RB F1 Team pre-season testing in Bahrain concluded with mixed messages, with driver Yuki Tsunoda acknowledging a lack of significant progress compared to the end of the 2023 season.
The Japanese driver, who enters his third season with the team, acknowledged that the car had shown some improvements over its 2023 predecessor, but he cautioned that these gains were not significant. The reason, he explains, lies in the team’s strategic decision to focus development efforts on the 2024 car even during the closing stages of last year.
“I wouldn’t say we’ve made a massive step compared to the last race and last test of 2023 in Abu Dhabi,” Tsunoda stated, “but that’s partly because we brought updates there that were already aimed at 2024.”
Despite the lack of immediate leaps forward, Tsunoda highlighted positive aspects of the VCARB 01 car’s handling. “Last week, we saw once again that they’re working well and that the team has adopted the right philosophy with the car, which seems to handle well without extremes of oversteer or understeer.”
He expressed cautious optimism about the team’s potential, acknowledging, “It’s made a step forward on the mechanical side, so I’d say we have a good starting point for this season, with more development to come in the future.”
Teammate Daniel Ricciardo echoed the sentiment of focusing on overall competitiveness, stating, “It’s natural for a new car to be an improvement on the previous one, but what counts is where we stand compared to everyone else. Have we improved more than them or have they improved more than us?”
The Aussie driver emphasized the importance of data analysis and preparation with the team that changed a lot over the winter break: “I’ve stayed in Bahrain since the test, and with the engineers we’ve spent a lot of hours studying all the data from the three days on track, so we know what we want to do as soon as we hit the track for Free Practice.”
As they smoothly ended last week tests with 366 laps, RB F1 team leadership, including Laurent Mekies and Peter Bayer, are managing expectations for the upcoming season. This comes in light of the team’s strategic decision to prioritize development efforts – also helped by partnership with Red Bull – during the middle part of the 2024 season. This strategic choice, while potentially impacting early-season performance, suggests an emphasis on long-term competitiveness.
Both drivers anticipate the first race in Bahrain as a crucial point to show their real potential. Ricciardo noted the track’s demanding nature, especially on tire wear, but pointed to his record of success there: “I’ve had some good moments there, never on the podium, but I’ve scored plenty of points.”
He also highlighted the unique atmosphere of the season opener: “Of course, there’s something special about the first race of the season. When you haven’t raced for a few months, it feels a bit more intense.”
The Bahrain Grand Prix will be the first true test of their progress and their ability to keep pace with the rest of the field.