How are the smaller F1 teams shaping up after major winter changes?

We’ve already covered the teams that could push Red Bull all the way this season here on Betfred Insights, but ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain, it’s time to look further down the field. The likes of Haas and Williams will be hoping for far more successful seasons, while AlphaTauri will hope that their winter rebrand will bring them a dose of fortune. 

They might not be the teams tussling for podium finishes or race wins, but some of these teams will have big aspirations of shaking up the usual pecking order as we head to Bahrain for the opener at the start of March. Remember, every place in the Constructors’ Championship is worth around $9m to the teams, so it really does make a huge difference whether you finish 10th or 7th. 

Haas

The big news from the bottom of the pack comes from Haas, where Guenther Steiner has left his role as team principal. The charismatic Italian-American was incredibly popular with fans of the sport due to his starring role on Drive to Survive, but he simply hasn’t delivered the results needed on the track. 

As a result, his contract was not renewed by team owner Gene Haas and Ayao Komatsu has stepped into the role, having previously served as the trackside engineering director. It’s a move that appears to have gone down well with their two experienced drivers, as Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg return for another year together. 

Magnussen stated: “I think in some years there has been some unrealistic optimism going into seasons – and I’ve been affected by it as well. “Certainly Ayao is very clear that he doesn’t think we’ve moved out of last year’s position yet,” Magnussen continued. “But he’s also clear in that he sees the development trajectory looking a lot stronger. He’s actually optimistic that we can move forward through this year.”

They may be at the back of the grid for the first few races of the season, but beating their miserly total of 12 points has to be the primary aim. Without Steiner’s antics, they may be able to see serious progression on the track. 

Kick Sauber

With Alfa Romeo, Sauber’s title sponsors exiting the sport this winter, and Audi not taking over the team until 2026, the Sauber team appears to have entered somewhat of a grey period. The talk this winter hasn’t really been focused on car development or drivers, but instead which name is going to appear on the car’s livery in different locations. Stake are the title sponsors, but given gambling laws in some countries, Kick will be shown as the official team name. 

Ferrari continue to supply the engines until 2025, and with Valterri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu they possess two drivers who have shown glimpses during their two-year partnership so far. After two second-place championship finishes with Mercedes, Bottas boasts a wealth of experience, but the car certainly let him and Zhou down towards the end of last term.

They managed just 18 points, with the Finnish driver bagging six top ten finishes. One thing to look forward to from Zhou’s point of view is the return of the Chineses Grand Prix, where he will receive a warm welcome, and drive on home soil for the very first time in F1. Audi have already made an investment into the team, but it feels like a waiting game before we see any real progress at Kick Sauber. 

Visa Cash App RB

AlphaTauri have also undergone a rebranding over the winter, with the not-at-all catchy team name of Visa Cash App RB now adorning their pits. It’s led to most media outlets calling them RB, for Racing Bulls, although Red Bull themselves will want to see an improved performance from their sister team in 2024. Over the course of 2023, the team had four drivers, with Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda now in place for this season. 

They will be supported by Liam Lawson, a young driver who impressed while filling in for the injured Ricciardo and will be ready to capitalise if an opportunity presents itself. With those three in the stable, it feels like the team are set up for a more successful year, after two consecutive seasons off the pace. There’s also been key changes made to the staff in the pits, as Franz Tost departed as team principal to be replaced by former Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies. 

Peter Bayer comes in as chief executive, Tim Goss joins as chief technical officer, Alan Permane as racing director and Guillaume Cattelani as deputy technical director. That’s a whole lot of experience for the team to rely upon, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they are competing for top ten finishes on a regular basis this term.

Williams

Williams somehow managed a seventh place finish with 28 points last term, and were top of this mini-group of four teams. However, the brand-new car, the FW46, is late. It’s only recently been pictured on track and has missed its usual pre-season shakedown at Silverstone. 

We should see it in Bahrain, but there’s no doubt that Williams are behind schedule. Team boss James Vowles joined from Mercedes last year and has by his own words, attempted to “break” the outdated technology cycles at Williams. They’ve been working on this car now since April last year, and Vowles could be onto something special, if his big gamble pays off. 

However, due to the late start, we may not see a fully functioning FW46 until later in the season. With Alexander Albon they have a young driver with promise, having already achieved two podiums in his career and registered 27 points last year. Teammate Logan Sargeant still has a lot to prove after only picking up one point in his debut season. 

I’m confident these changes could lead to long-term success for Williams, and change was certainly needed. However, Sargeant will have to start getting results on the board if he wants to hold onto his season for the entirety of the campaign.  

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