Ferrari could have done better in the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix. However, the Italian F1 team chose to tweak the setup, and something changed. But this should not necessarily be seen as a mistake. After all, points are awarded in the race. However, it remains to be seen whether a setup aimed at improving race pace by managing degradation will be effective when starting further back in the turbulent wake of other cars that reduce downforce.
The telemetry analysis between Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri’s best lap times in Q3 at the 5.451-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit tells two very different stories: on one side, the Briton had to manage a car with suboptimal behavior, while on the other, the Australian was able to fully exploit the perfect balance of the MCL39 to put together a flawless lap. Oscar Piastri gained 0.286 seconds on the seven-time Formula 1 world champion thanks to a combination of higher cornering speeds in slow turns.
Moreover, it comes down to optimal traction management during acceleration phases. McLaren demonstrated excellent aerodynamic efficiency, allowing the Australian driver to be quicker in direction changes and have more grip in high-speed corners. In Turn 1, Lewis Hamilton adopted a very progressive braking technique, never fully releasing the throttle in the initial phase of trail braking.
This choice is aimed at keeping the rear stable and avoiding excessive oversteer, but it compromises turn-in, causing an imperfect balance. The consequence? To compensate, Lewis Hamilton is forced to brake longer, losing time compared to Oscar Piastri, who instead benefits from a smoother turn-in and higher minimum speed, already gaining 0.051 seconds with 7 kilometers per hour more.
As the lap progresses, the SF-25’s imperfect balance continues to penalize Lewis Hamilton. In corners like 8, 9, 12, and 16, the seven-time F1 world champion has to stay on the brakes longer than Oscar Piastri, who can release them earlier and get back on the throttle sooner. As a result, Lewis Hamilton has a lower cornering speed, namely 7 kilometers per hour slower in Turn 9 and 8 kilometers per hour slower in Turn 12.
The lack of traction
Despite everything, the Briton manages to stay on par with the McLaren driver’s times until the second sector, indicating a still-competitive lap. However, in the final two corners, the difference becomes evident: Oscar Piastri is able to put down power earlier, especially in Turn 16, where the MCL39 can transfer much more lateral grip to the ground and generates 12 kilometers per hour more speed.
This translates into a gap of 0.120 seconds in a single corner, highlighting how the British car excels in managing grip in fast corners. The lateral G-force telemetry data confirms this trend: in the quicker turns, particularly 7 and 16, McLaren generates more downforce, ensuring a more stable and faster racing, demonstrating the excellent work done by the Woking team.
After yesterday’s difficulties, Charles Leclerc showed signs of improvement in the F1 sprint qualifying, especially in the first sector, though not enough to surpass his Maranello teammate. The final gap is about a tenth, with the SF-25 continuing to display somewhat unstable behavior, compromising corner exits and traction phases. The Ferrari drivers adopt fairly similar braking strategies. They do this by keeping the throttle slightly open on turn-in to avoid excessive weight transfer. However, while Lewis Hamilton opts for a progressive release, Charles Leclerc prefers a more intermittent braking technique, tapping the pedal to correct the balance. This helps him direct the front end but is not enough to eliminate imperfect rotation.
As a result, at corner exit, the Monegasque finds himself with more steering angle than his teammate, delaying his return to the throttle. In corners like 6, 9, and 12, this puts him at a disadvantage: the Briton can apply power with the wheels straighter, maximizing traction, while Charles Leclerc has to wait several crucial fractions of a second, accumulating a significant gap over the lap.
In Turn 12, Lewis Hamilton applies a slight brake input to adjust his line and, in turn, get back to full throttle earlier. Conversely, his younger teammate is forced to wait a little longer. In the second sector alone, based on the data, the former Alfa Romeo driver lost 0.180 seconds. Despite these difficulties, the Ferrari driver has an advantage in some high-speed corners. In Turn 7, he manages to keep the throttle fully open with his SF-25 car, while Lewis Hamilton is forced to lift slightly by 15%, likely due to suboptimal tire temperatures or a softer setup. The same behavior repeats in Turn 16, where Leclerc carries 11 km/h more speed, gaining about 0.107 seconds. However, this move is not enough to compensate for the time lost in slow corners.
— see video above —
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