Those hoping for a modicum of convergence in the second year of Formula 1’s new technical package, and a more competitive title battle after Red Bull grew in strength throughout 2022, will have been left slightly disappointed by 2023’s opening races.
Relative to its early position as a thorn in Red Bull’s side at the start of last year, Ferrari appears to have regressed. Mercedes appears slightly closer to the sharpest end of the F1 grid but has already lost faith in its W14, and it’s been left to the upwardly mobile Aston Martin to offer the closest challenge to the 2022 title winners.
But there’s still a gaping chasm between Red Bull and the rest. Max Verstappen looks to be on course for a third title in a row, although team-mate Sergio Perez still has designs on an admittedly unlikely bid for the crown. As early as the Bahrain season-opener, Mercedes’ George Russell cut a rather defeated figure when considering the other teams’ chances of victory this year, and it rather underlined the performance advantage with which the Milton Keynes squad kicked off the season. Wins in the first three races have been almost routine; 1-2 finishes in the opening two races were followed by Verstappen’s first victory at Albert Park, where he had way too much pace for Mercedes’ some-time leader Lewis Hamilton to contend with.
As much as people tend to abhor dominance, and one-dimensional title ‘fights’ are never particularly good for viewing figures, it is ultimately up to the other teams to close the gap. Red Bull has quite simply done the best job of anybody with its 2023 car, recognising the importance of simultaneously
