Red Bull remains at the top of the hierarchy: the reigning Formula 1 world champion team confirmed its rank during winter testing which ended on Saturday in Bahrain, making it more than ever the favorite with a week to go before the first Grand Prix of the season.
On the time sheet, his Mexican driver Sergio Pérez is in first place, 359/1000 ahead of the Mercedes of Briton Lewis Hamilton – yet equipped with softer tires and therefore potentially faster – and more than half a second from the Finn Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo), after the third and final day of testing.
One Red Bull driver hiding another, it was world champion Max Verstappen who flew above the competition on the first two days. The Dutchman was however surprised on the route of Sakhir by the Alfa Romeo of Chinese Zhou Guanyu who, carried by soft rubber, snatched the best time on Friday evening.
After having covered most of Thursday’s day at the wheel of the only RB19 present for these tests, “Mad Max” did not race on Saturday, leaving the seat open to Pérez.
The truth of the tests, above all intended to perfect the final adjustments before the start of the season, is not always that of the race. But faced with the RB19 visibly as efficient as its predecessor, the competition must face the facts: “Red Bull appeared very solid during these three days”, already declared the Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) Saturday noon.
Announced great rival of the Austrian team this season, Ferrari, finished these tests with the 4th (Leclerc) and 5th time (Carlos Sainz), ahead of the other Mercedes, that of George Russell, 8th.
Leclerc, who managed to place his racing car at the top of the time sheet on Saturday at midday, – under a scorching sun and a scorching track -, assures: “I have the impression that we still have work to do”, facing to “super fast” Red Bulls. But reassures: “I think we have a car with less drag, so it should be better this year. »
If Mercedes, for its part, seems to have recovered after suffering a hydraulic problem on its W14 the day before, “there are still things we are working on”, explained Hamilton at midday. .
The German team is however satisfied to have “practically” got rid of porpoising, a phenomenon linked to the rules put in place in 2022 which makes single-seaters bounce, and which has plagued its 2022 season.
As for the French team Alpine, its Norman drivers Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon finished the tests with the 12th and 14th times on Saturday. “We all feel ready for the start of the season,” assured Team Principal Otmar Szafnauer. “We have stuck to our schedule to ensure we are as prepared as possible for the season ahead. »
If the objective of Alpine, 4th in the constructors’ championship last season, is now to get closer to the top 3 this year, it could however have to be wary of Aston Martin, 7th in 2022 but serious competitor to shake up the plans of the. tricolor team.
The Spaniard Fernando Alonso, new recruit of the English team arrived straight from… Alpine, was very efficient throughout the tests.
On the other hand, McLaren, Alpine’s main competitor last season, appeared to be in difficulty. “We had set development goals that we did not achieve,” CEO Zak Brown acknowledged on Friday.
Australian Oscar Piastri only covered 44 laps on Saturday morning, his teammate Lando Norris only completed 37. “We have a lot of developments to come […] but I think we will approach the first race without achieved our goals,” Brown conceded.
And to continue: “It’s hard to know where we will be on the starting grid. Verdict expected on March 5, on the occasion of the inaugural GP of the season on this same Sakhir route, where the opposing forces will take shape.
