(Motorsport-Total.com) – Formula 1 is looking forward with excitement to the Australian Grand Prix (here is the schedule) and wonders: How will the first race of the new era unfold? Haas driver Oliver Bearman approaches the opener with a healthy dose of skepticism, but also sees opportunities in it.
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“Definitely, where there is chaos, opportunities arise, and I’m looking forward to it,” said the Briton, adding: “Of course, this track might not be the best start for these rules, simply because of the nature of the course. Along with Monza, Austria, and Jeddah, it is one of the more demanding tracks.” (This is what the weather will be like!)
“We don’t have much energy to play with, simply because there aren’t many braking zones,” Bearman explains the challenges. “I think it could be the worst-case scenario for these rules. I’m staying open-minded; I don’t want to jump to conclusions after Australia.”
Bearman convinced: Opener “will be chaotic”
Meaning: Even if the race in Australia turns into a debacle, the Haas driver does not want to voice premature criticism yet. “It will be interesting, and the most important thing is that it’s a long championship,” the Briton emphasizes. “At the beginning, there are many more opportunities than in five or six races, once we’ve all figured everything out.”
“Hopefully we can have a clean weekend, focus on our priorities, and achieve a good result.” The main goal is to get through the weekend without problems. “I think so,” says Bearman.
“There is no surplus of energy, we will always be driving at the lower end of the field everywhere, and when there’s nothing left, it means we have to be fully on top of our efficiency, our strategies, and everything else. It will be chaotic, but it’s also a great opportunity, so I’m looking forward to it.”
George Russell: “A huge amount of unknowns”
Mercedes driver George Russell also recalls the fundamental rule changes ahead of the season opener. “There is a huge amount of unknowns,” says the Briton. “I think there are many discussions about race starts – a difficult topic. There are many hurdles.”
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“You can be thrown off by every little mistake. During a race, in qualifying, at pit stops – there is no time to relax,” says the Mercedes driver, who is considered a World Championship favorite. “Things that used to be quite straightforward are now very complicated.”
“But up to this point, I think we have made the best possible preparation. We feel well-positioned. However, new track conditions could be different.” Overall, however, the preparations have been very positive, Russell reveals.
Mercedes as title favorite? “It changes nothing”
“We had a much better pre-season than in the last four years,” the 28-year-old looks back at the test drives in Bahrain. “There were no points on the car that caused us major concern. Everything is working as expected. The correlation is right. The simulated correlation is right.”
“And those are exactly the things where we failed in the last four years… Now everything is running as we hoped.” The strong impression catapulted the brand with the star into the role of title favorites, but for Russell, it is of no significance.
“Yes, it changes nothing. There is a lot of talk about us, meaning Mercedes, and I guess we take it as a compliment. But as soon as the helmet is on and the visor is down, it’s just about driving. You don’t think about all the extra chatter. You take it race by race.”
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