Antonio Lobato, the voice of Formula One in Spain and the narrator of the races on DAZN, lowers expectations generated after the F1 tests with Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin and Carlos Sainz’s Williams. “No podiums or victories for Aston Martin and Williams”. Antonio Lobato is in Bahrain at the F1 tests, and has direct contact with the drivers and team bosses, and according to the conversations he has had with them, he says that “neither Williams nor Aston Martin will be fighting for podiums or victories”.
The context of the preseason
The Bahrain tests would have allowed the teams to evaluate their cars and, at the same time, obtain data that is clearly essential for the start of the World Championship. In the case of Aston Martin, the feeling is one of improvement over 2024, but there are still some unknowns to be clarified. The telemetry shows that the AMR25 has made progress, although the car still shows better cornering and has room for improvement. However, the lap times have not been outstanding in general, which in turn has raised doubts about the car’s true potential.
Williams’ performance, on the other hand, has been surprising with the capacity of the FW47, even more so knowing that Carlos Sainz was the one who set the fastest lap in the final stretch of the second day of testing, a lap that has already set alarm bells ringing in the paddock. Although it is true that pre-season times should always be viewed with a degree of skepticism, as we do not know the fuel load, aerodynamic set-up or engine map corresponding to the fast lap in question.
Lobato lowers expectations
Despite the euphoria generated by the preseason of Aston Martin and also Williams, Lobato wanted to put everything in its proper context. His opinion is based on the information that, according to him, he has been able to gather in the paddock and on the opinions of the protagonists of this championship themselves. In his opinion, neither the AMR25 nor the FW47 seem to be in a position to reach the teams at the top of the grid when the season starts, but rather behind them.
The AMR25 has made progress compared to last year, but the team admits that it is still skidding on the rear axle, something that does not help its speed. Telemetry is showing that they have improved in corner stability, one of their main problems in 2024, but there are doubts about their race performance and, finally, the management of tire wear. There is also concern that the team has not carried out race simulations, thus leaving questions still about their behavior in long runs.
For Williams, the outlook is similar. The British team has made significant progress with its new car, but there is still a “significant gap” to the teams that usually fight for podiums. Sainz’s time in Bahrain is an indication that the FW47 has made a leap in quality, but it is not enough to think of a real fight with the leading teams.
What awaits us in Australia
The pre-season is coming to an end, the big question in the air is what the chances are that the performance seen in Bahrain will be similar to what we will see in the first races of the year. Formula 1 is a sport full of surprises, but everything seems to be moving towards the fact that the fight to win races will continue to be led by Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes. Aston Martin and Williams have also been heading in the right direction, but they still have work to do if they want to keep up with the leaders.
The final conclusions will be drawn in Australia, when the teams compete on a level playing field and without hidden strategies. Until then, prudence is still the best policy.