Red Bull appears to have ground to make up on its rivals, with Max Verstappen having produced a slower race simulation than Oscar Piastri.
The RB22 is certainly among the top four cars, though Mercedes in particular seems to have performance in reserve.
A true comparison emerged on the penultimate day of testing, as Verstappen and Piastri both performed a race simulation at a similar time.
While Piastri did 56 laps, Verstappen completed the full 57-lap Bahrain Grand Prix race distance. Both drivers performed a two-stop strategy, although Piastri opted for the harder C1 compound for his final stint, while Verstappen was fitted with the C2.
Across 56 laps, Piastri still managed to average a tenth quicker than Verstappen per lap: 1:38.521 compared to 1:38.659, despite running the harder compound.
Naturally, lap times are influenced by numerous variables, making definitive conclusions about performance hierarchies impossible.
However, it demonstrates that Red Bull can genuinely compete with the leading teams, although improvement remains necessary.
Precisely where Verstappen and Red Bull stand will become apparent in Australia. One certainty remains: they possess a solid foundation upon which to build.
View the race simulation of Verstappen and Piastri below!
Race simulation Verstappen vs. Piastri in Bahrain
| Round | Verstappen | Piastri |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Out-lap | Out-lap |
| 2 | 1:39.062 | 1:39.242 |
| 3 | 1:39.391 | 1:39.619 |
| 4 | 1:39.276 | 1:39.099 |
| 5 | 1:39.597 | 1:39.536 |
| 6 | 1:39.545 | 1:39.681 |
| 7 | 1:39.362 | 1:39.931 |
| 8 | 1:39.375 | 1:39.979 |
| 9 | 1:40.256 | 1:40.196 |
| 10 | 1:39.443 | 1:40.002 |
| 11 | 1:39.654 | 1:40.834 |
| 12 | 1:39.776 | 1:40.155 |
| 13 | 1:39.810 | 1:40.155 |
| 14 | 1:40.076 | 1:40.212 |
| 15 | 1:40.174 | 1:43.316 (in-lap) |
| 16 | 1:43.403 (in-lap) | 2:01.055 (pit stop) |
| 17 | 2:00.843 (pit stop) | 1:38.393 |
| 18 | 1:38.418 | 1:38.066 |
| 19 | 1:38.576 | 1:37.796 |
| 20 | 1:38.511 | 1:37.866 |
| 21 | 1:38.750 | 1:38.028 |
| 22 | 1:38.593 | 1:38.091 |
| 23 | 1:38.672 | 1:38.511 |
| 24 | 1:38.707 | 1:38.110 |
| 25 | 1:38.690 | 1:38.440 |
| 26 | 1:38.588 | 1:38.362 |
| 27 | 1:38.665 | 1:38.585 |
| 28 | 1:38.741 | 1:38.608 |
| 29 | 1:38.720 | 1:38.558 |
| 30 | 1:38.945 | 1:38.849 |
| 31 | 1:38.904 | 1:38.717 |
| 32 | 1:38.928 | 1:39.096 |
| 33 | 1:39.014 | 1:38.935 |
| 34 | 1:39.250 | 1:39.010 |
| 35 | 1:41.949 (in-lap) | 1:43.051 (in-lap) |
| 36 | 2:05.876 (pit stop) | 2:06.474 (pit stop) |
| 37 | 1:37.540 | 1:36.889 |
| 38 | 1:37.606 | 1:36.647 |
| 39 | 1:37.372 | 1:36.576 |
| 40 | 1:37.438 | 1:36.895 |
| 41 | 1:37.579 | 1:36.931 |
| 42 | 1:37.525 | 1:37.065 |
| 43 | 1:37.472 | 1:37.106 |
| 44 | 1:37.581 | 1:37.433 |
| 45 | 1:37.579 | 1:37.310 |
| 46 | 1:37.616 | 1:37.999 |
| 47 | 1:37.493 | 1:37.946 |
| 48 | 1:37.522 | 1:38.399 |
| 49 | 1:37.714 | 1:38.215 |
| 50 | 1:37.925 | 1:38.224 |
| 51 | 1:37.840 | 1:38.057 |
| 52 | 1:37.945 | 1:38.209 |
| 53 | 1:38.232 | 1:38.175 |
| 54 | 1:39.081 | 1:38.593 |
| 55 | 1:39.022 | 1:38.370 |
| 56 | 1:39.488 | 1:38.891 |
| 57 | 1:39.222 | - |
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365’s Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding as they look back on last week’s first test in Bahrain and this week’s second test at the same venue. The trio debate Max Verstappen’s criticism of the regulations and whether Formula 1 is facing an identity crisis.
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