Bahrain GP: a lot of potential to extract from Ferrari SF-24 engine, but gap to Red Bull is 3 tenths. Both Ferrari and Red Bull have yet to fully unleash their Power Units, keeping their strategies under wraps.

The initial day of free practice at the 5.412 km Bahrain International Circuit located in Sakhir, Bahrain concluded with Mercedes securing the top two positions, showcasing the W15’s strong pace, particularly during flying laps. Moreover, their race pace was also commendable, notably Lewis Hamilton’s performance. George Russell, on the other hand, needed to adjust the setup to better connect with his single-seater.

Red Bull emerged as the fastest, especially in long-distance runs, while McLaren also demonstrated the capability to maintain a steady pace, a feat Aston Martin found challenging.

During Thursday’s practice sessions for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sakhir circuit, Ferrari managed to clock 101 laps. In the initial hour of track activity, Charles and Carlos exclusively used the Medium compound tyres, switching solely to Softs for the latter hour. The duo concentrated on refining the car’s setup, with a focus on preparing for both the upcoming qualifying session and Saturday’s Grand Prix. Assessing the day’s performance involved considering various factors, such as the challenging strong winds encountered during the daytime session and the unexpectedly cool temperatures during the nighttime session, which was illuminated by floodlights. Ferrari reiterated the positive feedback from earlier pre-season testing session, hinting at untapped potential, particularly in terms of power unit mode.

Both Ferrari and Red Bull have yet to fully unleash their Power Units, keeping their strategies under wraps. The RB20 stood out as a well-balanced car across various track sections, benefiting from Adrian Newey and Pierre Waché‘s design features. However, despite its efficiency and improved performance in slower corners, the car faced more challenges than expected from the day’s windy conditions in Bahrain

Max Verstappen displayed remarkable consistency in race pace, positioning him as a leading contender for Saturday’s Grand Prix, with an estimated three-tenths per lap advantage over Ferrari and Mercedes. Mercedes’ W15 has significantly improved since the Bahrain tests last week, positioning itself as a formidable contender against the Maranello for the second spot behind Red Bull.

The SF-24, while showcasing good drivability and long-run consistency, still faces challenges during flying laps, particularly in tight and slow turns. Nonetheless, the SF-24’s Power Unit holds considerable untapped potential, yet to be fully exploited, as the Maranello team decided not to fully use it at any time of the day.

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Notably, the difference in power mapping from the long runs in pre-season testing, where the drive unit was employed more aggressively, hints at the capabilities we might see in the upcoming Grand Prix.

With no immediate need to push the power unit beyond its limits, given its need to last significantly longer than the one used in the previous week, both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc have adopted slightly varying setups, with the Monegasque opting for a lower downforce level compared to Carlos Sainz. Red Bull led in long-run simulations, while the Italian side maintained its consistency and effective tire management over extended distances.

The Mercedes-powered teams, including McLaren and Aston Martin, each displayed promising pace, albeit with distinct characteristics. The Mercedes unit, in comparison to Ferrari and Red Bull, slightly revealed more of its capabilities through advanced mappings, benefitting both the parent team and Aston Martin.

Mercedes managed a one-two finish in the second free practice session by leveraging a minor horsepower advantage, where an additional 10 horsepower in Bahrain translates to a three-tenths advantage. Both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell demonstrated promising signs, effectively hitting the performance window during high-fuel runs, with George Russell initially facing challenges due to a setup that was too low, causing bottoming issues. However, as the day progressed, he managed to narrow the gap to his teammate.

The W15 demonstrated impressive pace in slow corners, matching Red Bull and even surpassing Ferrari’s SF-24. However, it does fall behind in the high-speed sections. On the other hand, the MCL38 from McLaren exhibits similar traits to its predecessor, shining in high-speed areas but lagging on the straights and in slower corners. Nonetheless, the MCL38’s tyre performance appeared quite robust, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri achieving commendable long-run results. The McLaren pair maintained a competitive speed, closely tailing Ferrari and Mercedes, which previews an interesting battle for the rest of the weekend.

Aston Martin has shown its strength in single-lap speed, partly due to using a more aggressive engine map than both Red Bull and Ferrari. However, the AMR24 faces challenges with greater tyre wear over time.

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