The Italian Formula 1 team is hoping for more celebrations in Suzuka in two weeks, after Albert Park injected new energy into the F1 Championship. The impressive one-two finish by Sainz and his teammate Charles Leclerc in Australia narrowed Red Bull’s lead to just four points in both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. This marked a significant shift in momentum following Max Verstappen’s dominant performances in the Middle East.
Ferrari was fortunate that Verstappen encountered brake issues at Albert Park, ending Red Bull’s two-year streak of no retirements on race days. Despite this stroke of luck, Ferrari left Melbourne pleased with the performance of their SF-24 car, especially after being outperformed by Red Bull in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur expressed his satisfaction, stating: “This weekend is strong evidence that when we put everything together, although it may not happen every week, we can put Red Bull under pressure. It is in these pressure moments that they are more likely to make mistakes. We must continue in this direction.”
On the other hand, Red Bull struggled to find their rhythm in Melbourne, with three-time F1 world champion Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez facing setup difficulties from the start. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged that they failed to adapt to the conditions, while Ferrari seemed to have no such issues.
Perez, who finished fifth despite damage to the floor of his car, believed that Ferrari had the pace to challenge Verstappen if he had completed the race. However, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko was not convinced, stating: “I spoke to Max and he said that, despite the problems, he was able to keep up with Sainz’s pace relatively easily. With Max in the race, the result would have been completely different,” Marko insisted.
Ferrari may have to wait until their next direct battle with Verstappen to determine their true position. Verstappen, who won 19 out of 22 races last season, will be eager to retaliate at the Japanese Grand Prix.
In contrast, Mercedes has no doubts about their position in the hierarchy, as Melbourne confirmed their status as a supporting role. With no points at Albert Park and their first double retirement since 2018, the Silver Arrows have dropped to fourth in the championship, an impressive 71 points behind Red Bull.
The downward spiral may continue as the Brackley team struggles to understand the unpredictable performance of their redesigned W15 car. Team principal Toto Wolff admitted: “We haven’t made any foolish decisions since 2021. It’s just that we don’t fully understand certain behaviors exhibited by the car.” (Reporting by Ian Ransom)
