The trio of inaugural grands prix of the 2023 odyssey which will face the circus ended. There are those who lick their wounds, those who are satisfied, and those who try to avoid being satisfied with the good work done in order to continue to strike the competition with the usual harshness. A month's break awaits us, then another 20 races that will put even the nerves of the most resilient to the test. We are only at the beginning, but we can already draw too many conclusions. It's time to immerse yourself in the cold analysis of these first three races, between those who enjoy and those who torment themselves.
Pole position for those who smile after the first three races
At the end of 2022 there was already talk of a three-way fight in the following season. Yet, there is only one team to rejoice most of all. Red Bull, it has now become obvious to say, enjoys a technical superiority that is scary to say the least. What allows the winged bull's team to sleep peacefully isn't so much the massive gap trimmed to their rivals every Sunday, but the awareness of having a few months advantage over the competition.
To reassure even more the technicians of Milton Keynes are the always effective developmentsas well as having as my first guide a now practically perfect driver. The die has now been cast for the current season, and there is no penalty in the wind tunnel that can cast doubt on the superiority of this team. three races and three victories testify to all. Once the technical quirks of the RB19 have been accommodated – like the one that forced Verstappen retiring in Jeddah qualifying – it will be nirvana for the new hegemons of this Formula 1.
When you least expect it
"When you least expect it", a saying whose dichotomous meaning perfectly frames the situation of the three pursuers. On the one hand Aston Martin, which out of nowhere finds himself acting as a thorn in the side of two sacred monsters of this sport. Lawrence Stroll's team, according to the owner, would have needed a hundred races to get at least close to the top. Well, the technicians were too pessimistic, even if they may have overestimated those who are now contending with them for the third step of the podium. The good Fernando Alonso is in jujube broth after so many years of navigation on sight and poor results. Ferreo, ferocious, Fernando.
On the other hand, however, there are the confused. Victims of concepts that are difficult to interpret, with single-seaters that seem to suffer from the new regulatory changes. Expectations were different, especially for Ferrari, which after three races is fourth in the standings with fewer points than at the start of the disastrous 2020. For the first time we saw a really angry Hamilton towards the team, and one Charles Leclerc increasingly impatient from the routine that has distinguished Maranello for many years now. The star seems more optimistic about tomorrow, although it is difficult to say what awaits us as a result of the scheduled updates. What is certain is that this sport desperately needs these two teams in the positions that matter, and hoping for miracles is sometimes not enough.
When three races aren't enough
Taking hold of the constructors' standings can help identify the values in the field, but in three races it can also be an exercise in itself, as evidenced by the case Alpine. The Enstone team got off on the wrong foot. The A523 promises well, but the double zero in Australia sinks the Anglo-French team even behind McLaren. A lying ranking that whispers to us to wait for the long term. Alpine will be able to count on a good development base and two talented riders. At the expense, barring miracles, it will be McLaren. The papaya team, save theexploits of Australia, he was so disappointed, pilots in primis, in spite of themselves. Who knows if the updates planned for Azerbaijan ei strategic changes will give life to the MCL60.
A question of budget
The trudging four should not be overlooked. As above, the narrative 'joy and pain' also applies below. There is no good climate in AlphaTauri, where the team principal Franz Tost has even declared that he no longer trusts his engineers. The Red Bull satellite team has just one point thanks to Tsunoda's tenth place in Australia. The team's political situation seems chaotic, given the increasingly frayed ties with Red Bull which even threatens the breakup of the partnership. You will definitely benefit from it aAlfa Romeo looking for better results given the start under post-2022 expectations. Not easy to decipher the duo Haas-Williams. Everything will depend on the direction of the new team principal James Vowles and the unknown developments of Haas. Considering that, as we know, these last two terms rarely rhyme.
