Scuderia Ferrari achieved an vital second place with Charles Leclerc on the 5.419-kilometre Lusail Worldwide Circuit. In System 1, this consequence got here from a well-calibrated technique within the Qatar Grand Prix final weekend. The Monegasque driver managed the primary a part of the race with nice warning, conserving the tires as a lot as potential, earlier than pushing to the utmost within the closing a part of the stint. The thought was not his, however the staff’s, which compelled each Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc to undertake this technique. Max Verstappen, absolutely the dominator of the Lusail weekend, confirmed a tempo that was unattainable, however Charles Leclerc’s consequence retains the hopes alive for the Constructors’ Championship forward of the ultimate spherical of the 2024 System 1 season, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Lando Norris, the one competitor in a position to problem Max Verstappen, was penalized for not slowing down below the yellow flag and this error considerably compromised his consequence. The stewards had a big impression on the course of the race. The choice to not deploy a Digital Security Automotive to take away the particles from Alex Albon’s Williams mirror precipitated punctures for each Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz, altering the course of the occasion. This episode raised controversies, because it was seen as a mistake that might have an effect on the battle for the championship.
Wanting on the knowledge from the primary stint, run on the medium tire, we are able to simply see how Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have been nearly untouchable by the remainder of the group. The tempo set by the main duo was about three-tenths quicker than Charles Leclerc’s. The world champion made the distinction over Lando Norris primarily within the first two sectors, utilizing the exit section of the corners. From the telemetry knowledge collected from the Qatar Grand Prix, we are able to see how Lando Norris’s common hole drops throughout braking and will increase throughout acceleration.
Because of this the Briton favored the nook entry section, the place he couldn’t recuperate what he misplaced on exit and on the straights. Moreover, Lando Norris was saving gas earlier than flip 4, arriving there 7 km/h slower than Max Verstappen. The Briton was sturdy within the closing a part of the circuit, particularly between turns 12 and 15, the place he gained about 0.15s. For Ferrari, each drivers needed to begin the race very conservatively. This transfer was essential to keep away from points with tire temperatures, prompting the staff to undertake this technique.
As defined by Ferrari staff principal Frederic Vasseur, the introduction section of the Pirelli yellow-walled tire was very tough for the Scuderia. Nonetheless, this precautionary strategy ensured each drivers had extra grip within the closing a part of the stint, the place they have been the quickest after Lando Norris and Max Verstappen. Wanting particularly at Charles Leclerc’s conduct within the first half, it’s noticeable that the best hole to Max Verstappen was made up in traction. Particularly, it considerations flip 1, 6, and seven, medium-slow corners that require a balanced automobile to mix throttle and steering angle.
Charles was the quickest in flip 5 and 9, the place the time spent within the nook was shorter. Moreover, the Ferrari driver used the “trailing throttle” method in all corners, by no means absolutely lifting his foot off the gasoline pedal. It is a method usually utilized by the Ferrari driver to favor the automobile’s rotation through the rear finish. The primary a part of the race was additionally sophisticated for the 2 Mercedes drivers. George Russell, in third place, was shedding greater than 8 tenths per lap in comparison with Max Verstappen, and due to this, he needed to pit earlier as a consequence of extreme tire degradation.
Equally, behind Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton additionally by no means discovered a rhythm with the yellow-walled tire, lapping a second slower than the highest drivers. The 7-time System 1 world champion was slowed down by Carlos Sainz within the early laps, displaying grip issues from the sixth lap. The British driver couldn’t convey temperature to the tires as a result of ineffective stability of his automobile. The setup he selected compelled him to decelerate extra in the midst of the corners and be conservative on exit, particularly within the medium-fast sections of the Qatari observe.
After the final Security Automotive, the Purple Bull driver confirmed he was the quickest even with the onerous tires. The Dutchman instantly opened a niche with Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc, setting a tempo 4 tenths quicker than the Monegasque. Lando confirmed he had the tempo to compete, lapping solely a tenth slower than Verstappen. The British driver shortly recovered to the again of the group after the cease & go, ending tenth. Charles Leclerc was the third quickest on observe, benefiting from a greater adaptation of the SF-24 to the Arduous tire, which allowed him to defend in opposition to Piastri.
Had he mounted the Medium, as many had speculated, he would have wanted a number of laps to keep away from destroying the tires. Throughout that point, he would have been fairly gradual, making it simple for Oscar Piastri’s McLaren to catch him. However, if he had pushed instantly with the yellow-walled tires, he would have suffered from an absence of grip as a consequence of a super goal temperature not being reached. Subsequently, properly, Ferrari averted taking one other danger, which, based on the calculations from the distant storage, wouldn’t have introduced any benefit in race tempo, as we have now defined on this article.
The Monegasque driver suffered a slight drop in tire efficiency on the finish of the stint, growing his tempo within the final 5 laps of the race. Carlos Sainz was caught behind Pierre Gasly, who was spectacular with an Alpine on the rise. The Frenchman gained a bonus within the center sector, the place he carried extra velocity by the corners than the Spaniard and was higher in traction. Carlos Sainz closed the hole within the closing sector, benefiting from a stiffer automobile that generated extra aerodynamic downforce. Nonetheless, this was not sufficient to try an overtake on the Frenchman on the pit straight.
All in all Ferrari optimized its efficiency in an unfavorable weekend. As within the Brazilian Grand Prix, the Maranello staff confirmed its cynicism, extracting the utmost. In the meantime, Lando Norris as soon as once more received caught up within the rush, benefiting Ferrari. Primarily, a weekend that was imagined to crown McLaren as world champion or make Abu Dhabi a mere formality as a substitute gave hope again to the historic Italian staff. The Maranello-based staff has just one possibility at Yas Marina to convey a title that has been lacking for 16 years again to the land of motors: a double podium, and hope that the third place doesn’t function a papaya-colored go well with.
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