Scuderia Ferrari didn’t win the Qatar Grand Prix. Nevertheless, the twenty third spherical of the 2024 Formulation 1 championship concluded with a partial smile. The Prancing Horse arrived in Losail with excessive hopes, however they confronted a structure that was not favorable for the SF-24 automobile, because the Arabian circuit that clearly favored McLaren and Crimson Bull. And certainly, the 2 groups proved to be extra technically ready. The Milton Keynes staff, to be truthful, struggled to grasp something throughout the sole observe session. It was a disastrous Friday, with a lackluster qualifying efficiency.
Saturday additionally began poorly, with the four-time Formulation 1 world champion having to accept eighth place, even behind the shocking Haas of German driver Nico Hulkenberg. Then got here the technical “miracle” from the Austrian F1 staff: a setup change that reworked the RB20 and allowed the Dutchman to make a distinction. An incredible victory, deserved on the observe, overcoming the FIA’s unfair penalty and George Russell’s double play. For McLaren, nevertheless, issues went considerably in another way.
The dash race double win steered that securing the constructors’ championship can be a formality. Nevertheless, Sunday’s race execution nullified Woking’s efforts. Oscar Piastri was unfortunate, because the Security Automotive benefited nearly all of the main drivers besides him. As for Lando Norris, as soon as once more, we should criticize the Briton. Lando claims he isn’t silly and is aware of the principles. And we consider him, in fact. However failing to note the yellow flag is a grave error that ruined his race.
He then carried out a exceptional restoration in simply over 10 laps, reaching tenth place and incomes the extra level for the quickest lap. Nevertheless, his oversight value the British staff main the championship far an excessive amount of. This case retains Ferrari’s dream of catching the title alive. But, the Maranello staff was not flawless throughout the Qatari weekend both. Within the first qualifying session, they did not make the tires work, and the Dash Race went as we all know. Within the second qualifying session, they sorted out the tire situation, however the outcome was even worse.
Ferrari didn’t have nice optimism for the 300 kilometer distance. They began behind the 2 McLaren automobiles, and the SF-24’s tempo was not adequate to beat the MCL38s on the observe. Moreover, dangerous luck struck. We discuss with the gradual puncture on the entrance left tire of automobile quantity 55. The tire delaminated, forcing Carlos Sainz to drive half a lap very slowly to achieve the pits. The Spaniard clearly misplaced floor and, as soon as again on observe, discovered himself in seventh place. For Charles Leclerc, thankfully, issues went significantly better.
Oscar Piastri made his cease earlier than the Security Automotive got here out, taking the estimated time required for the tire change and pit-lane transit. Charles Leclerc, however, pitted underneath double yellow flag circumstances, with a shorter timeframe that allowed him to return to the observe forward of the Australian. Shortly after, Lando Norris acquired a 10-second stop-and-go penalty, and the Ferrari driver moved as much as second place behind Max Verstappen. From that time on, the Dutchman pulled away, and Charles Leclerc did an incredible job defending towards Oscar Piastri, who stayed shut till the end line. A second place that’s price its weight in gold.
At this level, a query about technique arises: may Ferrari have accomplished extra tactically? Was there an opportunity to intention for victory? Let’s make clear. There was an choice Ferrari thought-about however in the end discarded. Charles Leclerc, with the Security Automotive on observe, may have made one other cease to change to medium tires when the group was compelled to go by the pit-lane to permit the marshals to wash the observe. The truth is, in keeping with the rules, the quantity 16 SF-24 automobile may have stopped at that second.
Furthermore, analyzing the GPS knowledge concerning the drivers’ observe positions, Charles Leclerc may have maintained his place over Oscar Piastri. Observing the hole between them, it’s clear that the Monegasque had a margin of over 5 seconds as soon as the pit-limiter was activated at 80 kilometers per hour. Contemplating a mean cease time of about 2.5 seconds, the Monegasque driver may have switched to mediums, having already fulfilled the requirement to make use of a unique compound. This may have allowed him to deal with the ultimate 21 laps with a softer, extra performance-oriented tire when it comes to tempo.
Talking to the media, Ferrari staff principal Frederic Vasseur clarified that Ferrari’s pit wall thought-about this risk. Nevertheless, the distant storage deemed it extra acceptable to remain on the hards, a choice shared by the remainder of the grid apart from Fernando Alonso, who, regardless of being on mediums, was unable to realize positions on observe. This alternative had a transparent rationale: giving Charles’ automobile the yellow-marked Pirelli tires for the ultimate stint of the Qatar Grand Prix would have required further care to activate the tires, necessitating a gradual introduction.
Onerous compounds have a wider working window. This implies they could possibly be pushed tougher straight away with out concern of shortening their lifespan. With mediums, the danger of doing so was very excessive, probably disrupting temperatures and failing to stop graining from setting in. Based mostly on the information, contemplating the Dash Race and the primary stint of Sunday’s race, Ferrari needed to perform substantial tire administration on a number of corners of the observe throughout the first ten laps earlier than progressively reducing lap occasions.
Such a scenario would have severely challenged the Ferrari driver, considerably growing the probability of being overtaken by Oscar Piastri and subsequently dropping contact with the Australian within the following laps, in addition to with Max Verstappen, with out then having the ability to capitalize on the additional grip of the mediums on the finish. For that reason, we “absolve” Ferrari and we’re additionally satisfied that on this case, the Maranello pit wall made the precise determination to proceed on the Onerous tires. A method which may have appeared conservative or defensive however one which was, in actuality, the right transfer. In spite of everything, they secured a podium end in second place, which was removed from assured earlier than the beginning of the race in Lusail.
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