Formula 1 is in the second year of the technical regulation it has debuted in Bahrain, and which has reshuffled the values on the track. Just a year ago at the fight between Red Bull and Mercedes, was added Ferrari, taking the starring role in the first part of the season. Although the team basically had one of the best projects on paper, the advantage gradually vanished with the passing of the races, due to problems of various kinds.
In modern Formula 1, as in the past, it is not enough to secure victory in a few races, because the season is long and unpredictable. This must also be a warning for 2023, started under the sign of a brace RedBull. The Austrian team compared to its rivals did not have any kind of problem in the race, e he immediately lengthened his pace. Ferrari and Mercedes have had more problems and at the moment seem to be playing in another category where it has also added Aston Martin. There is a risk of hearing the Dutch and Austrian anthem at every race, but the season can still hold some surprises for us. Over the course of the weekend we were able to observe the behavior of all 10 cars, understand who has improved in performance – but above all how much, based on last year's values.
The comparison
Looking at the standings constructors after the first race some differences compared to last year's race standings catch the eye. Primarily at the top. Red Bull, with the double, redeemed itself from that double 0 that had marked the beginning of last season, even leading Max Verstappen to declare di “have no hope for the World Cup“. Ferrari – who returned to victory a year ago after a very long fast – had to digest a more bitter pill, having suffered a training camp with Charles, who could have achieved the first podium of the season.
Instead of Charles on the podium he climbed Fernando Alonso which in 2023 bet on Aston Martin. At the moment, the decision to abandon Alpine and accept Lawrence Stroll's proposal seems to have paid off. The podium came after an excellent performance by both Astons, who finished in the top 10 without too many problems. The team therefore emerged as a second force. Which is an extraordinary result, also considering that – in qualifying for 2022 neither driver Aston Martin had arrived in Q2.
Aston Martin the best of the 10
Everlasting compared to last year's qualifying, Aston Martin is the one that has progressed the most. The team gained 2,4 seconds, and Williams improved by 1,2 seconds. A rhythm also confirmed by the good performance of the two teams in the race. Alexander Albon finished the race in the points while rookie Logan Sergeant finished in 12th place. Red Bull's RB19 also managed to beat its big brother, the RB18 – by almost a second. While among the top teams, Ferrari is the one that seems to have reaped the least since this first sowing. Only 0.558 faster per lap, almost half of Red Bull. The worst, however, are AlphaTauri and Alfa Romeo.
The recovery, at least for Williams and Aston Martin, could have come from the "advantage" of having finished the 2022 season in low positions in the standings. It is interesting to note that Ferrari-powered cars ranked in the bottom half, which could be a cause for concern at the Maranello headquarters, where the specter of reliability is back.
Here is the ranking based on the time obtained in last year's qualifications:
- Aston Martin – 2.441
- Williams - 1.203
- Red Bull – 0.973
- Mercedes - 0.708
- Haas - 0.652
- Alpine - 0.637
- McLaren - 0.627
- Ferrari - 0.558
- AlphaTauri - 0.235
- Alfa Romeo - 0.117
