Leclerc believes that Red Bull maintains a significant advantage.

Verstappen concluded his first day in the RB20 as the fastest driver, surpassing the competition by 1.1 seconds. It was undoubtedly a case of immediate affinity between the Dutch ace and his new vehicle.
On the other hand, Sergio Perez had a slower start in the car designed by Adrian Newey during his Thursday session. However, he still managed to secure the second best time, only behind Carlos Sainz’s best lap in a Ferrari equipped with the soft Pirelli C4 tires. Perez achieved his time using the harder C3 compound.
During Friday morning’s session, Perez once again lagged behind the pace of the Ferrari duo by a few tenths. However, Verstappen had no issues as he quickly climbed to the top of the timing screens on the eighth lap of his stint, setting a remarkable lap time of 1:31.058. And there were still three hours left!
Verstappen’s rivals surely noticed his impressive speed. Before his final race in the SF24, Leclerc commented, “It is still quite challenging to determine our position. We haven’t encountered any significant issues or surprises. We have received everything we anticipated from this car, which helps us in its development through simulation.”
He further added, “The extent of our competitiveness remains uncertain. Last year, the car displayed so much inconsistency that it was difficult to identify its main weaknesses. This year, we have a clear understanding of those weaknesses, which gives us some hope. My initial impression is that Red Bull still has a significant advantage, but we have a much stronger foundation compared to last year.” It’s worth noting that Leclerc did not win a Grand Prix in 2023.
Carlos Sainz, the only driver to interrupt Red Bull Racing’s winning streak with his victory in Singapore last year, echoed the sentiments of his Ferrari teammate, saying, “In terms of performance, honestly, I have no idea. All I can say is that Red Bull seems to be very fast, but beyond that, I have no further information.”
Mercedes driver George Russell observed, “Red Bull has already found the perfect balance, but I hope we can reduce the difference. However, it will take a great effort to achieve that. They are an incredibly impressive team, the favorites, and undoubtedly ahead of everyone else. That was to be expected.”Oscar Piastri, from McLaren, also expressed caution during an interview with F1TV on Friday, stating: “They certainly don’t seem to be slow! It’s hard to say. On the first day, Max seemed incredibly strong, and even Sergio seemed more comfortable. So, they are definitely the team to beat. I’m not sure about the extent of their advantage, but it’s significant enough to give them comfort. As for everyone else, I can’t say for sure, but I believe Red Bull has a distinct advantage.”
The consensus among the mentioned drivers is hard to ignore, as the stage is already set for another season with 18 drivers chasing two of their rivals. Among these two competitors, Perez will certainly face a challenging task in keeping Verstappen under control. All of this sounds incredibly familiar.