Ferrari has due to this fact placing within the work in Barcelona with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. On Tuesday, on the primary day of this three-day session on the stunning Montmelò circuit, the Scuderia’s drivers took turns behind the wheel of the SF-23. The Prancing Horse booked the Spanish monitor to benefit from TPC classes, exams regulated by the Worldwide Federation, the place a number of guidelines should be adopted. These concern the automotive for use, the software program, the tires equipped particularly by Pirelli, and the restricted mileage.
On this context, we can not merely speak about mere coaching—it will be far too reductive. No doubt, the restrictions imposed by the FIA make the job of an F1 staff significantly extra difficult. That’s true. Nonetheless, there are numerous elements that may be examined and, as such, show very helpful for the trigger. On Tuesday morning, Charles Leclerc targeted a part of his session on finding out the tires. We lined this subject intimately in a devoted article as a result of, though the tires are completely different, some insights can nonetheless be drawn.
Furthermore, there was a comparability relating to knowledge assortment with the simulator, a vital software in fashionable F1 for assessing the accuracy of its correlation with real-world circumstances. This was a part of the work carried out by the Monegasque, who additionally regained a number of the confidence misplaced over the previous months in on-track motion. A really helpful coaching session in a number of respects, as he prepares for the true debut on the Bahrain pre-season exams, the place the brand new automotive will likely be unveiled—hopefully showcasing its wonderful basic traits within the Center East.
The state of affairs was barely completely different for the seven-time F1 world champion. The driving force from Stevenage is a veteran of the game’s high class, with twenty years of expertise in single-seaters. Nevertheless, he can nonetheless be thought of a “rookie” with regards to his data of Ferrari—each by way of its vehicles and the distinctive method of the historic Italian staff. Due to this fact, he must undergo a studying curve that may present him with the muse to compete with the Scuderia. Lewis is absolutely dedicated to this course of.
On Tuesday afternoon, throughout Ferrari’s second session, it was his flip to take to the monitor. The British driver accomplished a number of runs, at all times on the wheel of the SF-23. In response to info gathered by the Italian media, Hamilton’s baseline setup differed barely from Leclerc’s. The general downforce degree was the identical however distributed otherwise. Hamilton’s driving type shouldn’t be a “copy and paste” of Leclerc’s. There are similarities, certain, however some facets are distinctly completely different between the 2.
To begin with, the British driver’s dealing with may be very clean, resembling that of former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz. The ex-Mercedes driver additionally prefers a really secure rear finish, whereas Charles, on a number of events, has proven he can handle a extra nervous rear if the advantages outweigh the downsides. Throughout his laps, along with simulating a typical race weekend work program, Lewis paid explicit consideration to braking phases. He particularly targeted on trail-braking, a essential method utilized by all F1 drivers.
Within the case of the British driver, it was vital to deepen his preliminary method to Brembo brakes. This includes a exact braking method: making use of heavy strain on the pedal earlier than regularly releasing it because the automotive enters the nook. On the identical time, Hamilton studied the “trailing throttle” to additional stabilize the automotive with a slight quantity of throttle open. Charles is a real grasp of this method, regularly utilizing it in lots of qualifying classes final season. Weight distribution in corners is essential and was a part of Lewis’s coaching.
The seven-time Components 1 world champion additionally labored on the automotive’s setup and observe begins. The beginning system is completely different from Mercedes’, with a definite use of the paddles situated on the rear of the steering wheel. Moreover, he skilled on the assorted energy unit modes, together with engine mapping for the inner combustion engine and the hybrid system of Ferrari’s energy unit, designated 066/12. On the finish of his second day driving a Ferrari, Hamilton was as soon as once more glad.
The suggestions offered to the staff was extremely optimistic as he seems ahead to testing the SF-24 subsequent week, adopted by runs with the most recent piece of aero-mechanical engineering from the Maranello squad. The complete trackside staff was not current, however distant help from Maranello was accessible.
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