. Lap occasions may be deceiving however lap counts hardly ever are, no less than in highlighting problematic automobiles or reliability points.
However maybe probably the most telling side comes from the drivers themselves. Their quotes after leaping out of a automotive on the finish of the day typically trace at confidence or issues, and there are a number of who is likely to be that little bit extra clear this 12 months.
The beginning of Hamilton’s ultimate 12 months with Mercedes is stuffed with rigidity because of how mistaken the workforce has obtained its automotive over the previous two years, with final season proving particularly irritating for the seven-time world champion given the suggestions he’d supplied. If Mercedes hasn’t supplied a greater automotive for Hamilton and George Russell, we’re more likely to comprehend it rapidly.
And though Carlos Sainz at Ferrari equally has only one extra 12 months to attain massive outcomes together with his present workforce, it’s his countryman Alonso who may additionally give a bit away. Realizing he’s a key participant within the driver market, Alonso has acknowledged his dedication to Aston Martin but when additional beneficial properties aren’t made after final season he doesn’t precisely have time on his aspect to attend to see progress. And his use of the media to make sure factors is well-known.
All the things that’s been unfolding off-track will solely add to the significance of what’s taking place on it. Even amid steady rules, with simply three days of working to arrange and the gaps so small between groups, the strain’s on.
