Two days of testing and two almost identical classifications: Verstappen, Alonso and Sainz, in that order, with the C3 tire which is the reference rubber in Sakhir. This Friday some paratroopers slipped in: Zhou put Alfa Romeo first at night and with a very soft C5 (it is not used in the Bahrain GP) ahead of Red Bull and Aston Martin; just as De Vries and Hulkenberg overtook the Ferrari using the same compound. But the kilometers go by and the Aston Martin is still there, not so far from the best (this time half a second) and with a certain margin over the theoretical middle zone that it should integrate. In addition, Mercedes suffers, the day ended with a hydraulic failure and a red flag and the lap times are not very convincing.
Disregarding the fact that Red Bull is on its own planet, which shouldn’t draw attention either, the AMR23 is possibly the sensation of the tests. Alonso rode it throughout the day and alternated reasonably decent long runs with fast laps that came with great ease. Any attempt placed him among the best. In the morning he was second, behind a Carlos Sainz who signed the best time of the preseason (until then). In the afternoon they were only surpassed by the vitaminized Alfa Romeo (its C5 prevents the comparison, although the car does not detract) and the Red Bull of Mad Max.
Many good things can be seen about the Ferrari, reliability is impeccable and they are complying with the entire program. But also some negative detail: the wear on the tires seems high and Leclerc does not finish finding himself. This Friday, at 0.250 from Sainz. Charles will drive the SF-23 on Saturday morning and Carlos will close the tests in the afternoon with the qualifying and race simulation. Verstappen will no longer participate, the RB19 is Czech from now on.
Silence of Alpine and McLaren, breakdown of Mercedes
Alpine and McLaren are keeping it low-key, though there were attempts with the C3 that went largely unnoticed. But if a manufacturer is missing, for now, it is Mercedes. The greats are always suspicious, but from the Brackley garage temporary brands abound when they say they hope to win again this year, but “throughout the season.” Not now.
And at the end of the ‘paddock’ the Aston Martin garage awaits, seventh car of 2022 and candidate for revelation of 2023. In the conversations between journalists and engineers, the green car from Silverstone ends up sneaking in. Even great figures within Red Bull are surprised by the irruption of this device designed by one of Adrian Newey’s disciples, the British Dan Fallows. There are two days, 17 hours of training in Bahrain, and Alonso has been the driver who has been closest to Verstappen with the same tire. There is one Saturday left to confirm sensations and refine the ‘set-up’, in the morning the Drugovich tester will get on (because they fear that Stroll will not arrive next week) and in the afternoon session Alonso will close. And then what?
