Scuderia Ferrari didn’t disappear from the ultimate free follow session for the Singapore Grand Prix. The changes made to the F1 automotive resulted in a brilliant balanced chassis. What didn’t work was the warm-up of the tires. An incorrect warm-up cycle that, in fact, considerably decreased the grip of the SF-24 with working temperatures removed from the right values. It’s exhausting to find out if the tweaks to the setup of the automotive by some means contributed to the situation noticed within the final follow session. Solely these straight concerned know. A technique or one other, nonetheless, there may be time to get well and current themselves in the very best means 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, automotive quantity 16 struggled to make the minimize. 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 likely be managed by the Italian crew. It’s definitely not a easy context, however it doesn’t robotically condemn the Maranello crew.
Singapore is an atypical observe. 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 wonderful possibilities of profitable contemplating the issue of overtaking. Ferrari is aware of this, and for that reason, they need to do every little thing 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 part is prepared for the beginning of the qualifying session. Contained in the Ferrari storage, there’s a sure chatter targeted on the ultimate particulars. First, let’s check out the climate circumstances on the night time of Singapore: 29.5°C air temperature, 32.2°C observe 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 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 about vital difficulties for the Prancing Horse within the final a part of FP3. Due to this fact, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if the crew has instantly understood the way to 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 exhausting through the preparation lap. Then they swap to push mode, let’s see what occurs.
Charles Leclerc completes a really clear lap earlier than transferring on to a double quiet down lap. Carlos Sainz, however, makes a mistake at flip 1 and prefers to raise 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. Evidently flip 7 is some extent the place the pink vehicles battle probably the most. Throughout 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. Nonetheless, 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 automotive 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, at the very least, plainly the tire drawback has not introduced itself. In that case, it might be an awesome aid for the Maranello crew. The 2 SF-24s return to the storage, ready to see if the time checks are ample to make the minimize. Apparently not, as each pink vehicles return to the observe.
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 observe 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” go the minimize. Nevertheless, 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 very least three-tenths. Good indicators to this point, however the precise tempo of the SF-24 in qualifying continues to be unclear.
A short pause and again to pushing. Apparently, with the present observe circumstances, overheating appears to be beneath management. To do that, they need to handle a sure oversteering tendency that the pink automotive has proven to this point in qualifying. Q2 will undoubtedly present extra concrete suggestions on this regard. Throughout the outlap, they proceed extra slowly than earlier than. Evidently the upper asphalt temperature might 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 crew selected to mount used Tender 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 together with his automotive in comparison with his teammate. They returned to the storage the place an adjustment was made to the entrance wing of automotive quantity 55: “level 1 up.” No modifications had been made for Charles. Contained in the storage, the Ferrari crew fastidiously studied the telemetry. A really helpful transfer to grasp the factors on the observe the place they may improve efficiency for the following 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 crew at this stage of qualifying. Carlos Sainz wanted to enhance as a result of it was famous that he hadn’t been in a position to absolutely exploit the potential of his automotive to this point.
Each drivers began their laps after participating push mode, in a efficiency situation that shouldn’t face explicit obstacles from site 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 nearly half a second. Evidently qualifying will likely 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 profiting from his MCL38, a whole and actually aggressive automotive on this observe. After yet one more transient cease within the storage, the engines of the pink vehicles roar again to life. It’s time to provide every little thing they’ve. The 2 Ferraris depart 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 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 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 crucial to alter the transmission of SF-24 quantity 55. It takes a while to take away automotive quantity 55 from the observe and permit the stewards to wash up the particles and repair the obstacles. We’re speaking about about quarter-hour of pink flag. As soon as every little thing is cleared, the one Ferrari returns to the observe, now on new Tender tires.
With solely 3 minutes remaining, there may be simply sufficient time to set a time. Every part 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 area 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 actually 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 crew, which fully 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 advised 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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