Best lap telemetry comparison between Scuderia Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc from the qualifying session in Portimao:
Thinking about the layouts of the tracks which hosted the first three rounds of the 2021 Formula 1 season, we can assert that the SF21 is a car capable of easily adapting to different characteristics. Although the current level does not allow for a fight at the top, the step forward compared to last season is clear. Let’s start the telemetry analysis by taking a look at the Speed chart as always. In the turns the speeds of the cars are very similar, with Charles who, compared to his teammate, manages to bring a couple of more km / h into the entry of turns 3 and 10. Charles suffered in getting the tires in the right window of operation, while Carlos was more comfortable especially with the soft.
It is in fact the Spaniard who has a better starting point in all corners except for 13, where the delta is in Carlos Sainz’s favor. As in FP2, Carlos has a higher speed between turns 7 and 8. But unlike in free practice he has a higher minimum speed than Charles. Proof that the Iberian has managed to activate the tyres in the best possible way. Regarding curve 14, the approach has remained almost identical. The Monegasque tends to slow down the car more in order to have a better exit, while the Spanish prefers to bring more speed to the top.
Compared to what was seen in FP2, from the telemetry relating to the gearshifts we note that the gears used are very similar and differ only in a couple of points. In qualifying, both Ferrari drivers approach curve 1 in sixth gear. Therefore, it appears that Charles Leclerc has compared his telemetry with that of his partner and improved his first sector. At turn 11, the Monegasque climbs to third, a shift that does not favor travel speed. While between turns 13 and 14 Charles shifts from 4th to 5th gear and then downshifts again before taking the corner. Given the strong wind which affected this area of the track a lot, we can assume that a higher gear could avoid deleterious oversteer at the exit caused by gusts of wind. In fact, the maximum speed it reaches when approaching curve 14 is identical to that of the FP2 (190kph).
Pending into consideration the data relating to the use of the accelerator, we can see various partializations. We start from turn 2, where Carlos unlike Charles lifts his foot slightly. Although in turn 4 both Ferrari drivers manage the accelerator, the Iberian manages to bring more speed. In fact, it uses the gas less than Charles Leclerc. Substantial difference in the 7-8 curve approach. Sainz uses up to 90%, then briefly returns to full speed before braking in corner 8. On the contrary, the Monegasque releases up to 53% in approach to corner 7, returning to 100% for a moment before breaking off in the next corner. The Monegasque’s delay in braking at turn 10 was slight, leading him to have a lower speed than his teammate. As with FP2, Charles manages to open the throttle first out of turn 14 by sacrificing speed at the top of the corners.
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