What we learnt from the 2024 F1 Pre-Season Test?

Formula One’s pre-season test is complete and the Bahrain Grand Prix is set to officially get underway on Thursday, so what have we learnt from testing?  

Red Bull remains the one to beat

Red Bull Racing look to be the one to beat as the Milton Keynes team look to defend both titles heading into 2024. As the reigning world champions, Red Bull and Max Verstappen will naturally have targets on their back. 

Ahead of the F1 season, Red Bull has seemingly taken a risk with their slim side-pod design which is similar to Mercedes’ failed concept of 2022 and 2023. 

Whilst it’s not the carbon copy of Mercedes’ zero-pod concept, the Adrian Newey design has seemingly found areas for improvement where Mercedes failed. 

Although lap times should not be taken as gospel in the pre-season test, due to unknown variables, the pecking order is hard to decipher, bar one team: Red Bull.

Across the weekend, the performance – especially in Verstappen’s hands – looks to highlight Red Bull as the one to beat. 

A better start for McLaren

In recent seasons, pre-season testing hasn’t played well with McLaren as mechanical gremlins raised their ugly heads in the Bahrain desert. 

However, this year was different and the Woking-based team had a better test. Whilst the team had a better pre-season test, they certainly didn’t get away without issue. 

Lando Norris was forced to end his final day of testing due to a clutch issue in the morning before Oscar Piastri took over. Norris also had a small fuel issue on Thursday when he took the reigns.

On the overall test, Norris was happy. He said:

“We encountered one or two setbacks here and there, but that is to be expected during pre-season testing. 

“The important thing is we have a good understanding of the car now, we have plenty of data to go over and will come back stronger for the race next weekend.”

The McLaren F1 Team perform a pit stop on the car of Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38 – Credit: McLaren Racing

A tussle between Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren

With Red Bull looking to be out in front, the tussle for the runner-up spots looks to be between three different teams; Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren. 

After putting in 416 laps across the three-day test, the second most of any team and only narrowly beaten by Haas, Ferrari will be hoping that they have ironed out their tyre wear issues. The car, according to the drivers, is more drivable than last year’s iteration which will give the team confidence going into the season.

This season will be the first full season for Mercedes since they’ve scrapped their zero-pod concept and the car was positively reciprocated by the drivers. 

McLaren had a season of two halves last year with poor testing and performance, last season. Building on their performances and upgrades, the team will be looking to become regular race winners, providing Norris and Oscar Piastri with maiden race wins. 

Reliability looks good

Reliability looks to be golden across the 10 teams as there were no red flags caused by any of the teams. The only red flag stoppages were brought out due to a loose drain cover which became unlodged at turn 11 of the Bahrain International Circuit. 

Across the weekend, a total of 3,695 laps were completed. Haas racked up the most laps of anyone with a total of 441 laps completed, followed by Ferrari (416) and Red Bull (391). On the other hand, Williams was the team with the least mileage under their belt 

Whilst other teams had mechanical issues with clutch issues (McLaren) and small brake fires (Red Bull), Williams was the only team to have a high-profile problem as Alexander Albon pulled off with a fuel pump issue. 

Despite this, reliability across the board is encouraging for the teams.

That’s all for the article; What we learnt from the 2024 F1 Pre-Season Test?

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Final pre-season test moves into one session as Sainz tops timesheet
• Sainz on top as Day 2 of F1 2024 testing comes to close
• Drain cover brings end to F1 Morning Test on Day 2
• Who fared better on the first day of 2024 F1 testing
• Verstappen fastest in first day of 2024 F1 pre-season test
• Verstappen tops first session of F1 pre-season test

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.