F1 Fast Five: Williams unveils FW46 in Bahrain shakedown, Haas shifts focus to tire troubleshooting in Bahrain test, and other big updates

Williams unveils FW46 in Bahrain shakedown  

Williams unveiled their 2024 F1 challenger, the FW46, during a shakedown in Bahrain, marking the car's debut ahead of the new season after revealing its livery earlier in the month. Logan Sargeant was filmed driving the new car out of the pit lane, with team principal James Vowles explaining the decision not to debut at Silverstone due to weather concerns and emphasizing an aggressive approach to the car's design to maintain their improved performance from the previous season. Sargeant and Alex Albon will have an extended run during pre-season testing in Bahrain starting on February 21 to further assess the FW46's capabilities.

Click here to read the full article by Connor McDonagh (crash.net)

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Haas shifts focus to tire troubleshooting in Bahrain test

Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu stated that their focus in Bahrain is addressing last season's issue of tire degradation rather than outright performance. The team struggled with managing tire wear, which consistently dropped them down the order during races and left them at the bottom of the constructors' championship. Changes have been made to the new VF-24 to improve tire management, making pre-season testing crucial for evaluating these modifications. Komatsu emphasized the importance of gathering data during testing to understand the car and tire behavior, aiming for incremental improvements in the short term to eventually move up the field in the long term.

Click here to read the full article by Phillip van Osten (f1i.com)

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Teams gear up for Bahrain pre-season testing showdown

Pre-season testing in Bahrain starts Wednesday, where teams assess if they've narrowed Red Bull's lead after last year. Over three days at Bahrain International Circuit, all ten teams test their new cars, with live coverage on Sky Sports F1. Red Bull unveils an aggressive update, while rivals Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston Martin seek to challenge their dominance in the 2024 season.

Click here to read the full article at skysports.com

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Things to watch out for in the pre-season testing

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Formula 1 pre-season testing begins on Wednesday in Bahrain, where key storylines for the upcoming season will emerge both on and off track, including Red Bull's new RB20 car, Aston Martin's performance, and McLaren's post-launch updates. Questions surround Mercedes and Hamilton's dynamic, Haas's potential struggles, Williams' late car appearance, Ferrari's development direction, and the legality and performance of Mercedes' W15. Additionally, attention will be on Red Bull's new RB team, the ongoing investigation into Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, and potential controversies arising from car performance and ownership dynamics.

Click here to read the full article at the-race.com

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Yuki and Daniel test VCARB 2024 challenger

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Most racing teams carry out an initial functional test after the presentation of the new car in order to film the car, check all systems and get to the bottom of any problems immediately. This is also the approach taken by Visa Cash App RB (CARB), the Red Bull racing team from Italy, previously known as Toro Rosso and AlphaTauri.