Formula 1 racing returned with the new season finally kicking off for real with the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix. But there was so much similar from the overall story of 2023 it rather deflated the whole affair from early on in the 57-lap main event. Max Verstappen appeared to be as in command as ever, while his rivals had their own struggles and his team-mate offered no challenge.
Yet there remain some crumbs of comfort for a more interesting campaign possibly unfolding when viewing the Bahrain event as a whole, plus yet more intrigue into the massive off-track story currently casting a major cloud over F1’s leading team.
Here then, is the pick of what we learned from F1’s 2024 season opener.
1. F1 2024 is so far just like F1 2023
Verstappen pulling away at the front made for familiar viewing after Leclerc’s brake problems dropped him back
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
It all felt so familiar. Verstappen starting alongside Leclerc for the fourth race in a row (although the Monegasque never saw the 2023 Brazil GP start), seeing off the Ferrari at the opening turns, then rapidly dropping it and easing clear to a crushing victory. The new season has begun just how the last one ended.
There was also Ferrari Bahrain car drama, although admittedly nowhere near as bad as in 2023 and so Leclerc isn’t heading to the rapidly-following round two facing an early grid penalty. Plus, Mercedes ended up humbled after its confidence had risen somewhat ahead of the real action starting. And Perez underwhelmed in qualifying with the best car and had to battle back. Again, so 2023.
There were rather notable changes among the frontrunners, however. McLaren reckons it has gained “1.8 seconds”, year-on-year in Bahrain qualifying, per team boss Andrea Stella and it ended up sixth and eighth in the race. Aston Martin, meanwhile, never had the pace to threaten the podium places as it so famously did last season.
2. Horner scandal not as over as he’d hoped
The storm surrounding Horner has yet to blow away
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The Christian Horner scandal had dominated the 2024 launch season and testing, with the Red Bull team and several high-profile other entities – FOM, the FIA and Red Bull Powertrain’s strategic partner, Ford – wanting it wrapped up before the new season started.
That took a significant step towards being the case when Red Bull GmbH’s independent investigation
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