The primary full day of apply of the 2024 Method 1 season delivered a variety of surprises. First was the stunning efficiency from Daniel Ricciardo within the first apply session, as he put his RB01 atop the timing sheets in FP1 for Visa Money App RB F1 Staff. Then in FP2 got here one other stunner, as Mercedes completed with a 1-2 atop the board with Lewis Hamilton adopted by teammate George Russell. With a variety of groups posting qualifying runs throughout FP2, the efficiency from Mercedes actually caught some consideration.
One other shock from FP2? Haas. When the mud settled on a Thursday night time in Bahrain Kevin Magnussen was in P14, and it was Nico Hülkenberg up in P7, only a half-second off the tempo set by Hamilton:
And a few of their rivals within the midfield have taken discover.
“The vehicles round us are faster than I’d like, particularly the Haas, so we have to take a look at what we will do higher,” stated Alexander Albon within the post-practice media report from Williams.
In their very own post-session report, Haas seemed to downplay expectations, reminding everybody of their limitations from a season in the past.
“It was a reasonably good Friday – the primary one of many 12 months – so not a lot of a reference but. This morning, we continued to concentrate on long-run and race-pace stuff, attempting a few issues. This afternoon was extra like a traditional program. The tempo over one lap was possibly a bit sudden but additionally there’s no purpose to get over-excited or over-ambitious now,” stated Hülkenberg. “I believe there have been just a few individuals who didn’t do low-fuel runs and have extra potential, but it surely’s going to be tight and enjoyable to see.
“I anticipate a really tight discipline in qualifying, prefer it was final 12 months, it can proceed to be like that – so the smallest mistake can have a big effect. I’m not precisely positive the place we’ll slot in, however we’ll put every little thing that we now have into tomorrow.”
Based on his teammate, Haas has made strides with tire degradation, their Achilles’ heel from a season in the past.
“I believe it’s been a reasonably first rate day. There’s nonetheless a giant uncertainty on different individuals’s gasoline hundreds and so on. however once more we have been specializing in race runs and that was really good – I’m inspired to this point. On low-fuel, it’s nonetheless going to be a giant studying curve as we haven’t had any operating – FP2 was the primary actual low-fuel run that we did, so tons to be taught there,” added Magnussen. “It appears less complicated than the high-fuel operating, which I really feel like we’ve gone in the suitable path with when it comes to tire-wear a minimum of. I’m curious to find out about the actual tempo of the automotive in race situations however tire degradation is healthier.”
Staff Principal Ayao Komatsu outlined how the crew continued their concentrate on race tempo in FP1, which was their focus throughout most of pre-season testing.
“In FP1, it was a continuation of constructing on from the work of final week – trying on the high-fuel long-run efficiency – as a result of that’s nonetheless our largest limitation,” outlined Komatsu. That’s why trying on the timesheets we have been backside two however we weren’t anxious about that, we have been centered on our program like we have been in testing. I’m joyful that we realized a few issues that led to modifications for FP2.”
The second apply session gave them an opportunity to take a look at qualifying setups, and the Haas boss famous that the crew has taken some steps ahead in that division.
“In FP2, the situations have been very totally different in comparison with testing, it was really fairly chilly. In each classes, it was fairly windy and harder in comparison with testing as properly. In FP2, we checked out our low-fuel efficiency for the primary time because the third day of testing. Once more, we didn’t get one of the best out of it however having stated that, the lap Nico put in was fairly good, however that’s not my predominant concern,” added Komatsu. “We then did a high-fuel run – and it was okay – but it surely exhibits we’ve bought a bit extra work to do. The issues we realized by testing have been mirrored at this time and it exhibits that we’re in a greater place, however we should make one other step, so we’re actually centered on that.”
A season in the past, qualifying tempo was a energy for the crew. So seeing them up in P7 throughout a session that noticed many groups try some qualifying simulations may not be a complete shock. But when they’ll discover enhancements on longer runs — and keep away from the tire degradation points that hampered them a season in the past — then they actually could have taken a step ahead.
