Ferrari highlighted a clear limitation in F1 Sprint. We are referring to the lack of top speed compared to the RB20. Red Bull facilitated in defending itself thanks to very good speed skills. The reds didn’t have a big difference in pace with the RB20 number 1 and for this reason overtaking on the track was not impossible. Many have reflexively suggested a change in the level of load on the rear (beam wing incidence), to be able to lower the resistance to advancement and increase the EOSS (End Of Straight Speed). Operation not carried out, as confirmed on the radio Leclerc to optimize the laptime in qualification.
Today the prancing Horse focused its work on optimizing the warm-up strategy of red rubber. It is essential to activate it properly and keep it in the correct operating window for the entire lap. Often it arrives in the T3 with very hot hindquarters, so the administration of compound was the discriminating factor for the pole, a contest between two cars that were equal on paper in terms of performance. From the point of view of handling we observed one SF-24 very composed in the first section of the track, where it was often the fastest.
The car is well balanced and easy to drive, but above all it manages to climb the internal curb at higher speeds, an aspect that helps to shave off a few meters and therefore a few fractions of a second. In this world championship F1 there Ferrari adopts a more rigid suspension system than the last one. Element that helps to make the fund work well and the results have been seen in T1. On the other hand, this approach penalizes the guided sections more, the slower ones, present in the second sector. The compromise in terms of rigidity, however, is very close to optimal, given that a You love me the Italian car loses relatively little (under a tenth).
F1, Ferrari loses pole in the second sector
Going into detail thanks to the micro sectors, we see that Ferrari And Red Bull they were equivalent in traveling the T1. All the week-end of F1 Charles managed to gain almost a tenth only in turn 1. Normally the red car was more competitive both in turn 3 and 6, where Max but he did better. In the last attempt of Q3 the Monegasque did not improve the T1 It is in the T2 he made several mistakes, mainly thanks to an excessively hot rear which therefore seriously compromised the grip developed by the tires at the rear. It wasn’t a problem of vertical thrust, considering that in the first sector the downforce at the rear it was more than enough.
In the insertion of the 11 Charles he lost his rear end which was already there overheating. Then, at the entrance of the 14th, he conceded one again snap at the rear of his F1. A factor that undoubtedly compromised the line in subsequent folds. For everyone it was very complicated trying to keep the tires in the correct window between T1 and the T3. Pushing too hard in the first sector overheats the compounds for the two remaining sectors. This was the limit of Ferrari which he tended to send in overheating the compound posterior between the end of T2 and the beginning of T3. A general balance that is very difficult to find for the various drivers.
There Red Bull builds the turn in the opposite way to Ferrari. Macroscopically speaking, in T1 Max he didn’t have a good one feeling with his single-seater F1 and it wasn’t always able to cut curbs like the red one. They carry less load than the SF-24the rear end was lighter and gave less confidence to Verstappen. Furthermore the team Austrian reasoned in terms of use of the compound. Sacrificing a little T1 there RB20 I was more effective in the remaining two sections. Max he made a masterpiece in Q3 equaling Leclerc In the T1.
In the second, the colorful fireball blue racing it was very strong all weekend long F1, with a truly unattainable approach into turn 16, where he manages to traction better. Much grip rear available to unload all the horses on the ground power unit. All in all Red Bull he put away a good spoil already in the long straights, dominating a DRS open, as can also be seen from the micro sectors graph. In the first long straight the RB20 recovers almost 2 tenths per Ferrariwhile in the second he gains just under a tenth of a second.
Finally McLaren tried to use Medium in Q3since yesterday they could go in pole with the time of Norris of the Q2. The game, also copied from Mercedes did not pay for both teams of F1. A particular choice because going from red to medium takes away feeling and trust in the pilot. This is also considering that the two tires are different in use and activation. In such a difficult scenario in terms of containing temperatures, setting the average meant having a few more degrees to hit the correct operating window. I wait and as said it didn’t help.
Authors: Alessandro Arcari – @berrageiz – Niccolo Arnerich – @niccoloarnerich
Images: Scuderia Ferrari – F1TV
