Red Bull and Verstappen are the tandem to beat

• Louis Decker

  reporter Formula 1

You can’t win Formula 1 tests, but you can lose. For three days in Bahrain, the drivers put their new racing weapons to the test, at the place where the first grand prix of the season is on Sunday. There was sand in the machine at various teams, but Max Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing seems to have the car on track.

Everyone starts at zero, but the lion’s share of the grid already realizes that winning races is going to be a hell of a job. The pecking order after the test: Red Bull and Verstappen are the tandem to beat. Rivals Ferrari and Mercedes drive with big question marks and dive into the underdog role. They are humble after the 2022 washing. Verstappen and teammate Sergio Pérez then won 17 of the 22 grand prixs.

“It will be difficult to repeat our success series, but there is no reason why it shouldn’t be possible,” boasted team principal Christian Horner. “The cars are evolutions. Everyone has further developed their car, but there are no really big changes,” Pérez adds. “I expect more duels. The gaps between the teams will be much smaller,” predicted the Mexican after his first hours aboard the RB19.

That picture changed quickly. “Actually, the car was fine and problem-free right away. A very positive start to the season,” said a remarkably cheerful Verstappen after the test days. “I’m not too fond of that testing. I prefer to race straight away, but when things go well it’s not that annoying.”

Bahrain holds few secrets for the teams. Especially after the many hundreds of test kilometers they completed. The data stream of the laps-Sakhir are meticulously searched. Testing is – if it goes well – a matter of fueling confidence, but it can also cause headaches. That seems to be the case to a greater or lesser extent at nine out of ten racing stables.

“Red Bull is very strong. We have to get to work”, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) noted after the test cycle. “I’m ready: charged and fit. The car is okay, but we haven’t found the ideal set-up by a long shot. It drives quite differently than last year. I have to adjust my driving style.”

Leclerc does not want to show the back of his tongue, but the Monegask looks less confident than two-time champion Verstappen. “I won’t go into details, but it’s not quite there yet. I think compared to 2022 we have a higher top speed, but we lose ground in the corners.”

Italian media claim that Ferrari tested with quite full fuel tanks and therefore could not keep up with the Bulls. Whether that is true, no one knows. Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz is playing dumb. “We just don’t know where we stand. Winning and becoming champion is our goal, but qualifying is the first measurement moment. We will only know how competitive we are on Saturday.”

Mercedes, unapproachable for years, is already reconciling itself with a supporting role, albeit temporarily. “We’re struggling. We’re struggling and don’t understand the car yet,” admits seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. “I’m delighted that last year’s bounce is over, but the car still has a lot of shortcomings. Problems and teething problems that we need to get rid of quickly. I’m sure it will be fine.”

Hamilton’s pep talk came to the racing stable a day after crisis consultations. Teammate George Russell is already resigning himself to the facts. “The first race comes too early for us. We can bridge the gap with Red Bull with this car and win races, but not yet.”

Behind Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes are seven teams that have little chance of a GP victory. Even the ambitious Alpine remains modest. “We are aiming for fourth place again, but hope to narrow the gap with the top,” says driver Pierre Gasly. “We have to check our mirrors. Aston Martin looks fast.”

Aston Martin is the new employer of two-time champion Fernando Alonso. “A team under construction, which is on its way to the top. A lot has been invested,” says the Spaniard. Alonso’s team’s mission started in Bahrain with a headwind: Lance Stroll missed the test after a cycling accident and replacement Felipe Drugovich stranded after a few minutes.

Still, the green cars can become the revelation of the season. “95 percent of the car is new. The previous one was not good, but it will not happen that we have to throw away so much again,” assures the optimistic Alonso. “We need a few races to exploit the potential, but this project will be a success. We are still discovering everything, but I could already keep up with Ferrari.”

The five remaining racing stables seem evenly matched. “Our car has lost a lot of kilos and we have made a lot of meters,” says Williams’ Alex Albon. “We have made progress and are much better than in 2022. Behind Max it can get quite exciting.”

Haas team boss Gunther Steiner’s glass is also half full. “The three top teams are fixed, but behind them everyone can beat each other. That is also necessary. After all, the regulations have been changed to make it more exciting. I am looking forward to the battle in the middle bracket.”

Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas also expects a leap forward. “We are close to it and had few issues during the test days. A completely different story than last year, when the reliability was disastrous.”

The uncertainty seems to be greatest at Alpha Tauri and McLaren. Nyck de Vries’ team was plagued by takeover rumours. Moreover, the Italians are far from taming the AT04. “I’m living my dream and we want to fight for the points, but I can’t deny that there is a lot of work to be done,” de Fries warns.

McLaren does not seem ready for the start of the season. The orange racing stable lost hours with key work. “We tried everything and that led to a lot of question marks,” says Lando Norris. “Nothing big”, team boss Zak Brown downplays the false start. “We still need some speed, but they are common test bugs.”