The season is about to begin and one of the most popular questions in this phase in which we are gradually discovering the single-seaters that will make up the F1 grid is: the VCARB 01 of the team Racing Bulls could it be the surprise of the year at Fanta F1? The new single-seater from the Faenza team immediately showed itself to be one of the most interesting on the grid because it does not represent the simple evolution of the AT04 but rather the fruit of a larger change, which aims to bring the team into the top 5 and even conquer the podium. In the footsteps of the already multi-award winning Red Bull.
A new direction
The new direction undertaken by the now former AlphaTauri is not only based on rebranding but on a total restructuring of the team and the car, ever closer to the Red Bull philosophy. Which worries, and not least the opponents of the Faenza team. In fact, everyone is wondering how much the approach to Red Bull will have affected the development of the new single-seater. Compared to last season, the team has taken more members from the parent company, and this could mean a much bigger transformation than a simple evolution. Precisely for this reason Visa Cash App RB is one of those teams to keep an eye on in this first phase of the Fanta F1 season. A bit like Aston Martin in 2023.
Ricciardo: “With the VCARB 01 we aim for the top 5”
Daniel Ricciardo, who this time will start the season immediately in the official line up, admitted that he was struck by the substantial differences of the VCARB 01 compared to the old AT03, an uncompetitive single-seater. The Italian Australian driver he has great faith in the team and believes he can aim much higher with this car.
“It will be fast, but if it is also nice to look at, it won't be bad”, Ricciardo declared exclusively to RacingNews365 on the occasion of the presentation in Las Vegas. “There are a lot of things happening in the team and I think it has become more than just a junior Red Bull team, which is really important.". Getting back on the podium would definitely be fantastic, but I don't want it to be an exception. I would prefer a series of top five places, without a podium, and show some consistency towards the top places. This is what I really want, a bit like my second year at Renault [in 2020], which people forget about now. It's been a year where I've been consistently top five, top six and a few podiums, and that's the level I want to be able to produce again week after week."
Daniel Ricciardo also spoke about the off-season and preparation for 2024. The positive feelings of the previous season motivate him, anticipating a promising start for Racing Bulls thanks to the development of the car and Tsunoda's performances.
Will the VCARB 1 be a surprise at Fanta F01?
So is it worth investing in Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda at Fanta F1 or not? The feeling, given that making any predictions now is truly risky, is that VCARB 01 aspires to play a more important role than the one it plays now. It may not be an exact copy of the Red Bull but the philosophy is the same, not to mention the components passed from one bench to another.
In the paddock there are those who are already ready to point the finger in one direction or another depending on the performance of the VCARB 01. However, we will discover the response, especially on the exchange of information, later in the season. For this reason, perhaps it is really worth investing in this team in the initial stages, also given the leap in quality in the last races of last season. Furthermore, the cost of the two pilots will not be prohibitive. Buying Ricciardo and Tsunoda at Fanta F1 now could therefore be a good investment. Let's also not forget that Ricciardo is also in the running to fill the position of Perez should the team decide on a change of direction late in the season.
