In a 24-race season, there may be days when a group finds itself gathering far lower than anticipated on account of its drivers (with an asterisk). This was the case for Ferrari after the Singapore qualifying, which ended with the disappointing results of ninth and tenth locations. At Marina Bay, this implies an uphill battle with a steep gradient. The entrance row was inside attain; Charles Leclerc (third in Q2) was simply 67 thousandths off Max Verstappen and appeared able to contend.
All the things fell aside in Q3, the second when it’s essential to place all the pieces collectively. The primary piece of dangerous information for the Scuderia was Carlos Sainz’s crash, going off at flip 18 whereas on his first run with a brand new set of tires. A pink flag halted the session with eight minutes to go, leaving time for just one flying lap, which finally fell aside for Charles Leclerc. The temperature of his entrance tires dropped whereas ready to exit the pit lane, and through the out lap, he couldn’t carry the tires again into the right temperature window. The steep worth was paid with a lock-up in flip 1, taking him past the white line: his time was canceled by race management, placing him ninth on the grid.
Nonetheless, there’s a query mark concerning why Charles Leclerc started his flying lap with the entrance tires exterior the perfect working window. Frederic Vasseur didn’t totally absolve Charles: “We waited a bit too lengthy within the pits,” the group principal defined, “and that’s the place we misplaced temperature. Then Charles pushed a bit extra through the out lap and received again to the proper temperature earlier than beginning the lap. However, as we all know, when there’s just one lap out there, you must push, and also you’re on the restrict.” In Singapore, nobody needs to be the primary to hit the observe as a result of progressive observe enchancment, which is why Charles Leclerc waited for the 2 McLarens to exit. Nonetheless, three different drivers slipped in through the stretch from the Scuderia’s field to the site visitors gentle on the finish of the pit lane, spending 50 seconds in line earlier than they might exit.
There may be additionally the consideration of a presumably less-than-ideal tire warm-up process, however Charles Leclerc disagrees on this level and doesn’t go into element. “In Q1 and Q2, it went effectively, however after I exited the pits in Q3, the entrance tires have been a lot colder. I don’t perceive; we work so laborious on tire preparation all weekend, solely to return to an important lap with chilly entrance tires. The consequence is that our weekend is now in a really adverse state of affairs. The group is investigating, however I can’t say a lot about the issue. The very fact is, we began the lap with two chilly entrance tires, they usually locked up in flip 1.”
It’s a bitter consequence for Ferrari, particularly given the confirmed potential of the SF-24, which could not be sufficient to problem Lando Norris however is actually able to aiming for the entrance row. The time Leclerc set in Q2 would have secured him third on the grid, however there was room to shave off one other tenth, which may have put him alongside Norris. “Then we threw all of it away,” Charles Leclerc concluded. “I don’t need to go into an excessive amount of element, however clearly, we’re speaking about one or two levels, a margin that right this moment means doing effectively or getting all of it fallacious.”
Charles Leclerc will share the fifth row with Sainz, and as soon as once more, the subject (now a behavior) is the tires. “Earlier than my run, I needed to let lots of automobiles cross,” Carlos defined, “and after I accelerated to begin my lap, the tires have been a lot colder than I believed, and I made a mistake by underestimating the lowered grip. I used to be already beneath stress as a result of one other automobile was approaching, and I knew a slower strategy to the final nook would compromise my lap.”
There’s additionally a query mark concerning Carlos Sainz’s automobile as a result of important injury to the rear. If no parts requiring penalties must be changed, Sainz will begin from tenth place, however there’s additionally the danger he might need to begin from the pit lane. “The automobile appears fairly broken,” Carlos confirmed, “however I can’t say a lot for the time being. I simply hope to have a traditional race and discover a good rhythm.”
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