F1 news: Karun Chandhok says SHOCK team have ‘broken the back’ of rivals

All of 2023's F1 drivers lineup for a photo at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News

F1 pundit says SHOCK team have ‘broken the back’ of rivals

An F1 pundit has revealed the SHOCK team who has broken their rivals in 2024.

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Monday 15 April 2024 13:58 Updated: 14:24

A Sky Sports F1 pundit has revealed the team they believe have broken away from their rivals in the 2024 title fight.

The 2024 season began with business as usual, featuring back-to-back Red Bull 1-2s in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

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However, a rear right brake failure for Max Verstappen in Australia resulted in a shock DNF, allowing Ferrari and Carlos Sainz to snatch a victory.

Despite Red Bull establishing their dominance once again in Japan, Ferrari are a lot closer to them than they have been in previous seasons.

Red Bull celebrate a 1-2 in Saudi Arabia

Carlos Sainz has stood on the podium of every race he has started in 2024

Chandhok names Ferrari ‘second fastest team’

Pundit Karun Chadhok discussed how Ferrari have broken away from their rivals on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.

“I think towards the end of last season, they were the second fastest. Leclerc took that run of five in a row, front-row qualifying spots, and Carlos obviously won in Singapore,” Chandhok said.

“So I think towards the end of the year, they were the second fastest team and they've just built on that.”

“I think they've done a good job. They've done a solid job. They've brought themselves closer.

“If you look at the time gap between the best Ferrari and the best Red Bull in Suzuka now versus six months ago, they are closer, there's no doubt about it, and they've sort of broken the back of McLaren, Mercedes, and Aston, isn't it?

“We thought that was a gang of four chasing Red Bull, but I think now it's a gang of three behind Ferrari.

“I think the worry for Aston is that they seem to have one car scoring. I think when it's so tight and there's a bit of a haves and have nots.

“I think there's a class A, class B - maybe is a better way to describe it - the top five teams I think this year have broken away from the bottom five a bit more.

“There is that split and it does feel like on the first four weekends you've got the top nine locked in by those teams and then the bottom five teams are basically competing against Stroll for that last point. That seems to be the way it's playing out at the moment.”