Hamilton concern, Red Bull in-fighting

The return of Mercedes’ porpoising is a major issue for Lewis Hamilton (Image: Getty) The likes of Lewis Hamilton , Max Verstappen and their fellow F1 stars will be using the summer break to unwind after a hectic first half of the season, but work at the factory will continue for Mercedes , Red Bull and co with the teams using this opportunity to iron out issues and get a leg up in the development race. Even Red Bull, who have won each of the opening 12 races this season marking a first in F1 history, will have work to do. Christian Horner’s team have already begun preparations for the RB19’s successor, while developments will be prepared to ensure that the team retain their mammoth advantage at the front. Further down the order, there is even more work to be done. This is especially true if any of Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari or Aston Martin are to pose a serious threat to Red Bull’s 100% record in the second half of the campaign.  These are the key issues facing each of the five frontrunning teams this summer, ahead of the resumption of racing at the end of August.  The Belgian Grand Prix saw an old foe return to haunt Mercedes – porpoising. The persistent bouncing on the straights was a common sight for the W13 during the first half of the 2022 season before, with help from an FIA directive, the issue was corrected. However, the undulating nature of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps exposed the porpoising problems still facing the team.  Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Hamilton labelled Mercedes’ porpoising as ‘a concern’, comparing the bouncing to that of the W13 last season. While the next Grand Prix at Zandvoort shouldn’t pose too many issues on this front, upcoming street races in Singapore and Las Vegas will be an uncomfortable ride for the Mercedes duo if the team does not find a solution to their porpoising issues during the summer break.  While Red Bull’s start to the campaign may look perfect at a glance, the team would benefit from addressing some in-fighting issues within their own camp. The Belgian GP weekend saw multiple tense exchanges over the radio between Verstappen and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, who was forced to drill the Dutchman into submission by instructing him to follow team instructions. Looking back to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when Perez claimed his most recent victories, there were also tensions between the Dutch driver’s camp and Checo. While the two-time world champion is unlikely to change his ‘win at all costs’ attitude, more harmonious relations would be beneficial for Red Bull, particularly if the good times do stop rolling as their rivals make progress in the development race.  Ferrari  As revealed by reports last week, the issues with the SF-23’s design philosophy cannot be solved without a complete overhaul of the car’s design, so Ferrari will be focusing their development efforts on the 2024 campaign. The most contentious topic at Maranello this summer will, therefore, be the contract status of their two drivers, with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz seeking assurances over their future.  Leclerc’s new deal looks to be safely in the works, but for his Spanish colleague, the future is far less clear. Sainz is hell-bent on taking more responsibility within the team and is hoping for a longer deal – one that team principal Fred Vasseur is unwilling to cough up. If the 28-year-old is to leave Ferrari at the end of next season when his contract expires, the Scuderia need to be scouting the market for a suitable replacement. Max Verstappen’s ambitions can sometimes cause issues for Red Bull (Image: Getty) The atmosphere in the McLaren camp looks totally different now when compared to the pre-British Grand Prix vibe. The Woking-based outfit were arguably the slowest car in the field for the opening handful of races, but a major upgrade package saw the team snatch the ‘best of the rest’ title from Mercedes after their podium-winning trip to Silverstone. With the team back on the right trajectory, McLaren’s summer to-do list should consist of sorting out the future of one driver. In Alex Palou, McLaren have one of the most in-form drivers in the world, but no available seat worthy of his talent. A switch from Chip Ganassi Racing to the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team looks the most likely, but the Spaniard’s heart is set on F1 and with the likes of AlphaTauri and Williams both interested according to The Race , his dream could become a reality. The 26-year-old is a strong long-term Lando Norris replacement but could benefit from F1 experience beforehand. Aston Martin It feels like a long time ago that Aston Martin burst onto the scene in pre-season testing with the rapid AMR23. Fernando Alonso kicked off the season with five podiums in six races and there was palpable excitement in the team, but that seems to have dried up as Red Bull have streaked further and further ahead and rivals from behind have closed the gap. With the season at its midway point, the team faces a big decision. Fernando Alonso holds a one-point lead over Hamilton in the battle for P3 in the championship, and the team could still feasibly still finish above Mercedes with an aggressive upgrade schedule. That said, if the Silverstone-based team want to truly take the fight to Red Bull in 2024, it might be time to switch the bulk of the focus to the AMR23’s successor over the summer break.