(Motorsport-Total.com) – The test sessions in Bahrain are history, but one realization is causing frowns in the paddock. Despite the radical new regulations, Red Bull seems to be ahead on the critical issue of energy management. George Russell is surprised by the competition’s form and looks with a certain skepticism at the upcoming season opener in Australia.
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Six days of testing in the Bahrain desert have painted an initial picture of the new Formula 1 era. While the look of the cars and the new power units dominated the headlines, an old acquaintance emerged in the background as an early favorite.
According to Mercedes driver Russell, Red Bull has mastered the transition to the new generation of power units best – at least in one area that can decide between victory or defeat.
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Although the new regulations have massively increased the electrical portion of the engines and charging the batteries now plays a key strategic role, Russell sees the competitor from Milton Keynes at an advantage.
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“Their deployment definitely still looks the best in the field, for which they deserve credit, and I think that was a bit of a surprise for everyone,” said the Briton after the conclusion of testing on Friday.
This observation is particularly explosive because it is the first engine that Red Bull has developed independently under the banner of Red Bull Powertrains. Previously, there was already praise from the highest level when Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff described the Bulls’ power unit as the current benchmark that Mercedes cannot quite reach at the moment.
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Russell admits that the Mercedes teams have drastically reduced the gap since the first day of testing in Bahrain, but still sees a challenge for the start of the season. “We are now on the sixth day of the Bahrain tests, while in Melbourne you have three hours of practice – that is the main point of concern,” said Russell.
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Meanwhile, the new system forces drivers into completely new routines in the cockpit. To sufficiently charge the batteries for the long straights, drivers sometimes even have to downshift on the straights. The opinions of the protagonists vary widely.
While world champion Max Verstappen compares the driving experience unflatteringly to a “Formula E on steroids,” Lando Norris finds the new complexity “very fun” and sees it as an interesting sporting challenge.
Track layout is crucial
However, it remains to be seen how much significance the data from Bahrain ultimately has. The desert circuit with its hard braking zones naturally offers good opportunities for energy recovery.
On tracks like Albert Park in Melbourne or the high-speed circuit in Jeddah, the world could look very different. McLaren driver Oscar Piastri is already warning that track characteristics could massively distort the picture. “At certain tracks, we will be much more limited by harvesting than here,” the Australian explains.
According to Piastri, drivers in Bahrain hardly have to do any lift-and-coast, but in Australia, the battery would be empty “very, very quickly” without this management. It becomes particularly critical where fast corners lead directly into straights without major braking phases.
“That’s where the biggest anomalies will be,” Piastri suspects. Although the system can also be adjusted while driving, the complexity at the steering wheel has noticeably increased. “Melbourne will look completely different and will be a challenge for all of us, I’m sure of that,” the McLaren driver concludes.
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