The Formula 1 World Championship starts today in Bahrain, and the 75th edition of the fastest circus will bring a record 24 races. A crowded calendar and team fatigue will be a big problem, but based on preseason testing, Red Bull and three-time current champion, Max Verstappen, are ready for another year of dominance.
Until December 8, in the 24 races, there will also be a period of driving in three weekends in a row - this will be the case in mid-summer, as well as in October. Verstappen, the popular "Flying Dutchman", complained about the difficult schedule.
- I have a feeling that there are too many races. Yes, I'm still very young personally, but I also understand that I won't be doing this for another ten years if it's such a hectic pace. I believe that we should primarily take care of quality, not quantity. And, like I said, it's not environmentally friendly. I love racing, I do that outside of Formula 1, but at some point you think about the quality of life, how much time you spend outside the home for your favorite sport. Maybe the day will come when I decide to stay home and focus on other projects. It's crazy how much time he has to devote to this job. I like it, undeniably, so no problem so far. At the same time, I understand that in a few years the situation will change greatly, because consumption is huge - said the three-time world champion.
The teams are already preparing for such a busy calendar: they are gathering different racing crews and preparing for their rotation. That, however, will not save the competition from mistakes, as well as the absence of top managers in some races and in some important episodes. They will lack real and quick decisions.
Verstappen started qualifying at a slow pace, but still fought for pole position in today's race in Bahrain.
- We are focused on ourselves, there were some small problems with the balance, but nothing serious, we were just trying to find the ideal settings. This is especially important here, with such rough asphalt. We are focused on the longer drive, qualifying is important, but the car must remain in excellent condition for the race. And I don't really care if I'm behind the first place at the start, because those who used more aggressive engine operation during qualifying, can have problems - said Verstappen.
The reliability and perfect operation of the new technical concept built into the Red Bull car, although it looked powerful with the changes during testing in Bahrain, is still not a guarantee that the car will remain stable on other tracks, in changing weather conditions. Even great engineers can make mistakes, and therefore one must not lose faith in the intrigue before the start of the competition.
And the seven-time champion is driving in Mercedes for the last season, as it has been made official that Briton Lewis Hamilton will drive for Ferrari next year, where he wants to finish his career. The intrigue is how his decision will affect relations in the team, how he will react to team orders and the fact that the "Silver Arrows" will now build their future on George Russell. Hamilton will be phased out of the development program for the 2025 car, but the most important thing is that Mercedes must resolve strategic and tactical dilemmas during the races and hope for the tandem's sanity. First of all - will the pilots themselves miss each other at the request of the team!?
The transfer of Hamilton is not the first mega transfer, Fernando Alonso as a champion signed to drive for McLaren since 2007, but then he defended the title in the last year in Renault.
The Spanish veteran was a pleasant surprise with Aston Martin last season as well - the green copy of Red Bull immediately won the podium. This year, however, the ambitions are not the highest.
- It is difficult for me to understand the distribution of power in the engine. At times it surprises me that we get up high, but everything changes when the throttle load is different. So... But I'm happy with the way we've changed some settings, but we have more work to do. I am of the opinion that 12 months ago in Bahrain we were in a stronger position compared to the competition than we are now. But we'll see - explained Alonso.
The fight for the middle of the podium will certainly be fierce, because every team with a little luck and favorable circumstances can hope for high positions.
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