Red Bull reveals F1 testing “Not as smooth” as expected for Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson | F1 news
Red Bull admitted that the F1 test was not as smooth as they expected with the questionnaires compared to their pace compared to the apparent setting of the MCLARENA Tempo ahead of the Australia Grand Prix that opens the season.
During the three days of testing in Bahrein, Red Bull completed the smallest number of circles while Max Verstappen set up the second best time on the last day after George Russella on Friday.
However, RB21 was regularly located in the garage while the team made changes on Thursday, but suffered a water pressure failure on Thursday.
Neither Verstappen nor Liam Lawson ended the simulation of a full race, which would be the best indicator of the Red Bull Tempa.
“It was not such a smooth test as we expected, and the team expected, but it is better to find some problems here than later the line and that is why we are here to understand the car,” said Technical Director Pierre Wache.
“Time was not with us and it wasn’t very representative for this path, but we tried to explore the car potential and we tried to understand how it responds to different settings, and I think we have achieved more or less.
“I think it’s very difficult to see the starting order for Melbourne across the net, you see that four teams look pretty fast, including us, but we didn’t look too much on other teams, we tried to focus on our program.
“I am not as happy as I could be because the car did not react as we sometimes wanted, but it goes in the right direction, only maybe the size of the direction was not as big as we expected and what we should work on for the first race and future development.”
Verstappen: Working on this, but testing ‘wasn’t bad’
Verstappen has the opportunity to equalize the record of Michael Schumacher of five consecutive titles this year, but Lando Norris is entering the season as a favorite after McLaren has most impressed in testing.
On the second day of the testing, Norris was about one second faster than Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes Kimi Antonelli during their last stay of their race simulation, though on a faster tire.
Lewis Hamilton pointed out that Verstappen had “decent” in recent mornings, but the Dutchman played expectations.
“I think we had a decent last day, there were several small problems, but overall, we finished a lot of what we wanted to do,” he said.
“I think that was not bad, but at the same time it is a little more work. However, we expected it and we will continue to work and continue to try to improve and hope, as we enter Melbourne, we will learn a little more by passing through all the information and seeing where we are.
“It’s hard to say where everyone’s pace is, so there’s a little more work for us. We look forward to starting the right race in Australia in Australia.”
When is the first race F1?
For the first time in 2019, the opening of the season will be held in Melbourne at the Australian Grand Prix from March 14 to March 16. The first race moved from Bahrain to Australia because of Ramadan, which took place during March.
There are 24 events in the F1 2025 F1 calendar, the same number as last year, and the season ended up on the Grand Prix in Abu Dabi, 5-7. December.
Check out all 24 race weekends from the Formula 1 2025 Live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian GP from March 14 to March 16. Stream Sky Sports with now – No Treaty, cancel anytime
