The F1 2023 season has finally kicked off and the testing for the new cars was underway from the 23rd to the 25th of February. Many teams are seeing a complete change in terms of vehicles, drivers, and team heads and the testing in Bahrain helped us get a glimpse of what is there to come in the 2023 season.
All the teams have got rid of the porpoising effect that was the F1 buzzword of the 2022 season. Mercedes seem to have fixed their ‘woes’ with aerodynamics. Ferrari on the other hand is still on the same page they were on the last season but with a change in team principals, Fred Vasseur will be at the helm to lead Carlos Sainz and fan favorite Charles Leclerc in the 2023 season.
A mini sprint race, anyone? 👀#F1 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/kZuqdduwpJ
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 25, 2023
We also see the welcome of James Vowles from Mercedes to Williams Racing as team principal. Many more changes in the grid are also visible and also in the performance.
Testing performance summary
Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez had the overall fastest lap clocking in at 1:30:305 on the third day of testing, his teammate, Max Verstappen was comparatively slower having his fastest lap clocking in at 1:31:650 on day two.
Lewis Hamilton ended up having the second-fastest lap timing overall clocking in at 1:30:664 whereas his teammate and fellow Englishman at Mercedes cocked 1:31:442 on his best lap around Sakhir. Valtteri Bottas clocked in 3rd with a time of 1:30:827 around the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain.
The boys backed by the Tifosi, Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz came fouth and fifth with a gap of 0.012 seconds. Fernando Alonso was fastest at Aston Martin clocking in at 1:31:450.
All the mileage and times from our final day of testing! 👀#F1 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/kBiJqIkf6h
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 25, 2023
On the team level, Red Bull seems to be on top of their game as always, closely followed by Ferrari and Mercedes. In the midfield, the cars are looking competitive this season with McLaren and Alpine fighting for the 4th spot and they will be followed closely by a competition between Alfa Romeo and Aston Martin.
Haas also seems more consistent with Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg at the wheel. Williams had the biggest improvement lap time-wise and also is seeing the rise of a potential rise of Logan Sargeant in the years to come.
A mega shift from @HaasF1Team on our final day of testing in Bahrain 💪#F1 #F1Testing pic.twitter.com/yBN2uz6hdA
— Formula 1 (@F1) February 25, 2023
Red Bull boss Christian Horner was asked to pick the most improved team from the lot and spoke about Aston Martin, “Yeah, I think they’ve made a big step,” he said.
The season ahead looks promising, but it will all boil down to strategy and also the tire management, which was the reason why Ferrari could not fiercely fight in the second leg of the 2022 season. The fans can expect an enthralling season ahead with fierce competition at the top, middle, and bottom of the table.
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