Right this moment, Ferrari wasted a possible pole place within the qualifying session for the Method 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Apart from this considerably aggressive assertion, let’s calmly clarify the explanations. After yesterday’s session, we had outlined the Ferrari as a automotive with good stability however nonetheless with some margin to extract. The automotive had a sure diploma of understeer, particularly within the first sector, whereas within the third sector, it confirmed some issues within the ninth nook. Along with this, there was additionally intensive work from the drivers in understanding the way to greatest exploit the SF-24 all through the lap.
The Maranello workforce made some changes to the setup of the SF24 single-seater with a view to handle sure essential areas associated to the observe. They did this by managing the understeer points in Flip 1, though they weren’t capable of fully get rid of this habits. In Flip 5, each Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz might have been tighter on entry, reaching the apex and making use of energy earlier. Some work was finished right here to advance the mechanical stability, bettering the lateral load switch on entry. Flip 5 is a really technical and complicated nook for everybody.
There was fine-tuning in Flip 9, the place it appears they labored on the vertical stiffness of the automotive. Particularly, Ferrari labored on the so-called bump-stop, lowering the suspension journey. This restricted the vertical motion of the automotive. In truth, we had identified that in Flip 9, throughout the peak lateral load, there was a little bit of porpoising from the ground, which was barely noticeable right this moment. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz made higher use of the automotive on this part, coming into and navigating way more tightly.
On exit, nevertheless, they continued to cowl extra distance than the McLaren, which remained the automotive to beat on this facet. Within the third sector, the Ferrari automobiles arrived with barely overheated tires. In consequence, work was finished on the tire warm-up technique. After evaluating between yesterday and right this moment, the chosen tactic was to start out the lap with 3°C much less on the rear tires. The entrance proper tire was completely at temperature, particularly no delta, whereas the left was 2°C decrease.
The proper entrance tire was on the right temperature for a transparent cause: to offer the tires with the flexibility to restrict understeer within the first nook of the observe. Nevertheless, on the end line, each Ferrari automobiles arrived with an excessive amount of warmth on the rear. The rear was 16°C above the goal, whereas the entrance proper was practically 20°C above. A scenario that, as we will think about, severely restricted Ferrari’s efficiency, as they didn’t have the required grip to take care of optimum efficiency.
McLaren did what it needed to, however it wasn’t sooner. That is additionally evident from the errors made by the drivers throughout qualifying and even throughout the lap that in the end put them on the entrance row. Lando Norris made a small mistake in Flip 9 and, within the part beneath the resort, made small corrections on the steering wheel on entry, indicating that the rear was a bit too sizzling. Total, they have been quick, although. They confirmed yesterday’s aerodynamic setup with a medium-load wing. When it comes to high speeds, they’re not on par with Ferrari, however barely behind.
On the assorted straights, the crimson automotive at all times gained. On the finish of the straight resulting in Flip 6, McLaren arrived on the braking zone 5 km/h slower than the Italian automotive. This will likely be an vital information level for tomorrow’s race. The general dealing with was good within the high-speed corners, and so they targeted on low-speed corners. In Flip 1, they have been at all times wonderful, with a lot much less understeer than the SF-24, however in Flip 5, they typically misplaced the apex, overlaying extra distance. Solely in Q3, on the ultimate try, did the drivers handle to manage this issue, although they confirmed imperfect traction.
All of this meant that, each in S1 and S2, the automobiles competing for the Constructors’ Championship have been on par. The figuring out issue for pole place was the third sector, the place the Ferrari was affected by an excessive amount of overheating. McLaren additionally had a sure diploma of overheating, however the Ferrari drivers didn’t handle it properly. Sainz might have finished higher by way of sensitivity, contemplating the assorted wonderful laps throughout qualifying, the place the 2 Ferrari drivers have been capable of handle the automotive higher in S3, regardless that they have been removed from the optimum temperatures.
Lastly, let’s discuss Crimson Bull, which many thought might take pole place. Nothing might be farther from the reality, or reasonably, it might have been unimaginable with out Max Verstappen, who at all times brings loads of his personal expertise. The automotive maintained a stage of understeer that was virtually “power,” though considerably diminished in comparison with yesterday. Already in Flip 1, the automotive was not at all times dealing with properly, and in Flip 5, Max virtually by no means managed to hit the apex. Then, within the 6-7 chicane, he utilized an excessive amount of steering angle on throttle, making it ineffective. In Flip 9, he entered properly, however it was as if the entrance finish was locked, dragging him to the skin.
Because of this, the Crimson Bull pushed by the four-time Method 1 World Champion was pressured to cowl way more distance than its direct rivals. In his good lap, Max Verstappen had nonetheless managed to place collectively many small “miracles,” however he threw all of it away on the final nook, the place he was unable to manage his automotive as he had finished earlier. To conclude, allow us to look at the information associated to the of best occasions, obtained by summing the very best sector occasions for every driver and evaluating them with a reference lap, which was obtained by summing the very best total sectors.
As we will see from the information, Max Verstappen was 0.36 seconds off absolutely the efficiency and, generally, was removed from having the ability to declare pole place. The Crimson Bull driver complained rather a lot about affected by so-called “beneath rotation” within the sooner sections of the Emirati observe. This attribute, in flip, brought about overheating of the entrance axle and compromised his efficiency within the last sector. We additionally see that the standings largely align with the grid, with Nico Hülkenberg even setting the quickest time within the center sector.
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