F1 The hope of Alonso and Sainz: the factors that point to a more even World Cup
Interview Eric Boullier: "Fernando Alonso still has unfinished business"
Carlos Sainz will become tomorrow the third Spanish driver in history to contest an F1 race with Ferrari.
Following in the footsteps of the
Marqués de Portago
(1956-1957) and
Fernando Alonso
(2010-2014) has not been easy for the Madrid native, who needed 118 races, spread over six seasons, and two podiums with McLaren, to convince
Mattia Binotto
.
Carlos' consistency in long runs and his ability to score points in the most adverse situations made the Scuderia boss fall in love, determined to find a rider at the height of
Charles Leclerc
.
After strengthening his physique with
Rupert Manwaring
, his lifelong coach, Carlos inherits the technical team of
Sebastian Vettel
, with
Riccardo Adami
as track engineer.
In three months of work, he has captivated the people of Maranello with his impeccable professionalism.
The power of the new engine and the talent of his young partner (25 years and three days on average) multiply the illusion at Ferrari.
Hamilton vs Verstappen
Max Verstappen, during free practice in Bahrain.
The duel between the seven-time champion, 36, against the defiant Dutch genius, only 23, seems closer than ever.
It will not only be a question of measuring their extraordinary capabilities, but of evaluating the progression of their cars.
Two weeks ago,
Mercedes
already showed problems with the gearbox, while
Red Bull
flew with a more predictable and stable car.
The best possible news for
Christian Horner
, who in recent years had been forced to polish his car at full speed.
"The engine has improved in power and reliability," says
Toyoharu Tanabe
, Honda's technical director in F1.
In addition,
Toto Wolff will
no longer be able to count on DAS, the revolutionary dual-axle steering system with which Mercedes gained considerable advantages in 2020. Against this background, Hamilton needs to squeeze its strengths against the contender: its great management efficiency. of the tires and his incomparable fierceness in the classification of Saturdays.
Changes in regulations
The last World Cup before the radical regulatory change in 2022 will be marked by the crisis of the pandemic and the adjustments in the budget limit, reduced to
147 million dollars per team
.
The cars will be a second slower per lap, not only because they increase
their minimum weight by
six kilos
(
752 kg
), but because they face regulatory restrictions that affect the famous downforce.
The cuts in the flat bottom, in the rear brake ducts and in the diffusers will force new solutions, for which the teams will only have two development tokens.
The duration of free practice is reduced from 240 to 180 minutes
, while the calendar is extended from
21 to 23 grands prix
.
In addition, three short sprint races will be held.
On those three Saturdays, one of them already confirmed at
Silverstone
, the order of the starting grid will be decided for the traditional Sunday test.
McLaren's growth
Lando Norris teams up with Sainz's Ferrari. VALDRIN XHE CHIEF
James Key
,
chief
technical
officer
at Woking, and
Andrea Stella
, competition director, seem to have hit the mark with the MCL35M, the car with which McLaren begins the second alliance in its history with Mercedes.
The enormous challenge of adapting the German engine to its chassis has been completed with another formidable aerodynamic discovery: a diffuser that takes advantage of gaps in the regulations to find that extra grip, decisive when cornering.
As his competitors strive to follow suit,
Daniel Ricciardo
and
Lando Norris show
splendid race pace and speed in qualifying simulations.
The other great strength of the team led by
Andreas Seidl
is precisely its pair of drivers, more compensated than that of Aston Martin, Alpine or AlphaTauri, three of its direct rivals.
After the two podiums in 2020, the goal in this championship will be to further reduce the gap with Mercedes and Red Bull.
Mick schumacher
Mick Schumacher, at a press conference.HANDOUTREUTERS
Friday's conclusions at Sakhir could not have been more dramatic for
Haas
, the team that has lost the most in race pace compared to 2020: almost two and a half seconds per lap.
So the son of the Kaiser must focus on his duel with
Nikita Mazepin
, his controversial garage companion.
The Russian, who arrives shakes the hand of his billionaire father, has already left several spins as a sign of his limited skill at the wheel.
It will be a season of continual learning for Mick, 22, who is known in F2 for his ability to absorb knowledge and progress at a rate as inconspicuous as it is steady.
The step in front of Williams seems to condemn
Guenther Steiner's team
to the last two places on the grid.
And the only plausible goal of a car without balance or power will be to avoid the embarrassment of finishing 23 races without a single point on the scoreboard.
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2021 business calendar
TD Systems Baskonia - Olimpia Milan
Sporting de Gijón - Alcorcón
Olympiacos Piraeus - Fenerbahce Istanbul
Barça - Alba Berlin
Castellón - Espanyol