VERSTAPPEN LOOKS VULNERABLE BUT HIS MAIN RIVALS LOOK WORSE WHEN UNLEASHING….
Not fastest in either session, six tenths of a second away from pacesetting Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in practice one, concerned by how his car’s behaviour had changed since the serenity of testing a week ago.
Max Verstappen’s latest Formula 1 title defence got off to a slightly odd start in Bahrain Grand Prix Friday practice.
Nine things we learned from F1 2023’s first proper day
Read more
Not a terrible start, by any means. Probably nothing that couldn’t be solved by overnight set-up adjustments. Indeed by the end of Friday there were signs that Verstappen and the Red Bull were at one with each other again.
Verstappen remains clear favourite for pole and victory at Sakhir this weekend.
VERSTAPPEN LOOKS VULNERABLE BUT HIS MAIN RIVALS LOOK WORSE WHEN UNLEASHING….
But his Friday travails did offer a tiny chink of light.
“Difficult start of the day. FP1 was really bad, just couldn’t get a balance – which was a bit odd because in testing, whatever we tried, OK, some things were maybe not amazing but not that far out. So a few things to understand,” he mused after practice.
Motor Racing Formula One World Championship Bahrain Grand Prix Practice Day Sakhir, Bahrain
“Even the start of FP2 was a bit difficult but then I think for the final run, even with not really having a good reference and confidence in the car up until then, the lap was not too bad on the short run.
“And also the car felt a bit more connected. And then I think the long run, with all the changes we made, I was quite surprised at the pace we had. I think overall the car is not too bad on the long run.
“I just need to find my rhythm again with the car and just the way the car is handling from short run to long run.”
OUR TRACKSIDE TAKE ON RED BULL’S HANDLING CHANGE
Motor Racing Formula One World Championship Bahrain Grand Prix Practice Day Sakhir, Bahrain
Two things stand out as the Red Bulls blast past: they aren’t as hooked up as a week ago, and they are sparking more than any other car when heavier.
The RB19’s limitations are perhaps more apparent at low speed. Neither driver looks as blisteringly committed as in testing but the car still looks decent.
Verstappen seems to find a bit more confidence on low fuel and arrives into Turn 10 with the car more poised, whereas Perez needs a second go to get the car to the apex.
At Turn 11, Verstappen is so far onto the outside kerb for the entry he is pretty much on the drag strip, he’s able to attack and the car is responding nicely with the rotation.
It doesn’t look ultra-planted but still very good.
Asked if he still felt he and Red Bull were favourites once he’d made further tweaks to the car, Verstappen was confident but with a caveat that fixing his Friday problems might come at a cost later in the weekend.
“I think if I feel happy in the car again and I can push like I want to push with the car on one lap, then for sure we are very fast,” he replied.
“But it’s also of course making sure that the car doesn’t fall out of the window for the long run.”
Trackside verdict: Every 2023 F1 car’s first qualifying simulation
Read more
There are enough question marks about Verstappen’s Friday to give hope to his rivals.
Or at least there would be, if his anticipated main rivals were remotely in shape to take advantage.
“I don’t think we have the performance for pole,” said Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, and the fact race pace is “where I think we have the most work to do” bodes worse still.
That might in part be down to how he and Ferrari tackled pre-season testing, with an emphasis on exploratory work meaning Leclerc’s not actually got the new car optimised for him yet.
“Let’s say that the feeling is better than testing,” said Leclerc.
VERSTAPPEN LOOKS VULNERABLE BUT HIS MAIN RIVALS LOOK WORSE WHEN UNLEASHING….
Not fastest in either session, six tenths of a second away from pacesetting Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in practice one, concerned by how his car’s behaviour had changed since the serenity of testing a week ago.
Max Verstappen’s latest Formula 1 title defence got off to a slightly odd start in Bahrain Grand Prix Friday practice.
Nine things we learned from F1 2023’s first proper day
Read more
Not a terrible start, by any means. Probably nothing that couldn’t be solved by overnight set-up adjustments. Indeed by the end of Friday there were signs that Verstappen and the Red Bull were at one with each other again.
Verstappen remains clear favourite for pole and victory at Sakhir this weekend.
VERSTAPPEN LOOKS VULNERABLE BUT HIS MAIN RIVALS LOOK WORSE WHEN UNLEASHING….
But his Friday travails did offer a tiny chink of light.
“Difficult start of the day. FP1 was really bad, just couldn’t get a balance – which was a bit odd because in testing, whatever we tried, OK, some things were maybe not amazing but not that far out. So a few things to understand,” he mused after practice.
Motor Racing Formula One World Championship Bahrain Grand Prix Practice Day Sakhir, Bahrain
“Even the start of FP2 was a bit difficult but then I think for the final run, even with not really having a good reference and confidence in the car up until then, the lap was not too bad on the short run.
“And also the car felt a bit more connected. And then I think the long run, with all the changes we made, I was quite surprised at the pace we had. I think overall the car is not too bad on the long run.
“I just need to find my rhythm again with the car and just the way the car is handling from short run to long run.”
OUR TRACKSIDE TAKE ON RED BULL’S HANDLING CHANGE
Motor Racing Formula One World Championship Bahrain Grand Prix Practice Day Sakhir, Bahrain
Two things stand out as the Red Bulls blast past: they aren’t as hooked up as a week ago, and they are sparking more than any other car when heavier.
The RB19’s limitations are perhaps more apparent at low speed. Neither driver looks as blisteringly committed as in testing but the car still looks decent.
Verstappen seems to find a bit more confidence on low fuel and arrives into Turn 10 with the car more poised, whereas Perez needs a second go to get the car to the apex.
At Turn 11, Verstappen is so far onto the outside kerb for the entry he is pretty much on the drag strip, he’s able to attack and the car is responding nicely with the rotation.
It doesn’t look ultra-planted but still very good.
Asked if he still felt he and Red Bull were favourites once he’d made further tweaks to the car, Verstappen was confident but with a caveat that fixing his Friday problems might come at a cost later in the weekend.
“I think if I feel happy in the car again and I can push like I want to push with the car on one lap, then for sure we are very fast,” he replied.
“But it’s also of course making sure that the car doesn’t fall out of the window for the long run.”
Trackside verdict: Every 2023 F1 car’s first qualifying simulation
Read more
There are enough question marks about Verstappen’s Friday to give hope to his rivals.
Or at least there would be, if his anticipated main rivals were remotely in shape to take advantage.
“I don’t think we have the performance for pole,” said Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, and the fact race pace is “where I think we have the most work to do” bodes worse still.
That might in part be down to how he and Ferrari tackled pre-season testing, with an emphasis on exploratory work meaning Leclerc’s not actually got the new car optimised for him yet.
“Let’s say that the feeling is better than testing,” said Leclerc.
