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 onerous 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 immediately concerned know. A technique or one other, nevertheless, there’s time to get better and current themselves in the absolute best means 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 last 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 shall be managed by the Italian crew. It’s actually not a easy context, but it surely doesn’t routinely condemn the Maranello crew.
Singapore is an atypical observe. A road circuit the place it isn’t simple to completely nail all the main points. Furthermore, the significance of the beginning grid is essential, as those that begin on the entrance have wonderful possibilities of successful contemplating the problem of overtaking. Ferrari is aware of this, and for that reason, they have to do every part 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 vehicles in qualifying on the 4.94-kilometre Marina Bay Road Circuit:
The whole lot 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 observe 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 observe. The sign comes, the engines begin, and off they go for this primary outing on the Malaysian asphalt. For this run, the 2 pink vehicles are fitted with a set of red-marked tires.
We’re speaking concerning the tire that brought on vital difficulties for the Prancing Horse within the final a part of FP3. Due to this fact, it is going to be attention-grabbing to see if the crew has instantly understood handle this issue. Within the outlap, the rear brakes are used quite a bit 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 facet, stating that the tires had been too chilly in FP3. Bozzi suggests braking onerous throughout the preparation lap. Then they swap 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, 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 a degree the place the pink vehicles wrestle essentially the most. In the course of the second try, Charles makes a mistake within the second sector, which clearly slows him down. He’s additionally not excellent 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 soundness of the automobile at flip 13, adjusting the brake steadiness. A transfer agreed upon by the crew. As for the Spaniard, he registers a not wonderful lap that however mirrors the earlier one. For now, not less than, evidently the tire downside has not offered itself. If that’s the case, it could be an amazing reduction 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 pink vehicles return to the observe.
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 observe 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” cross the minimize. 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 this point, 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 observe circumstances, overheating appears to be beneath management. To do that, they have to handle a sure oversteering tendency that the pink automobile has proven to this point in qualifying. Q2 will undoubtedly present extra concrete suggestions on this regard. In the course of 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 Tender compound tires on each vehicles. 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, exhibiting 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 had been made for Charles. Contained in the storage, the Ferrari crew rigorously studied the telemetry. A really helpful transfer to know the factors on the observe the place they might enhance 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 same old 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 absolutely exploit the potential of his automobile to this point.
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 shall be very tight till the tip, with a number of groups combating 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 chances favor Lando Norris, who has been the quickest since FP3. The Brit is taking advantage of his MCL38, a whole and actually aggressive automobile on this observe. After one more transient cease within the storage, the engines of the pink vehicles roar again to life. It’s time to offer every part they’ve. The 2 Ferraris go away the pit field. They’re nonetheless on Tender tires, this time with a brand new set.
Focus is at its peak, evidently. The observe floor temperature has risen by two levels in comparison with the start of qualifying. The Ferrari crew is engaged within the outlap, which is kind 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 limitations, 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 should begin from tenth place. It stays to be seen the extent of the harm and whether or not it is going to be essential to vary the transmission of SF-24 quantity 55. It takes a while to take away automobile quantity 55 from the observe and permit the stewards to wash up the particles and repair the limitations. We’re speaking about about quarter-hour of pink flag. As soon as every part is cleared, the one Ferrari returns to the observe, now on new Tender tires.
With solely 3 minutes remaining, there’s simply sufficient time to set a time. The whole lot 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 de facto 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 troublesome blow for the Ferrari crew, 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 steered 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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