The day after each Grand Prix, driver Jeroen Bleekemolen shares his observations about the past race weekend in an exclusive column. Who or what caught his attention, what went well, and what needs to change? This time: amidst all the penalties and discussions in Qatar, it was noticeable how some teams performed radically differently than they themselves expected.
The elusive nature of Formula 1 as a sport was once again evident in Qatar, as it has been several times this season. One would think that at this level, after a few years with the same rules and cars, the teams would understand why their vehicles are either performing or not. But more on that shortly.
‘Next level’
First, let’s talk about Max Verstappen: it’s remarkable how he manages to do everything at once during races. Driving fast, trying to win, and simultaneously dealing with the rules. The fact that he instructs his team in Qatar to, for example, watch what Lando Norris does during a yellow flag situation… Max once again demonstrates his dominance, how ‘next level’ he is in the entire motorsport.
And that brings me to his team. Let me start by saying that it’s very impressive how Red Bull manages to transform a car from very bad (Max didn’t call it a rally car for nothing) on Saturday to a vehicle that suddenly proves fast enough for pole and victory in the Grand Prix a day later. Even though he was nowhere in the sprint race…
All of this surprises me, it seemed as if Red Bull themselves didn’t understand why things were suddenly going so well. As you often see with teams this season. Take Mercedes, which is very fast one time and not the next. For example, due to circumstances. And then they don’t understand it themselves. Or McLaren, which went from not having the fastest car to having the fastest car this year. And now they’re struggling again.
Incredible
Normally, these are matters that unfold over a longer period of time, but if you look at how quickly the power dynamics change in an F1 season, it’s astonishing. You can see that all teams are struggling to perform optimally, to extract everything from their cars. It’s truly incredible how they sometimes don’t understand their own vehicles.
Factors such as wind, temperature, tires, asphalt; they are hugely influential. This is always the case in motorsport, but when the differences are as minute as they are now in Formula 1, a change in these factors immediately leads to a shift in power dynamics. That’s how close it is.
This certainly bodes well for 2025: because it will be close again with these rules and cars. Because now the differences are already minimal, towards the end of the season. And the dynamics change weekly. Trust me, no one can reinvent the wheel overnight, so next year there won’t suddenly be a team that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Ferrari or McLaren
But first… Abu Dhabi, the final race. There’s still tension: which team will win the constructors’ title? That might interest us as fans a bit less, but for the teams, it’s of great importance. It’s not just about prestige, but also about money and wind tunnel time, about budget too. And Charles Leclerc still has a chance, needing to make up 21 points on McLaren.
But if you’re honest, the latter deserves it more. They’ve had the best car over the entire year. If McLaren lets the constructors’ title slip through their fingers, it’s primarily their own fault. But it will certainly be exciting. On all fronts.
