Formula 1 teams head into the second year of the sport's new technical regulations with new designs that have evolved according to the lessons garnered from 2022.
Everyone has been given an opportunity to fine-tune their strengths and correct their weaknesses, although not every team will have been successful in doing so.
Aero efficiency and straight-line speed are certainly two areas that received the full attention of each outfit's design department.
So, what does a superficial glance at Saturday's speed trap readings from qualifying tell us about this year's contenders?
For starters, it's a fact that Ferrari has boosted its maximum velocity down the straights compared to last year and relative to its nemesis Red Bull.
Carlos Sainz topped the readings as he breezed through the speed trap on Bahrain's main straight at 326.6 kph, with teammate Charles Leclerc slightly slower in third place.
But while the Scuderia has improved its top speed, Red Bull is still very much a force to be reckoned with on the straights, with Sergio Perez slotting his RB19 between the two red cars.
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For all its troubles last season – and Toto Wolff's admittance that Mercedes' concept is flawed – the Brackley squad's cars appear to have significantly ameliorated their velocity this season, as Lewis Hamilton's performance indicates.
However, it's worth noting that Mercedes is running a low-downforce rear wing in Bahrain, which oddly did little to boost George Russell's top speed in qualifying.
But the speed discrepancy – likely down to set-up differences between the two cars – didn't prevent Russell from outpacing his teammate in Q3 by 0.044s.
As for Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll clocked in with the exact same top speed, but almost 6kph slower than Sainz.
Here resides perhaps the closest battle among the front-runners. Assuming that Red Bull will be out of reach this evening, we expect Ferrari and Aston Martin to provide the entertainment, with hopefully a guest appearance by Mercedes.
Tune in tonight to find out!
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