(by Vincenzo Piegari) Formula 1 2024 edition, here we go.
The first green light of the season will come on on March 2nd in Bahrain, next Saturday and not on Sunday in compliance with Ramadan as will also happen for the subsequent test in Jeddah.
A World Championship which, looking at the three days of pre-season testing, starts with the certainty that Red Bull is always the team to beat and Ferrari, which is clearly improving, aspires to at least present itself in the role of second force.
All while waiting for the crazy variable of the Chris Horner affair (sexual harassment of an employee) which could influence the structure of the world champion team.
Another factor to consider on the upcoming championship is the arrival of Lewis Hamilton in Maranello in 2025 in place of Carlos Sainz: an announcement that came as a surprise a few days after the first start-up of the engines which could affect in one way or another the respective balances in Mercedes and in the Prancing Horse stable.
Returning to the verdict of the track in the winter tests on the Sakhir circuit, the same where the 2024 World Championship will start, Red Bull confirmed that it is always super especially when world champion Max Verstappen is driving it: the pace in the race pace impressed and on Day-3 of the tests the Flying Dutchman demonstrated that the Anglo-Austrian team is still ahead of everyone.
Good sensations and signs of growth for Ferrari: always on the race pace, the weak point for 2023, the Ferrari has shown that it has grown.
So much so that it currently appears to be the only real alternative to Red Bull.
Further back are Hamilton's Mercedes, Piastri's McLaren and Alonso's Aston who have shown progress compared to 2023 but not like the Red.
The opinion of former Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso on the championship that is about to start is emblematic and frustrating for those who expect to see more entertainment and a more competitive championship: "I don't have a crystal ball, but Red Bull is dominating, Verstappen is a world champion and also the concept they brought this year is remarkable. At the moment we can only look at them to understand their performances. 19, out of 20 drivers, already know that they won't win."
According to radio paddock, although the fastest flying lap time in testing was achieved by Charles Leclerc's Ferrari, Red Bull should still have an advantage of three to five tenths per lap over the others with Maranello's SF-24 among the teams most likely to take the remaining places on the podium.
Tests and rumors aside, now all that remains is to wait for the first qualifying sessions of the season to see what the truth is about the respective power relationships with the teams and drivers who remained in Manama after the tests and are already projected towards the first race of the 2024 season which will take place 24 the traditional GPs, for a total of 30 events including the short races (six sprint races scheduled in Shanghai, Miami, Spielberg, Austin, San Paolo, Lusail) on Saturday and Sunday.
The first sprint of the season will start in China in April 2024, while only one of the sprints will take place in Europe, precisely in Austria at the end of June 2024. Formula 1 will land in Imola in May (the 19th), in Monza at the beginning of September.
For further information ANSA F1 Agency: 6 sprint races and China, a 24 GP long 'marathon' - World Motors - Ansa.it The 2024 F1 World Championship will consist of 24 Grands Prix for a total of 30 events including the short races on Saturday and those on Sunday and will start on March 2 in Bahrain (the race is held on a Saturday out of respect for Ramadan in a Muslim country), ending on December 8... (ANSA)
For further information ANSA F1 Agency: waiting for Hamilton, the Red team starts again with a smile - World Motors - Ansa.it Optimism, smiles and the awareness of being at least the second force in the World Championship that is about to start.
(HANDLE)
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