Compared to last season, Ferrari looks like an outfit that has improved the most. They showed signs of resurgence in the latter half of 2023 and carry positive momentum with them this season. They have significantly improved on their pace from last season and are much closer in competition with Red Bull. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have taken note of the same and are wary of facing tough competition from the Italian team.
A short ‘longrun’ for Max Verstappen in Australia. Ferrari looks very good, McLaren as well. Will be an interesting raceweekend in Melbourne #F1 #F1data #AustralianGP https://t.co/wfJcLLxIfz
— Tim Kraaij (@TimKraaij) March 22, 2024
The Red Bull drivers addressed the same during the drivers’ parade in Australia. Max Verstappen was up first, and he claimed that the race in Australia might be a tough battle. He added he would try to do the best he could and hoped for a positive result.
“We’ll just try to do the best we can. I think it’s going to be a tough battle today. Ferrari seems very strong as well.”
Sergio Perez voiced a similar opinion when speaking about his team’s chances in the race. Having to start from P6 after a penalty, Perez claimed it could be a tough race for him. Admitting people around him had similar pace, Perez said that the race in Australia might be a close one, especially if they looked at Ferrari and McLaren’s pace.
“I think we might not be the fastest today. But we’ll see what we are able to do. I think it’s gonna be a super close race with the Ferraris and the McLarens.”
After the first two races of the season, Red Bull has earned 87 out of 88 total possible points. The team looks even more dominant than last year and would be hoping to go unbeaten this time around. However, things won’t be as easy for them, given the consistent improvements from Ferrari. Both their drivers have had one podium finish each and have given tough competition to Red Bull in the qualifying sessions. Hence, anticipations are high for a tough battle between the top two ranked teams.
Ferrari drivers set their sights on ousting Red Bull
Carlos Sainz has been off to a very strong start to the 2024 season. Having missed the race in Jeddah because of appendicitis, the Spanish driver made a strong comeback to the grid. The Spaniard put in a strong performance during the Qualifying session in Australia and secured a front-row spot alongside Verstappen. Addressing his team’s chances in Australia, Sainz claimed they have a chance to win the race in Melbourne. He added that if he feels physically fit, he will try his best to keep up with Verstappen and put him under pressure while eyeing a race win.
Misses Saudi Arabia due to appendicitis ❌
Two weeks later puts it on the front row in Australia ✅
Love your work Chili! #AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/WUou2xFZvC
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 23, 2024
Starting in P4, thanks to Perez’s penalty, Charles Leclerc also addressed his team’s chances in Australia. After not being anywhere close to the pace of the RB20 in the first two races, Leclerc is hopeful of doing a better job in Australia. He hopes the performance of the Ferrari car is closer to the Red Bull car. It will help him put the championship leaders under some pressure. However, Leclerc remained cautious of waiting for things to progress before he gets his hopes too high.
