Third team
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Formula 1 winter test is how well the Aston Martin team seems to be doing. The majority of the paddock seems convinced that Aston Martin has overtaken Mercedes.
The Formula 1 team of Mercedes-AMG naturally hopes to be able to participate fully again at the front of the field this year, but it could just be that it just drops one place further. Many leading Formula 1 journalists agree: Based on the winter test, Aston Martin seems to be the third team, followed by Mercedes in fourth place. If so, the question is of course whether Aston Martin will be able to hold on to that position or whether Mercedes will catch up with the British team through better development. When the Aston Martin team was still called Racing Point, it also scored high with the ‘pink Mercedes’, only to sink back a bit.
In any case, it seems that there is some optimism at Aston Martin itself. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who is driving for Aston Martin for the first time this year, said with a smile during a press conference in Bahrain that he was even faster in a race simulation than Ferrari, which was working on such a simulation at the same time. At the same time, of course, it remains to be seen to what extent it really turns out as it seems now, but based on the current data, it looks good for Aston Martin in any case.
Everyone also seems to agree that Red Bull has got its act together this year and if possible has an even bigger lead over the second team, Ferrari. Next weekend it will be time to put all the cards on the table in Bahrain during the first race weekend.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl