Scuderia Ferrari didn’t disappear from the ultimate free observe session for the Singapore Grand Prix. The changes made to the F1 automobile resulted in an excellent balanced chassis. What didn’t work was the warm-up of the tires. An incorrect warm-up cycle that, after all, considerably decreased the grip of the SF-24 with working temperatures removed from the proper values. It’s arduous to find out if the tweaks to the setup of the automobile by some means contributed to the state of affairs noticed within the final observe session. Solely these straight concerned know. A method or one other, nevertheless, there may be time to get well and current themselves in the absolute best method 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 reduce. 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 case will probably be managed by the Italian staff. It’s definitely not a easy context, but it surely doesn’t robotically condemn the Maranello staff.
Singapore is an atypical monitor. A avenue 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 glorious possibilities of successful contemplating the problem of overtaking. Ferrari is aware of this, and because of this, they need to do every thing to compete on equal phrases with McLaren. Failing to take action could be a serious 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:
Every thing 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 circumstances on the evening 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 purple automobiles are fitted with a set of red-marked tires.
We’re speaking concerning the tire that triggered important difficulties for the Prancing Horse within the final a part of FP3. Subsequently, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the staff has instantly understood handle this issue. Within the outlap, the rear brakes are used loads 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 arduous in the course of the preparation lap. Then they change to push mode, let’s see what occurs.
Charles Leclerc completes a really clear lap earlier than shifting on to a double calm down lap. Carlos Sainz, however, makes a mistake at flip 1 and prefers to elevate off to retry the nook afterward. The Spaniard additionally places collectively an excellent lap. Each Ferrari drivers lose fairly a little bit of time in S1. Plainly flip 7 is some extent the place the purple 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. However, he improves his time. It’s a disgrace concerning the errors as a result of the efficiency was robust.
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 staff. As for the Spaniard, he registers a not glorious lap that however mirrors the earlier one. For now, not less than, it appears that evidently the tire downside has not introduced itself. In that case, it might be an amazing reduction for the Maranello staff. The 2 SF-24s return to the storage, ready to see if the time checks are enough to make the reduce. Apparently not, as each purple automobiles return to the monitor.
Once more, new red-marked Pirelli tires. There’s 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 observe. A single try the place the “two Carlos” go the reduce. Nonetheless, whereas Charles can abort, the Spaniard is pressured to complete the lap the place he makes a mistake at flip 13 that prices him not less than three-tenths. Good indicators to date, 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 circumstances, overheating appears to be beneath management. To do that, they need to handle a sure oversteering tendency that the purple automobile has proven to date 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 staff selected to mount used Smooth compound tires on each automobiles. Charles Leclerc, with the scrubbed tires, managed to position himself between the 2 McLarens. A extremely 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, exhibiting 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 modifications had been made for Charles. Contained in the storage, the Ferrari staff fastidiously studied the telemetry. A really helpful transfer to know the factors on the monitor the place they might enhance efficiency for the following 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 staff at this stage of qualifying. Carlos Sainz wanted to enhance as a result of it was famous that he hadn’t been capable of absolutely exploit the potential of his automobile to date.
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, dropping a tenth in that occasion. He positioned himself behind Verstappen, taking third place only a tenth behind chief Norris. Sainz fared worse, dropping virtually half a second. Plainly qualifying will probably be very tight till the top, with a number of groups preventing for the highest spots till the final second.
The time to get critical 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 benefiting from his MCL38, an entire and actually aggressive automobile on this monitor. After yet one more temporary cease within the storage, the engines of the purple automobiles roar again to life. It’s time to offer every thing they’ve. The 2 Ferraris depart the pit field. They’re nonetheless on Smooth 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 staff 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 large number.
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 mandatory 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 scrub up the particles and repair the obstacles. We’re speaking about about quarter-hour of purple flag. As soon as every thing is cleared, the one Ferrari returns to the monitor, now on new Smooth tires.
With solely 3 minutes remaining, there may be simply sufficient time to set a time. Every thing 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 house to attempt to cross the road with the tires as heat as potential. A sure nervousness is noticeable on the radio, as the stress is de facto 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 staff, which fully 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 advised 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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