The return of expert Jukka Mildhin Ferrari to the top is very important for the sport. For Alfa Romeo, which uses a Ferrari engine, the success of the Italian stable has been more than half the profit.
20.3. 21:56 • Updated March 20th. 22:02
Alfa Romeon Valtteri Bottas rose to a magnificent sixth place in the opening race of the Bahrain season after the initial difficulties. Bottas started the race from the same place, but dropped far from the points due to a technical problem.
– Departure was a problem. It has been in tests and exercises. Sometimes it’s been ok and sometimes it’s really bad. Today it was bad. The car left really easy to whine. We have a small problem with the clutch that it vibrates miraculously. It happened again today, Bottas commented on Viaplay.
Bottas dropped to 14th place, but managed to slowly rise to the top ten and eventually sixth. The Finn had to waste some time on AlphaTaur Yuki Tsunodan behind, but he got past the other drivers more easily.
Sports Expert Jukka Mildh goes through the main topics of the opening race of the F1 season next.
1. Ferrari’s power source than half the profit for Alfa Romeo
According to Sports expert Jukka Mildh, purely based on the results, Bottas drove well, but the race could have gone much better.
– Sixth place after a failed start and all events is a good performance. At this point, it has been interpreted that it was not the driver’s fault but the output failed due to a technical problem. It says Alfa Romeo still has work to do. However, reliability is always in these first races a and o, Mildh ponders.
The Ferrari powerplant used by Alfa Romeo has so far shown its strength. Ferrari took a double win in Bahrain, with Haas, the engine of the Italian stable Kevin Magnussen led to fifth place.
Two of the other drivers in the Alfa Romeo Guanyu Zhou was tenth and Haasin Mick Schumacher 11: s.
– Ferrari’s power source is already half the profit for Alfa Romeo when a good engine is in use. Ferrari has been working a couple of years to get them into this situation.
However, according to Mildh, it is difficult to say about Alfa Romeo’s ability to strike in the long run.
– It’s good to build on this. I believe the uptrend in the early part of the season will continue for the next races as well.
The story continues after the graphics.
2. Alfa Romeo makes it easier to improve reliability when performance is in order
Alfa Romeo has plenty to do with reliability and technical issues. Mildh thinks the team has been making even more use of Ferrari’s power source and speed for this season.
Thus, in terms of quality, things can be found that have not been fully thought through. However, a fast car is easier to make more reliable. Improving performance and speed is more difficult.
– Now Alfa Romeo is in a new situation based on this competition. Now we are already competing in the top ten. Then the competition will intensify and the processes in the stable must be in order.
– There isn’t much time before the next race. Hopefully the bug is small, it can be fixed and the same pace will continue over the weekend.
3. Ferrari’s return is important to the sport – and to Alfa Romeo
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton Red Bull still made it to the podium when, at the end of the race, both of Red Bull ‘s cars failed due to a technical failure.
Red Bull team manager Christian Horner said in an interview with Viaplay after the race that the disturbance was possibly in the fuel system, but the stable had not yet located the problem.
Sunday’s overwhelming number one was Ferrari, which showed its strength in both speed and reliability. The “sister stables” Alfa Romeo and Haas have also clearly benefited from this.
Mildh says it’s generally great to see Ferrari return to the top of the series.
– It’s a great thing and a very hard thing for the sport. This is expected as the moon rises. The F1 series needs a Ferrari and that’s why this is important. Good that they are getting seriously involved in the top fight, Mildh says.
4. The new rules work – it was easier to bypass
The results of F1’s new rule changes were seen for the first time in Bahrain. The changes have been made to make it easier to overtake and track other cars, among other things.
– That in itself was a great start. Of course, the tip escaped as expected and the others fought each other, but they still seem to work well. It is still a little early to say. However, the track is such that not all of these things come to light, but clearly the car driving ahead is easier to follow, Mildh says.
The race saw a tremendous battle for the top spot when Max Verstappen and Leclerc acknowledged the passing drum past each other in turn.
– Leclerc and Verstappen got really hard together as young guys. It did not give mercy to another. It also looked equal. It’s because of the cars, but also because of the courage and willingness of the drivers to win, Mildh says.