Max Verstappen Dominates Bahrain Winter Test: Ferrari and Red Bull Racing Battle for Supremacy

2024-02-23 16:28:24

Ferrari’s best winter test time or not, we stand by it: If you want to flirt with victory at the Formula 1 World Championship opener at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 2nd, you have to find a way past Max Verstappen in the Red Bull Racing RB20.

The Tifosi are happy this February 23rd: Charles Leclerc with his Ferrari in first place. But the Monegasse drove his time on soft C5 tires from Pirelli; according to the Italians, this mixture is a good second faster than the C3 tire type used by the second-placed driver Max Verstappen had the car at the same time. George Russell and Guanyu Zhou achieved C4 times.

The mixture-corrected distance therefore – Verstappen more than half a second ahead of Leclerc. So what does the balance of power look like according to some competitors?

Aston Martin technical director Dan Fallows: “Honestly – I would also like to know where we would like to be. We have a vague idea of ​​the balance of power, but the focus of our work was to work through our program and ensure that the findings from the wind tunnel and simulations coincide with the data from the race track. We are satisfied.”

«We wanted to achieve three things with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll’s new car: preserve the strengths of the 2023 car, fix the weaknesses of 2023, and create a solid basis for a rich development program. We took a significant step forward last season and we have to continue like this in 2024. We want to be at the front end of the Red Bull Racing chasing pack and reduce the gap to RBR.”

The Bahrain test suggests: It won’t be easy. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri: “Red Bull Racing is pretty comfortably ahead. We want to establish ourselves as the first pursuers, but Bahrain has not been a track where we have been very strong in recent years. “We also spent most of our time here during the day, but the crucial hours for qualifying and racing are in the evening.”

What was noticeable on the last test followingnoon: Aston Martin with Fernando Alonso seemed more consistent in the endurance run than McLaren with Oscar Piastri, and the young Australian’s tires wore out earlier. Yuki Tsunoda’s excellent lap time with the Racing Bulls (officially Visa Cash App RB) was made possible by soft tires, but the progress made by the second Red Bull racing team is still real.

A laughing and a crying eye at McLaren: Good lap times from Oscar Piastri, but clutch problems when Lando Norris was behind the wheel.

Speaking of McLaren: Team boss Andrea Stella admits that there is only one car that impressed him during all the vehicle presentations. The Italian says: “I thought – wow. They are brave enough to change areas of the car that have contributed to their dominance in 2023.”

«Red Bull Racing had a significant lead last season. This has given them the confidence to take risks in terms of the development timeline. They had enough time to use the wind tunnel to find out whether their approach was promising. And that’s what it looks like now. If they develop at a high rate, then no one will catch up with them.”

Alpine team boss Bruno Famin: “We have a midfield of eight racing teams and anything is possible. Between these teams, every hundredth of a second will matter.” What the Frenchman suggests: Red Bull Racing is ahead, Haas is behind. If Famin isn’t mistaken – Nico Hülkenberg drove a great lap with C3 tires on the followingnoon of February 23rd.

What will happen at the World Cup opener on March 2nd in Bahrain?

Williams driver Alex Albon says regarding his former Red Bull Racing stablemate Max Verstappen: “Max will come into the pits shortly before the end with a lead of 25 seconds, get fresh soft tires and thus drive the best lap of the race on the last lap to win .»

The frightening thing for Verstappen’s opponents: Albon doesn’t smile when he says these words.

Pirelli racing boss Mario Isola also said in the paddock of the Bahrain International Circuit: “The benchmark is Max Verstappen with the Red Bull Racing car.”

Verstappen’s endurance runs have also shown this here in Bahrain: When the sun had set on February 23rd, Max drove an endurance run with lap times – something the competition can only dream of. Verstappen was the almost perfect fusion of man and machine: the last eleven times of his 17-lap race were all between 1:37.058 min and 1:37.285 min. Unbelievable.

Bahrain test February 23rd

1. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari SF-24, 1:30,322 (74)
2. George Russell (GB), Mercedes W15, 1:30,368 (67)
3. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Kick-Sauber C44-Ferrari, 1:30,647 (85)
4. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing RB20-Honda RBPT, 1:30,755 (66)
5. Yuki Tsunoda (J), VCARB 01-Honda RBPT, 1:30,775 (53)
6. Alex Albon (T), Williams FW46-Mercedes, 1:30,984 (121)
7. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren MCL38-Mercedes, 1:31.030 (91)
8. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin AMR24-Mercedes, 1:31.159 (75)
9. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari SF-24, 1:31.247 (71)
10. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing RB20-Honda RBPT, 1:31.483 (53)
11. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas VF-24-Ferrari, 1:31.686 (89)
12. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes W15, 1:31,999 (49)
13. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin AMR24-Mercedes, 1:32,038 (46)
14. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren MCL38-Mercedes, 1:32,108 (20)
15. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine A524-Renault, 1:32,149 (47)
16. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas VF-24-Ferrari, 1:33.053 (80)
17. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine A524-Renault, 1:33,079 (55)
18. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Kick-Sauber C44-Ferrari, 1:33,528 (28)
19. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), VCARB 01-Honda RBPT, 1:37.015 (70)
Not in action: Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams FW46-Mercedes

Bahrain test February 22nd

1. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari SF-24, 1:29.921 (84 laps)
2. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing RB20-Honda RBPT, 1:30.679 (129)
3. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes W15, 1:31,066 (123)
4. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren MCL38-Mercedes, 1:31,256 (52)
5. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), VCARB 01-Honda RBPT, 1:31.361 (88)
6. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari SF-24, 1:31,750 (54)
7. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin AMR24-Mercedes, 1:32,029 (96)
8. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine A524-Renault, 1:32,199 (78)
9. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Kick-Sauber C44-Ferrari, 1:32,227 (97)
10. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren MCL38-Mercedes, 1:32.328 (35)
11. Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams FW46-Mercedes, 1:32,578 (43)
12. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin AMR24-Mercedes, 1:33.053 (31)
13. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Kick-Sauber C44-Ferrari, 1:33,715 (38)
14. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine A524-Renault, 1:33,804 (33)
15. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas VF-24-Ferrari, 1:36.611 (93)
16. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas VF-24-Ferrari, 1:37.509 (31)
17. Yuki Tsunoda (J), VCARB 01-Honda RBPT, 1:38,074 (40)
Only back in action on February 22nd:
Alex Albon (T), Williams FW46-Mercedes
Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing RB20-Honda RBPT

Bahrain test February 21st

1. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing RB20-Honda RBPT, 1:31,344 min (142 Runden)
2. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren MCL38-Mercedes, 1:32,484 (72)
3. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari SF-24, 1:32.584 (69)
4. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), VCARB 01-Honda RBPT, 1:32.599 (51)
5. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine A524-Renault, 1:32,805 (60)
6. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin AMR24-Mercedes, 1:33,007 (53)
7. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari SF-24, 1:33,247 (64)
8. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin AMR24-Mercedes, 1:33.385 (77)
9. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren MCL38-Mercedes, 1:33.658 (57)
10. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Kick-Sauber C44-Ferrari, 1:33,871 (62)
11. Logan Sargeant (USA), Williams FW46-Mercedes, 1:33,882 (21)
12. George Russell (GB), Mercedes W15, 1:34,109 (121)
13. Yuki Tsunoda (J), VCARB 01-Honda RBPT, 1:34,136 (64)
14. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Kick-Sauber C44-Ferrari, 1:34,431 (68)
15. Alex Albon (T), Williams FW46-Mercedes, 1:34,587 (40)
16. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine A524-Renault, 1:34,677 (60)
17. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas VF-24-Ferrari, 1:35.692 (66)
18. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas VF-24-Ferrari, 1:35.906 (81)

1708710603
#BahrainTest #FerrariLeclerc #Verstappen #Favorit