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, after all, considerably decreased the grip of the SF-24 with working temperatures removed from the right 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 immediately concerned know. A method or one other, nonetheless, there’s time to get better 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 keep 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 closing 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 staff. It’s definitely not a easy context, nevertheless it doesn’t routinely condemn the Maranello staff.
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 glorious probabilities of successful contemplating the problem of overtaking. Ferrari is aware of this, and for that reason, they have to do all the pieces to compete on equal phrases with McLaren. Failing to take action can 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 take a look at how occasions unfolded for the 2 Ferrari SF-24 vehicles in qualifying on the 4.94-kilometre Marina Bay Road Circuit:
Every little 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 situations on the night time of Singapore: 29.5°C air temperature, 32.2°C monitor floor temperature. Humidity at 80%, wind pace of 1.1 km/h blowing from the south. The flag is inexperienced, the Ferrari drivers are of their vehicles 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 vehicles are fitted with a set of red-marked tires.
We’re speaking concerning the tire that precipitated important difficulties for the Prancing Horse within the final a part of FP3. Subsequently, will probably be attention-grabbing to see if the staff has instantly understood how one can handle this issue. Within the outlap, the rear brakes are used lots to heat up the again finish. The nice and cozy-up should be carried out correctly. Charles Leclerc speaks on the radio and addresses this side, stating that the tires have been too chilly in FP3. Bozzi suggests braking onerous throughout 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 settle 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 lap. Each Ferrari drivers lose fairly a little bit of time in S1. It appears that evidently flip 7 is a degree the place the purple vehicles 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 soundness of the automobile at flip 13, adjusting the brake steadiness. 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, at the least, it appears that evidently the tire drawback has not offered itself. If that’s the case, it will be an incredible aid for the Maranello staff. The 2 SF-24s return to the storage, ready to see if the time checks are adequate to make the reduce. Apparently not, as each purple vehicles return to the monitor.
Once more, new red-marked Pirelli tires. There’s some site 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” move the reduce. 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 at the least three-tenths. Good indicators up to now, however the precise tempo of the SF-24 in qualifying continues to be unclear.
A quick pause and again to pushing. Apparently, with the present monitor situations, overheating appears to be underneath management. To do that, they have to handle a sure oversteering tendency that the purple 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. It appears that evidently the upper asphalt temperature could assist to hit the right 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 Comfortable compound tires on each vehicles. Charles Leclerc, with the scrubbed tires, managed to put 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 along 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 have been made for Charles. Contained in the storage, the Ferrari staff rigorously studied the telemetry. A really helpful transfer to grasp the factors on the monitor the place they may improve efficiency for the subsequent run. The mechanics fitted a brand new set of red-marked Pirelli tires on each vehicles, 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 totally exploit the potential of his automobile up to now.
Each drivers began their laps after partaking push mode, in a efficiency state of affairs that shouldn’t face explicit obstacles from site 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 nearly half a second. It appears that evidently qualifying will probably be very tight till the top, with a number of groups combating 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 profiting from his MCL38, a whole and actually aggressive automobile on this monitor. After one more temporary cease within the storage, the engines of the purple vehicles roar again to life. It’s time to offer all the pieces they’ve. The 2 Ferraris depart the pit field. They’re nonetheless on Comfortable 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 site 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 have 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 harm and whether or not will probably be essential 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 purple flag. As soon as all the pieces is cleared, the one Ferrari returns to the monitor, now on new Comfortable tires.
With solely 3 minutes remaining, there’s simply sufficient time to set a time. Every little 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 doable. 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 pace into flip 1. This implies his time is canceled, and he has to accept ninth place. A tricky blow for the Ferrari staff, which utterly squandered qualifying.
On the return lap, the Ferrari driver could be very offended. 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 sophisticated 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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