Ferrari has impressively kicked off the 2024 Formula 1 season, securing several podium finishes, including a notable race victory. A former Formula 1 strategy engineer, Bernie Collins is optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects at the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend.
After a hiatus, the circuit returns to the F1 calendar, hosting the Chinese Grand Prix for the first time since 2019. Red Bull comes into the weekend with a strong record, having won three of the first four races, although Ferrari claimed victory in Australia due to a brake issue for Max Verstappen.
Compared to the previous season, Ferrari has demonstrated improved performance in the early rounds of this year’s championship. Collins expressed confidence that the circuit’s layout in China will align well with Ferrari’s capabilities. “I think it will play to Ferrari’s strengths,” she conveyed to Sky Sports F1.
“There’s a chance that Ferrari will have closed the gap a little bit to Red Bull and maybe taken a little step away from McLaren.”
The upcoming weekend marks the debut of the first Sprint event of the season, stirring debate among drivers about the decision to implement the alternate format at a circuit absent from the calendar for five years.
Bernie Collins raised concerns about the limited practice time before competitive sessions, suggesting that it might impede Mercedes’ performance over the weekend.
“Previous to Japan, Mercedes were really unhappy with the car and there was a lot of discussion that their simulation wasn’t working correctly,” she said. “So how they’re assimilating the car reacts to certain changes, to certain environments.
“That’s not great if you’re going into a new race or if you’re going into a race with a lot of unknowns.
“If you are struggling to simulate a race that you’ve been to four times in the last four years, then it’s not great for one that you’ve not been to either unless two wrongs somehow make a right and you ace the setup.”
