Charles Leclerc denied Max Verstappen the fastest lap in Jeddah, which may have bothered Verstappen, but it was only a minor inconvenience after his consecutive poles and wins.
It’s important to remember that Red Bull is operating under less than ideal circumstances, with the ongoing Christian Horner saga and the involvement of Helmut Marko. The only positive is that Jos Verstappen is not present, likely only missed by his son.
Although Sakhir and Jeddah Corniche are different tracks in terms of downforce and abrasiveness, the pecking order at the top remained the same, with Red Bull still fast and Ferrari doing their best to catch up.
Behind them, McLaren emerged as the third-best team, followed closely by Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso. Mercedes, on the other hand, struggled.
Oscar Piastri finished ahead of Alonso in fourth place, while Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton’s gamble to stay out under the Safety Car did not pay off. However, Mercedes has other issues to address at this point.
Once again, the racing was not particularly exciting, and it seems that we will have to get used to this trend for the rest of the season unless there are any surprises.
One positive note was Oliver Bearman, who impressed during last Saturday’s race. Although his opportunity came due to Carlos Sainz’s surgery for appendicitis, Bearman provided something to follow.
Moving on to our takeaways from the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Red Bull demonstrated another flawless race despite the challenges and controversies they have faced even before the season started.
The storm surrounding Red Bull has not only persisted but has also intensified, with new twists emerging every day. However, the team shows no signs of weakening. The drivers perform on track, and the engineers, mechanics, strategists, and other staff fulfill their roles with utmost professionalism.
We do not know who deserves credit for this united front at Red Bull, but a team that has consistently shown strong form over the years, even when their cars weren’t winning, will require more than just challenges to fall apart. We hope that this outcome does not materialize.
It is crucial for Red Bull to resolve their issues soon, not only for their own benefit but also for the sake of Formula 1. It would be a shame to see such a team disintegrate, especially due to controversies that have affected them.
Firstly, we must extend our best wishes to Sainz, and it was fantastic to see him in the Ferrari garage less than 24 hours after his surgery. However, the positive aspect of the situation was Bearman’s F1 debut at the Saudi Arabian GP.
The young driver from Ferrari was thrown into a challenging situation with only FP3 available for preparation before qualifying. Nevertheless, he performed admirably. In qualifying, he narrowly missed out on Q3, and in the race, he showcased a mature drive. Starting in the midfield, which is a difficult task even for experienced drivers in treacherous territory, he managed to keep Sainz’s SF-24 intact.
Throughout the race, Bearman remained focused, executing clean maneuvers and impressive overtakes. He successfully held off Norris and Hamilton, who had fresher tires, and crossed the finish line in seventh place.
Bearman has recently been praised as a rising talent, and his performance in Jeddah proved that the hype surrounding him was justified. What makes his achievement even more remarkable is that he accomplished all of this in a Ferrari, a car that carries significant weight and scrutiny from the Scuderia’s high-ranking officials, including John Elkann, who was present at the event. Additionally, he faced immense pressure from the media.
In a weekend overshadowed by controversy and predictable race outcomes, Bearman’s debut was a breath of fresh air.
Mercedes introduced a newly designed car for the 2024 F1 season. This car features conventional sidepods and a seating position that Hamilton finds more comfortable.
Despite the initial positive feedback about the W15, with Wolff claiming it felt like a significant improvement compared to its problematic predecessors, the car’s performance on the track has not lived up to expectations.
While George Russell appears to be adapting well to the car, Hamilton is struggling with it. Even with adjustments to his seating position, he is still unable to tame the car.
To make matters worse, the W15 has a bouncy characteristic, a trait Mercedes had hoped to leave behind with its 2023 and 2022 models. In Jeddah, both the Silver and Black cars struggled to match their rivals in high-speed sections, a concern that Hamilton voiced while attempting to chase down Norris.
It appears that the car has a significant underlying issue, which Wolff described as “fundamental” and cannot be resolved through setup changes.
Although the team initially aimed to provide Hamilton with a competitive Mercedes for his final season with the team, the W15 falls far short of meeting that standard. As the Ferrari move looms on the horizon, Hamilton’s motivation may naturally be diminishing, and it seems that this final year of their partnership will not be an enjoyable one for either him or Mercedes.