Scuderia Ferrari didn’t disappear from the ultimate free follow session for the Singapore Grand Prix. The changes made to the F1 automobile resulted in a brilliant balanced chassis. What didn’t work was the warm-up of the tires. An incorrect warm-up cycle that, in fact, considerably decreased the grip of the SF-24 with working temperatures removed from the proper values. It’s onerous to find out if the tweaks to the setup of the automobile in some way contributed to the state of affairs noticed within the final follow session. Solely these straight concerned know. A method or one other, nevertheless, there’s time to get better and current themselves in the absolute best manner for qualifying.
This isn’t the primary time that the Prancing Horse has suffered from such issues. Everybody will certainly bear in mind the weekend in Canada. Or, with out going too far again, let’s consider the Belgian Grand Prix the place, till Q2, automobile quantity 16 struggled to make the minimize. Then, within the remaining a part of the session, Charles Leclerc nailed the warm-up and, like magic, the efficiency elevated sufficient to even safe pole place. It stays to be seen how this example will probably be managed by the Italian crew. It’s actually not a easy context, but it surely doesn’t mechanically condemn the Maranello crew.
Singapore is an atypical monitor. A road circuit the place it isn’t simple to completely nail all the small print. Furthermore, the significance of the beginning grid is essential, as those that begin on the entrance have wonderful possibilities of profitable contemplating the issue of overtaking. Ferrari is aware of this, and for that reason, they need to do all the things to compete on equal phrases with McLaren. Failing to take action could be a significant disappointment, as technically the SF-24 in Singapore configuration has proven the potential to win. All that’s left is to attend for occasions and see what occurs.
Now let’s take an in depth have a look at how occasions unfolded for the 2 Ferrari SF-24 automobiles in qualifying on the 4.94-kilometre Marina Bay Avenue Circuit:
All the pieces is prepared for the beginning of the qualifying session. Contained in the Ferrari storage, there’s a sure chatter centered on the ultimate particulars. First, let’s check out the climate situations on the night time of Singapore: 29.5°C air temperature, 32.2°C monitor floor temperature. Humidity at 80%, wind velocity of 1.1 km/h blowing from the south. The flag is inexperienced, the Ferrari drivers are of their automobiles able to hit the monitor. The sign comes, the engines begin, and off they go for this primary outing on the Malaysian asphalt. For this run, the 2 crimson automobiles are fitted with a set of red-marked tires.
We’re speaking concerning the tire that brought about important difficulties for the Prancing Horse within the final a part of FP3. Due to this fact, it will likely be fascinating to see if the crew has instantly understood how one can handle this issue. Within the outlap, the rear brakes are used rather a lot to heat up the again finish. The nice and cozy-up have to be carried out correctly. Charles Leclerc speaks on the radio and addresses this facet, stating that the tires had been too chilly in FP3. Bozzi suggests braking onerous in the course of the preparation lap. Then they swap to push mode, let’s see what occurs.
Charles Leclerc completes a really clear lap earlier than transferring on to a double calm down lap. Carlos Sainz, then again, makes a mistake at flip 1 and prefers to elevate off to retry the nook afterward. The Spaniard additionally places collectively a superb lap. Each Ferrari drivers lose fairly a little bit of time in S1. Plainly flip 7 is some extent the place the crimson automobiles battle essentially the most. Through the second try, Charles makes a mistake within the second sector, which clearly slows him down. He’s additionally not good within the third sector. Nonetheless, he improves his time. It’s a disgrace concerning the errors as a result of the efficiency was sturdy.
Charles Leclerc decides and asks to handle the steadiness of the automobile at flip 13, adjusting the brake stability. A transfer agreed upon by the crew. As for the Spaniard, he registers a not wonderful lap that nonetheless mirrors the earlier one. For now, not less than, evidently the tire drawback has not offered itself. In that case, it will be an incredible aid for the Maranello crew. The 2 SF-24s return to the storage, ready to see if the time checks are adequate to make the minimize. Apparently not, as each crimson automobiles return to the monitor.
Once more, new red-marked Pirelli tires. There may be some visitors within the pit lane, however after just a few seconds, the Ferrari drivers can return to the Marina Bay monitor floor. They proceed with the identical warm-up used beforehand, extra aggressive than that noticed in follow. A single try the place the “two Carlos” go the minimize. Nonetheless, whereas Charles can abort, the Spaniard is compelled to complete the lap the place he makes a mistake at flip 13 that prices him not less than three-tenths. Good indicators up to now, however the precise tempo of the SF-24 in qualifying remains to be unclear.
A quick pause and again to pushing. Apparently, with the present monitor situations, overheating appears to be below management. To do that, they need to handle a sure oversteering tendency that the crimson automobile has proven up to now in qualifying. Q2 will undoubtedly present extra concrete suggestions on this regard. Through the outlap, they proceed extra slowly than earlier than. Plainly the upper asphalt temperature could assist to hit the proper tire utilization window. Push mode within the final nook and off for the primary try.
For this primary run, the crew selected to mount used Delicate compound tires on each automobiles. Charles Leclerc, with the scrubbed tires, managed to position himself between the 2 McLarens. A very good tempo for the Monegasque who, regardless of making just a few errors, nonetheless managed to extract good efficiency from the SF-24. The Madrilenian struggled extra, displaying much less confidence together with his automobile in comparison with his teammate. They returned to the storage the place an adjustment was made to the entrance wing of automobile quantity 55: “level 1 up.” No adjustments had been made for Charles. Contained in the storage, the Ferrari crew rigorously studied the telemetry. A really helpful transfer to grasp the factors on the monitor the place they may enhance efficiency for the subsequent run. The mechanics fitted a brand new set of red-marked Pirelli tires on each automobiles, which left the pit lane a couple of minutes later. The standard routine for warming up the tires didn’t appear to trigger too many issues for the historic Italian crew at this stage of qualifying. Carlos Sainz wanted to enhance as a result of it was famous that he hadn’t been capable of totally exploit the potential of his automobile up to now.
Each drivers began their laps after participating push mode, in a efficiency state of affairs that shouldn’t face explicit obstacles from visitors. Charles put collectively an excellent lap, with only one mistake in T3, shedding a tenth in that occasion. He positioned himself behind Verstappen, taking third place only a tenth behind chief Norris. Sainz fared worse, shedding virtually half a second. Plainly qualifying will probably be very tight till the tip, with a number of groups preventing for the highest spots till the final second.
The time to get severe has arrived. It stays to be seen who nonetheless has one thing in reserve, able to unleash most efficiency. The percentages favor Lando Norris, who has been the quickest since FP3. The Brit is taking advantage of his MCL38, a whole and really aggressive automobile on this monitor. After yet one more transient cease within the storage, the engines of the crimson automobiles roar again to life. It’s time to offer all the things they’ve. The 2 Ferraris go away the pit field. They’re nonetheless on Delicate tires, this time with a brand new set.
Focus is at its peak, evidently. The monitor floor temperature has risen by two levels in comparison with the start of qualifying. The Ferrari crew is engaged within the outlap, which is sort of fast this time. Charles Leclerc encounters visitors and prefers to decelerate a bit earlier than accelerating once more in S3. Simply because the Monegasque had cleared flip 3, he needed to decelerate as a result of his teammate misplaced management of the rear finish at flip 18. The Spaniard crashed into the obstacles, damaging the rear of his SF-24. Fairly a multitude.
On the radio, he’s knowledgeable that his tires had been nonetheless too chilly. It’s an actual disgrace as a result of the Spaniard must begin from tenth place. It stays to be seen the extent of the injury and whether or not it will likely be crucial to alter the transmission of SF-24 quantity 55. It takes a while to take away automobile quantity 55 from the monitor and permit the stewards to wash up the particles and repair the obstacles. We’re speaking about about quarter-hour of crimson flag. As soon as all the things is cleared, the one Ferrari returns to the monitor, now on new Delicate tires.
With solely 3 minutes remaining, there’s simply sufficient time to set a time. All the pieces is on the road for this “one shot,” because the English say. The Monegasque’s outlap follows the identical sample because the earlier ones. Leclerc makes area to attempt to cross the road with the tires as heat as attainable. A sure nervousness is noticeable on the radio, as the strain is absolutely excessive. Charles units off for his lap however overcooks it, carrying an excessive amount of velocity into flip 1. This implies his time is canceled, and he has to accept ninth place. A troublesome blow for the Ferrari crew, which utterly squandered qualifying.
On the return lap, the Ferrari driver could be very indignant. He opens up on the radio and vents as finest he can. Charles Leclerc talks about an adjustment recommended by the pit wall earlier than his final try that difficult issues. It apparently isn’t a tire-related issue. For that reason, he seeks clarification, as he believes the entrance finish of his SF-24 didn’t work because it ought to have. Bryan Bozzi tries to calm him down and, disheartened, admits he doesn’t have a solution at that second. That is the account of a session that clearly couldn’t have gone worse.
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