Everything is new in Formula 1: cars, tires, engines. First impressions see Ferrari in the lead and McLaren in good shape. But Mercedes and Red Bull could already make a big impact in Bahrain. Our experts are analyzing the current situation in Formula 1.
The ten teams have passed the first test. Together they reeled off more than 14,500 kilometers on three test days in Barcelona. Ferrari most, Alfa Romeo and Haas the least. After 24 hours on the race track, one would think that a first ranking would be easy. This year, however, everything is different. Cars with new aerodynamics. Bigger tires. Engines running on E10 petrol.
This makes it hard to actually filter out the balance of power. What can be said in any case: The Ferrari F1-75 ran reliably during the test drives. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were actually always fast when they went out on the track. Ferrari made his time in the slow corners. How come? The competition noted that the red car was tuned with plenty of suspension travel. The F1-75 didn't need to be set low to generate stable downforce. Ferrari therefore had the problem with intake and exhaust on the straights under control.
Excited for Bahrain tests
McLaren defends itself against the pumping of the ground effect cars with an underbody trick. The engineers from Woking also got their program through. The pilots were satisfied, as was the team management. Mercedes and Red Bull are happy to give up the role of favorites for the time being. Both announce a larger package with many new parts for Bahrain. That promises a lot of lap times, but could also backfire. Why? Our experts reveal that in the new edition of our "Formula Schmidt".
It was still quiet behind the scenes in Barcelona. That could change in Bahrain if you listen to the voices in the paddock. Apparently the teams withheld special parts in order to give the competition no more time to react before the start of the season - and so as not to startle the FIA guards too early. A week after the test drives, the season opener takes place in Bahrain. What happens if one or the other team actually shows a solution that violates the spirit of the regulations? Can the FIA then react at all in time?
The field seems divided into two halves. Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull in front. The rest behind and close together. We not only analyze the cars, but also the engines. What happened at Ferrari? Who doesn't have the same performance as last year? And what about the Renault V6 Turbo? We also address the "minimum weight" dispute and the US racing team Haas. How is it going there? Mick Schumacher's team had already scratched off the stickers of their main Russian sponsor in Barcelona. Nikita Mazepin will probably not be in the US race for much longer. Who could replace him?
