The first two rounds of the 2024 Formula 1 world championship had reinforced the belief that 2024 would be a repeat of the last campaign. Suddenly, in the third stage, which was held at the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne last Sunday, a variable long forgotten by the modern ‘Endurance “Formula” came back into play: reliability. A factor now taken for granted, which, however, failed on Max Verstappen’s Red Bull RB20, as the Dutchman had to retire his car early in race due to brake disk problems opening the door to a triumphant ride for the Scuderia Ferrari drivers. While we are very much aware that Red Bull still holds a significant advantage with Max Verstappen, the general feeling is that the success of the Prancing Horse will not be an isolated case this year and will not be facilitated only by technical problems on car number 1.
Confirming this assumption was Sergio Perez himself, according to whom even Max Verstappen could have done nothing against the Ferrari SF-24 cars over the 300 kilometers and more needed to cross the checkered flag in the Australian Grand Prix. Certainly, we shouldn’t overlook the fact that the Mexican driver had a lackluster performance in Melbourne, on the poor level seen in the second half of last season and was most likely trying to find an excuse for his own result. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, in his post-race press conference, was quick to point out that the car of Sergio Perez had suffered aerodynamic damage caused by Fernando Alonso’s visor, which got stuck in the floor and seems to have reduced the efficiency of the flows, therefore limiting the big potential of the RB20 car.
Despite the 2024 Formula 1 championship being in its early stages, the drivers’ market is bustling. For some time, the world champion team has intended to pair Max Verstappen with a driver capable of consistently matching the car and its very fast teammate. The same can be said for Mercedes, which, having digested the departure of Lewis Hamilton, who will join Ferrari starting with the 2025 F1 season, as team boss Toto Wolff must now deal with a big dilemma. George Russell, despite his undeniable talent, does not seem ready to take on the team’s responsibilities. He is still too prone to error despite the speed. By a strange twist of fate, an all-Spanish derby could be played out on the Brackley – Milton Keynes axis.
Carlos Sainz’s third Formula 1 career victory was perhaps the most impressive. Despite recent surgery that prevented him from participating in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix just two weeks ago, the Spaniard managed his energy throughout the Melbourne weekend to withstand the physical stress of the Australian Grand Prix. The rest is history. The Ferrari driver won easily, beating his Maranello teammate Charles Leclerc in both qualifying and the race. If Silverstone 2022 was a controversial and chaotic victory due to changing weather conditions and a questionable strategy decision made by the Maranello pitwall, which decided not to call the Monegasque for a late tire change and Singapore 2023 was a masterpiece of strategy in the use of the drag reduction system, Melbourne certifies that Carlos Sainz can take on the role of team leader.
A driver at the peak of his professional maturity. The perfect profile for those looking for a driver who can lead the team and at the same time serve the garage. His illustrious compatriot from Spain has been and will always be a “prima donna”. But thanks to his experience and athletic preparation, Fernando Alonso is still one of the most competitive drivers on the Formula 1 grid. His stint at Aston Martin has rejuvenated him, showing that he hasn’t lost speed and motivation despite being the most “senior” driver by far.
The two-time Formula 1 world champion is one of the few capable of fighting for positions above the real potential of the car. At the same time, the Spaniard might be difficult to manage if the car does not meet his expectations. Like all winners, after all. Fernando has also entered the radar of the AMG Mercedes team, which since its return to Formula 1 has always fielded a world champion. The Lewis Hamilton – Fernando Alonso relay is a strong suggestion for those who have lived through their bitter rivalry during their only season together at McLaren, some 17 years ago.
At the same time, there are many drivers who can really aspire to the seat that Sergio Perez will likely leave at the end of the 2024 Formula 1 season. For any driver, a seat at Red Bull represents both a dream and a potential nightmare. A dream of being able to test their potential in the best car in Formula 1, a potential nightmare because it means going directly into competition with the currently strongest driver on the grid: Max Verstappen. However, things change.
The Christian Horner scandal will define new internal engagement rules among Red Bull drivers, despite the fact that the the dust raised by the internal investigation at Red Bull seems to be settling. However, a deep rift within the team has surfaced, only soothed by the impressive sequence of successes in this start of the season, ahead of the Australian Grad Prix. Now spirits seem calmer, the statements of Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and Jos Verstappen more conciliatory, but it all seems like a necessary script to continue winning without self-harm. The general feeling is that Christian Horner feels betrayed by Max Verstappen’s entourage and by the Dutch driver himself, who has shown no solidarity towards the team principal.
It is legitimate to speculate that the British motorsport executive has developed the desire to show that he is able to win even without the Dutchman. After all, Max Verstappen has also significantly benefited from the joyous war machine laboriously built piece by piece by Christian Horner, starting practically from scratch. Will Sergio Perez be the last tailor-made teammate for Max Verstappen? If Max Verstappen’s next teammate is Fernando Alonso, we are sure that Red Bull will have chosen not to put all its focus only on the Dutchman as has been the case in the last few years. A return to the fold for Carlos Sainz seems more difficult, as things stand.
After the disappointing exit from Scuderia Ferrari, it’s unlikely that Carlos Sainz would seek his dimension by scaling another Everest named Max Verstappen, after the demanding coexistence with Charles Leclerc. There don’t seem to be any other alternatives on the table for Red Bull, as there appear to be no new talents like Sebastian Vettel or Max Verstappen in the Red Bull young driver pool, and Daniel Ricciardo now seems to be the nemesis of the fast and gritty driver he proved to be a few years ago. Next year, for the first time in Formula 1 history, Spain could boast its drivers in two top teams.
Source: Roberto Cecere for FUnoanalisitecnica
Leave a Reply