The meaning behind a name Shakespeare posed the question in Romeo and Juliet.
A lot, hopefully, as Formula One starts a new season that needs to be better than the last. Red Bull might not have it all their own way in 2024, according to Mercedes technical director James Allison, who uses the new word “asymptotic” from the F1 engineering lexicon to convey his thoughts.
The fundamental concept is to how performance returns under a specific set of rules diminish. There is a theoretical maximum to any collection of scientific conditions. The available benefits decrease as you approach automobile optimization. Red Bull is the most susceptible to the flattening asymptotic curve since they have benefited the most from the ground force aerodynamics that were implemented in 2022. Will the opponents be able to catch up quickly enough is the question.
Here are some things to watch out for as the 2024 vehicles, starting with the reigning champions, take to the road for the first time during Bahrain’s F1 testing. On Wednesday, February 21, the three-day test will start. Sky Sports broadcasts each session, which you can watch live on the Sky Go app.
Red Bull
Under fire team principal Christian Horner, who is awaiting the results of an investigation into allegations of controlling and inappropriate behavior toward a female staff member, which he vehemently denies, the car is an evolution of the dominant 2023 car that won all but one race last season. Horner described that evolution as aggressive.
The body work surrounding the engine cover and sidepods, which control the air flow to the car’s floor and back, has undergone noticeable modifications. Two new tunnels run from the cockpit to the rear aim to reduce the disruptive effect of the airflow on downforce. The horizontal air intakes in front of the sidepods that cool the radiator have been replaced with vertical ducts to help airflow down the side of the car.
Sergio Perez is hopeful the adjustments would help him overcome his difficulties in slow speed corners after finding it difficult to keep up with triple world champion Max Verstappen the previous season.
Evidence from qualifying, where the timings shortened over a single lap as the season progressed, supports Mercedes Allison’s optimism. “It’s not a coincidence that all the cars in Q1 were kind of squashed down within one second of each other,” the man claimed. This is a trend that started in 2020, persisted in 2023, and, in my opinion, will still be evident in 2024. I predict that compared to previous time, it will be comparatively busier around the top of the grid.
According to Ferrari
Team Principal Fred Vasseur, the 2024 Prancing Horse has altered 95%. Resolving the Ferrari’s tire-chewing habit and improving the car’s responsiveness over extended runs have been the main priorities, since the car demonstrated superior speed over the Red Bull on a single qualifying lap.
