In a 24-race season, there will be days when a crew finds itself accumulating far lower than anticipated attributable to 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 pieces fell aside in Q3, the second when it’s essential to place every thing collectively. The primary piece of unhealthy 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 purple 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 in the course of the out lap, he couldn’t carry the tires again into the proper temperature window. The steep value 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 outdoors the best working window. Frederic Vasseur didn’t totally absolve Charles: “We waited a bit too lengthy within the pits,” the crew principal defined, “and that’s the place we misplaced temperature. Then Charles pushed a bit extra in the course of the out lap and bought again to the suitable temperature earlier than beginning the lap. However, as we all know, when there’s just one lap accessible, it’s important to push, and also you’re on the restrict.” In Singapore, nobody desires to be the primary to hit the observe because of the progressive observe enchancment, which is why Charles Leclerc waited for the 2 McLarens to exit. Nonetheless, three different drivers slipped in in the course of the stretch from the Scuderia’s field to the visitors gentle on the finish of the pit lane, spending 50 seconds in line earlier than they may exit.
There’s 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 properly, however after I exited the pits in Q3, the entrance tires have been a lot colder. I don’t perceive; we work so onerous on tire preparation all weekend, solely to come back to an important lap with chilly entrance tires. The consequence is that our weekend is now in a really adverse state of affairs. The crew is investigating, however I can’t say a lot about the issue. The actual fact is, we began the lap with two chilly entrance tires, and so they locked up in flip 1.”
It’s a bitter end result for Ferrari, particularly given the confirmed potential of the SF-24, which could not be sufficient to problem Lando Norris however is definitely 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 might have put him alongside Norris. “Then we threw all of it away,” Charles Leclerc concluded. “I don’t wish to go into an excessive amount of element, however clearly, we’re speaking about one or two levels, a margin that immediately means doing properly 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 plenty of vehicles move,” Carlos defined, “and after I accelerated to start out my lap, the tires have been a lot colder than I assumed, and I made a mistake by underestimating the decreased grip. I used to be already underneath strain 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 because of the vital injury to the rear. If no components requiring penalties must be changed, Sainz will begin from tenth place, however there’s additionally the danger he may need to start out from the pit lane. “The automobile appears fairly broken,” Carlos confirmed, “however I can’t say a lot in the meanwhile. I simply hope to have a traditional race and discover a good rhythm.”
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