The second Red Bull Formula 1 team faced two important questions as they entered the 2024 season: what would be its name and how strong would its driver lineup be? The first question has been answered, but determining the strength of the drivers remains a challenge.
Yuki Tsunoda has shown growth and development as a driver in recent seasons, but his true speed and skill are still uncertain. In the past, Daniel Ricciardo proved to be a formidable teammate for Max Verstappen, outperforming both Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon during their time together at Renault.
However, Ricciardo’s reputation took a hit during his time at McLaren, where he struggled to perform in a car that didn’t suit his driving style. When rookie Oscar Piastri joined McLaren and showed similar performance to Lando Norris, it seemed to confirm that Ricciardo’s Formula 1 career was coming to an end.
Ricciardo’s opportunity with AlphaTauri came after Nyck de Vries failed to meet expectations. Although Ricciardo showed promise during testing at Silverstone, his performance on track has been inconsistent. When comparing qualifying sessions, he was, on average, 0.12s slower than Tsunoda. It’s worth noting that Tsunoda’s exceptional grid position in Mexico was due to power unit penalties, not a true reflection of his qualifying performance.
The performance of the drivers relative to the front of the grid is unclear. Is the AlphaTauri car quick, but the drivers are not maximizing its potential? Or is the car mediocre, and the drivers are pushing it to its limits? These questions are of great concern to Red Bull, as it could impact the entire organization, especially after two disappointing seasons with Sergio Perez in the main team. If Red Bull decides to replace Perez in the future, they would want to know whether to promote from within or recruit externally.
This uncertainty also affects the smaller RB team, which has closer technical ties to Red Bull Racing. This season presents a great opportunity for them, but they need to ensure that their drivers are fully utilizing the potential of the new car. One way to find out definitively would be to have Max Verstappen, the world’s number one driver under contract with Red Bull, drive the car in the simulator. This would provide a direct and accurate comparison to gauge the performance of the drivers.
Luckily, there are no restrictions preventing this comparison. Article 17.2.8 of the technical regulations explicitly states that competitors can share test facilities and equipment with each other. If Verstappen proves to be significantly faster than Ricciardo or Tsunoda, or if he’s not, Red Bull will have the answer they seek.
No other team has the advantage of such a direct comparison to the best driver in Formula 1. It would be foolish not to take advantage of this opportunity.
According to the Source the-race.com