Engines revving, tires screeching, and drivers pushing their limits - its race weekend, and we've got you covered. Get ready to fuel up on all the latest F1 news and updates in our first edition of 'The Pit Stop Press'.
Estimated reading time: 00:03:04
Pre-season testing has finally come to an end, and we've had the opportunity to see the cars back on the tracks after 95 days! With a rollercoaster of ups and downs for each team, we witnessed both exciting and nerve-wracking results from the week. Let's take a closer look at how each team performed! And, by the way, do you know what week it is?
Red Bull
The reigning champion and constructor, Red Bull, had a solid testing session, sporting their familiar livery. The car appears perfect from every angle, and they topped the charts with the fastest lap time. Their lap time was about 1.405 seconds faster than last year, which is impressive.
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz both seem confident with the car, and it appears to have gained some pace. However, there are still concerns regarding the power unit after its failure in the last season. Ferrari is in a good position, but not quite on par with the giant Red Bull.
Mercedes
Sporting a new black-on-black livery, Mercedes has already addressed their previous overweight issue. However, the car is currently underperforming compared to their expectations of competing with Ferrari or Red Bull. During the first two days, drivers struggled with various car issues. At the end of the testing, all seemed satisfied with what they had gained, but it’s not enough to defeat Red Bull or Ferrari at this stage.
Aston Martin
Reportedly, Aston Martin performed impressively during pre-season testing. Lance Stroll was injured, and Felipe Drugovich, the reserve driver, took his place during testing. There is a high chance that he will be the second driver during the race weekend. Apart from that, the car looks great, with a similar design to that of Red Bull, and a good pace. It will be exciting to see Alonso on the race weekend.
Alfa Romeo
The team's performance was a mixed bag. Both drivers topped the charts, and the car seems very stable with a good pace. However, the team caused two red flags during testing, one of which was due to Bottas's power unit failure. If they can address these issues quickly, they can fight for the midfield position. The question remains whether they can develop a good car throughout the year and avoid failure, as they did last year.
Haas
Haas management is thrilled to have signed former racing driver Nico Hulkenberg. Both drivers have formed a great connection and the car is in a good position, although it did experience some throttle issues on day one. Overall, it appears stable and has good pace. The team will need to keep up this momentum throughout the year if they want to succeed. Magnussen's fastest lap during testing put the team in seventh position on the grid.
Alpha Tauri
With Pierre Gasly leaving the team for Alpine, Yuki Tsunoda will be stepping up as the main driver, and there's another rookie on the hot seat performing for the team. The car is in a great position, with Yuki clocking the seventh-fastest lap on the grid, and the team completing the most laps during testing. They look like a very competitive midfield team.
McLaren
Describing McLaren in just one word would be challenging, given their current predicament. Even under these conditions, McLaren's pace is somewhat average, losing about one second compared to last year. The team completed the fewest laps on the track during testing, with higher drag and missing downforce. It appears that the car is still struggling to be in the midfield of the grid, and there is still a long way to go for McLaren to return to their usual form.
Williams Racing
With rookies Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon at the helm, both drivers seemed pleased with the results of the testing. The car shows promising signs, already 2.04 seconds faster than last year. However, it lags behind in multiple areas in the long run. Williams Racing will aim to avoid finishing in the 10th place and earn more points this season.
Alpine
With a new pair on the grid and Pierre Gasly joining the team, the car is somewhat stable but lacks pace. It is very stiff and produces high downward force, which is suitable for street circuits but poses difficulties when turning around corners on normal circuits. Nevertheless, the drivers and the team are satisfied with their performance, and we never know what they have up their sleeves for the race.
Which team has impressed you the most during testing? What’s your prediction for the weekend?
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Until next time,
Dhairya Sheth
Rooting for an Alonso win this week. Let's see how that goes!
Yess, he seems very great with the car. Excited for many intense battles.