Red Bull: The strongest team at the 2021 F1 pre-season tests 
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This Sunday saw the conclusion of the 2021 F1 pre-season tests (three-day) at the Sakhir Circuit, Bahrain.

Although results from these kinds of testing often bear no relationship with actual competitiveness and have to be taken with a pinch of salt, Red Bull Racing has not only been the fastest but has showcased the confidence of a winner. 

Champions Mercedes, on the other hand, had to deal with unusual breakdowns. As for the other teams, McLaren has shone and Ferrari has seen a notable improvement. And great feeling for Alpha Tauri. Alpine has also managed a smooth testing week unlike Aston Martin’s which has been ridden with problems. 

Mercedes raises some doubts 

This has not been a placid nor a typical preseason for the team of the silver star, who will be pursuing its eighth consecutive title of the hybrid era. Mercedes has had to deal with several problems right from the start of tests, with Valtteri Bottas having to return to the garage just moments after climbing into his W12 on Friday. 

A faulty gearbox kept him in boxes until the final minutes of the morning session. His partner, Lewis Hamilton didn’t have much luck either. The champion has never felt comfortable with the new machine and committed several driving errors during the trials, something very unusual for him. 

Hamilton seems to have accused the temperamental behaviour of the black arrow which originated at the rear suspension. There were also issues with the turbo. 

Despite all of these shortcomings, Bottas remained the fastest on Saturday. The Germans are still the favourites but, they do seem a little more vulnerable after the events of last weekend. 

A smooth ride for McLaren with its new Mercedes engine 

McLaren has shown to be reliable despite having switched to a Mercedes engine in the 2021 F1 pre-season tests. The rear diffuser design of the MCL35M has been the talk of the paddock. 

McLaren’s steady and solid pace has brought the team into the top three during all sessions. Both its drivers, newcomer Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris have had a strong drive.  

Red Bull steps up its game 

Red Bull Racing has overwhelmingly dominated the standings of the 2021 F1 pre-season tests, but this is by no means the most important aspect of pre-season testing.

What has been truly remarkable is its high pace and solidity, as well as the absence of faults. Its visibly more powerful and reliable Honda engine has been the centre of attention.

The RB16B has shown to be stable and reliable and, on top of that, new driver Checo Perez seemed perfectly adapted to its new car. The Mexican driver, who has evidently worked hard to create a good rapport with the vehicle, will form a fearsome couple with Max Verstappen. 

Aston Martin: The great disappointment  

The great disappointment of the 2021 F1 pre-season tests sessions has been Aston Martin Racing (formerly Racing Point). The green team has had similar gearbox issues to its supplier, Mercedes. This and other problems have kept the AMR21 in the box longer than on the track.

Unable to show what they’ve got; the real potential of the English car is unknown. Their new star pilot Sebastian Vettel, does not seem to have fully adapted to the operational ins and outs of his new machine neither to his new team in general.

Both he and his partner, the son of the team owner Lance Stroll, have a lot of work ahead of them. 

Ferrari’s satisfactory progress 

The SF21 seems to have made great progress over its predecessor. The new model has once and for all put an end to the former issues of high-drag and lack of power.

Both Ferrari’s new addition Carlos Sainz and his partner, Charles Leclerc have developed their scheduled work program uneventfully, besides some minor instability issues that would have to be corrected after the 2021 F1 pre-season tests. 

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Alpine: An exciting prospect  

The blue car of Alpine F1 Team has run smoothly with only some minor issues needed dealing with. Its rhythm was consistent and very near fast enough to make them a serious contender on the midfield.

The French Esteban Ocon and their new addition, the Spaniard Fernando Alonso, have expressed their optimism. Strangely the team decided not to take part in any qualifying runs or to stay on the track for as many kilometres as most of the other teams. In any case, they seem to find themselves at a good starting point.  

Images of 2021 F1 pre-season tests: F1.com.

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