Verstappen concluded his initial day in the RB20 as the fastest driver, outperforming the competition by 1.1 seconds. It was undoubtedly a case of immediate affinity between the Dutch ace and his new vehicle.
On the other hand, Sergio Perez had a slower start in the car designed by Adrian Newey during his Thursday session. However, he still managed to secure the second-fastest time, only trailing Carlos Sainz’s best lap in a Ferrari equipped with the soft Pirelli C4 tires. Perez achieved his time using the harder C3 compound.
During the morning session on Friday, Perez once again fell a few tenths short of the Ferrari duo’s pace. Nevertheless, Verstappen had no issues, as he swiftly climbed to the top of the timing screens on lap eight of his stint, setting a remarkable lap time of 1:31.058. And there were still three hours remaining!
Verstappen’s rivals have certainly taken notice of his impressive speed. Before his final run in the SF24, Leclerc commented, “It is still quite challenging to determine our position. We haven’t encountered any significant problems or surprises. We have received everything we anticipated from this car, which aids us in its development through simulation.”
He further added, “The extent of our competitiveness remains uncertain. Last year, the car exhibited such inconsistency that it was difficult to identify its main weaknesses. This year, we have a clear understanding of those weaknesses, which gives us a glimmer of hope. My initial impression is that Red Bull still holds a significant advantage, but we have a much stronger foundation compared to last year.” It’s worth noting that Leclerc did not win a Grand Prix in 2023.
Carlos Sainz, the sole driver to interrupt Red Bull Racing’s winning streak with his triumph in Singapore last year, echoed his Ferrari teammate’s sentiments: “In terms of performance, I genuinely have no idea. All I can say is that the Red Bull appears to be very fast, but aside from that, I have no further information.”
Mercedes driver George Russell observed, “Red Bull has already found that perfect balance, but hopefully, we can narrow the gap. However, it will require a great deal of effort to achieve that. They are an incredibly impressive team, the favorites, and undoubtedly ahead of everyone else. That was to be expected.”
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri also expressed caution during an interview with F1TV on Friday, stating, “They certainly don’t appear to be slow! It’s difficult to say. On the first day, Max looked incredibly strong, and even Sergio seemed more at ease. So, they are definitely the team to beat. I’m not entirely sure of the extent of their advantage, but it is significant enough to provide them with comfort. As for everyone else, I can’t say for certain, but I believe Red Bull has a distinct advantage.”
The consensus among the aforementioned drivers is hard to overlook, as the stage is already set for another season with 18 drivers chasing after two of their rivals. Between these two competitors, Perez will undoubtedly face a challenging task in keeping Verstappen under control. It all sounds remarkably familiar.
According to the Source grandprix247.com