Ferraricome in Spainhe understood little or nothing in the eleventh round Of F1. Free tests were quite complicated and in fact highlighted one factor: with the new updates, the SF-24 seems to have lost the ability to show up on the track with an optimal car setup. We cannot claim that the correlation with the simulator is lost. However, we must underline how the red car is struggling enormously to perform. We saw this clearly also in the sprint qualifying, where Carlos Sainzthe only Ferrari driver to compete in the Q3he got almost half a second from Verstappen.
A separation that hurts especially Spielbergvery short circuit. Charles Leclercinstead, he didn’t even manage to complete a flying lap in the final part of qualifying. A problem with his car’s software left him stranded: the anti-stall system was acting up. We’re talking about a system that prevents the car from turning off and instead, as we’ve seen, it took care of turning it off. All this after only a few metres of running pit-lane. The margin of one power cycle Leclerc managed to turn the red light back on, eliminating the system bug. But by now it was too late and number 16 crossed the finish line to launch herself with the red light.
F1, Sprint Race Austria: Ferrari with good pace but limited by brake temperatures
The conditions for the 100km mini race basically mirror the weather for the sprint qualifying: The air temperature was 28.7°C, the asphalt temperature was 43.2°C. Humidity at 47%, 0.8 km/h intensity of the wind blowing from the north quadrant. The Italian cars for the departure of the Sprint Race they choose them Pirelli yellow band, tires Medium used so to speak. During the reconnaissance lap before composing the grid, the Ferrari drivers spend a lot of energy to bring the compounds up to temperature, considering that the long straights in the first sector tend to cool the compounds.
The start was aborted due to a problem with the traffic lights. This is why the single-seaters F1 they are forced to repeat the training procedure with a further step. Sainz makes a good start and takes the position on RussellWhile Leclerc does even better and surpasses three, the last of which Sergio Perez with a really brilliant maneuver in acceleration of turn 4. In this first phase of the race it was very important to attack, as the supposed train DRS it would have made it easier to maintain the positions acquired at the start at least in the first laps.
Bozzi opens on the radio on lap 5 with some very interesting information. Behind the Monegasque Perez is no longer in the DRS zone, while in front of him Hamilton cannot use the mobile wing to attack his teammate. Adami instead suggests being careful with the front. Refers to tire management in corners supporting the T3, where injecting too much energy continuously would lead to overheating. Furthermore, as with the companion, the need to perform lift and coast prevails. However, Sainz doesn’t seem too comfortable with his car.
This is demonstrated by the fact that, at step number 8 of the mini race, he undergoes the return of Russell who passes him at the braking point of turn 4. The Spaniard is having difficulty managing the brakes of his car and reports this on the radio to get some advice on the balance best to use. Luckily the braking system temperatures of number 55 are within the correct range. It’s a shame because this problem actually contributed significantly to the loss of position on the English driver of Mercedes. While in Carlos try not to lose track of Hamiltonalthough for the moment it seems that he is keeping his distance.
It does this while waiting to be able to start pushing a little more when the tyres are ready. It counts a lot of petrol on board the reds behave quite well in general and in the T1turns 1 and 3, the oversteer is present but does not seem to limit performance too much, ditto the porpoising In the T3. When there are nine rounds to go, two o’clock SF-24 they are trying to keep the fight alive with the two Mercedes. Sainz he has “recovered” and seems ready to launch the attack, while Charles he temporarily lost the DRS are Hamilton. No doubt the brakes are giving some trouble as well Leclerc.
As for the Madrid driver, in fact, some work was done to lower the operating temperatures of the braking system on the number 16. A measure that worked. During the last laps, however, the gap accumulated to manage the brakes was fatal. The management of the braking balance actually filled the radio communications of the Ferrari drivers. An aspect that, as mentioned, affected the pace of the Italian cars and, consequently, prohibited the attempt to attack the Ferrari on the Mercedes. The step to do it was certainly there….
Author: Alexander Arcari – @berrageiz
Images: Scuderia Ferrari – F1Tv
