The 2021 F1 season gets underway in just five days, starting with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 28.
With the teams having completed their three-day pre-season test, we will look at what teams are looking in good shape.
Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas are the two drivers tasked with continuing Mercedes’ success of recent years, however the team endured a tricky pre-season test, racking up the least mileage of all the teams.
Problems with the new W12 E Performance gearbox made Hamilton look like he was lacking confidence during the test, although F1 data shows that Mercedes are still leading the way in long run pace and are second to Red Bull on short runs.
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing looked very comfortable during the testing, with Max Verstappen even securing the fastest lap time.
Verstappen also admitted that it is probably his strongest pre-season test yet, while new Red Bull recruit Sergio Perez appears to have settled in nicely.
McLaren
McLaren boast strong drivers in Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris, who have impressed in previous years.
It was a steady pre-season test for them, with F1 data showing that they are third overall and just 0.3 seconds behind Mercedes in short-run pace.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin are looking to break into the top three after a strong 2020 season, however various issues in the pre-season test saw Aston Martin second bottom of the mileage charts.
But, Sebastian Vettel and Lance Stroll will have something to prove and will want to build a successful partnership going into the 2021 campaign.
Alpine
Fernando Alonso looked confident and assured in the tests following his return from surgery for a fractured jaw, and he was able to rack up 50 more laps than Lewis Hamilton in the tests.
Esteban Ocon will also be looking to better his 12th-place finish in 2020 after only securing one podium finish last year.
Ferrari
The 2020 season was a year to forget for Ferrari, as the team struggled to a sixth-place finish.
Charles Leclerc and new signing Carlos Sainz made gains as the testing went on, but Ferrari will have to put in a lot of work if they are to return to winning ways.
AlphaTauri
Both drivers Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda had great tests, with Gasly clocking up the most laps and Tsunoda setting the second-fastest lap time.
Tsunoda will be looking to impress following his promotion to F1, and he seems like a good fit for the team.
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo had a successful testing programme with Kimi Raikkonen completing the second-most number of laps (229) behind Gasly (237).
Raikkonen also set the fourth fastest lap-time during the tests so things look positive, however there is not much riding on the Finn and his teammate, Antonio Giovinazzi, this season.
Haas
Mick Schumacher looks to follow in his father’s footsteps as he embarks on his first F1 season alongside teammate Nikita Mazepin, but it seems like it will be a challenging season for both given their lack of experience.
Williams
George Russell and Nicholas Latifi lead the line for Williams, but with the car supposedly being highly sensitive to wind, it will all depend on the elements for Williams this year.
With upgrades planned early in the season, Williams have a realistic chance in beating Haas, who have opted against development.
The Formula 1 Schedule for the 2021 season:
Round 1: Bahrain, March 26-28
Round 2: Italy, April 16-18
Round 3: Portugal, April/May 30-02
Round 4: Spain, May 07-09
Round 5: Monaco, May 20-23
Round 6: Azerbaijan, June 04-06
Round 7: Canada, June 11-13
Round 8: France, June 25-27
Round 9: Austria, July 02-04
Round 10: Great Britain, July 16-18
Round 11: Hungary, July/August 30-01
Round 12: Belgium, August 27-29
Round 13: Netherlands, September 03-05
Round 14: Italy, September 10-12
Round 15: Russia, September 24-26
Round 16: Singapore, October 01-03
Round 17: Japan, October 08-10
Round 18: USA, October 22-24
Round 19: Mexico, October 29-31
Round 20: Brazil, November 05-07
Round 21: Australia, November 19-21
Round 22: Saudi Arabia, December 03-05
Round 23: Abu Dhabi, December 10-12
source: Marca
