In this early stage of the 2023 Formula One season, ending the Friday session recap with Max Verstappen leading the timesheets may not seem like big news, yet the first day of on-track action in Monte Carlo has left many doubts and a sense of anticipation for the qualifying session which takes place later today.
While the Monaco Grand Prix may represent the best opportunity for Scuderia Ferrari or Aston Martin to challenge Red Bull, the first free practice sessions have confirmed that it won’t be an easy task. However, the weekend starts on a positive note in terms of spectacle, with three teams ready to fight for their chances of securing pole position on Saturday.
Although the narrow streets of the Principality may not be the ideal test for the RB19’s qualities, which tend to excel in medium and high-speed corners, the Milton Keynes team finished the first day ahead of everyone else.
Red Bull: more agility and kerb performance needed
For Red Bull, it was still a more complicated and challenging Friday than usual, especially because the setup that Max Verstappen had tested in the simulator for the practice sessions turned out to be unsuitable for tackling the challenges of the Monaco track. On several occasions, the two-time world champion highlighted the difficulties in dealing with the kerbs and the roughness of the asphalt, as well as a tendency to understeer in the faster sections of the circuit.
Mechanical setup plays a crucial role in Monaco, to the extent that teams like Alfa Romeo decided to tackle the first session without aerodynamic updates in order to find a solid foundation to work with for the rest of the weekend. Small adjustments were not enough to solve the issues reported by Max Verstappen. The mechanics had to make more significant changes between the two sessions, providing some relief and increasing confidence behind the wheel.
The Red Bull driver did not hide the fact that further progress in terms of handling is needed to outpace the Prancing Horse in terms of raw speed, particularly regarding agility in direction changes and the ability to attack the kerbs. This aspect was particularly evident at the Nouvelle Chicane, one of the slower sections of the track where entry and exit speed are crucial, as well as at the Swimming Pool chicane, where some discomfort was observed on Friday in utilizing the kerb on exit. It is precisely in this area that the Milton Keynes team is seeking stability.
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If in the first session Verstappen struggled with understeer in the “wider” and flowing corners like Massenet and Tabac, the situation has significantly improved after the changes made between FP1 and FP2. The Milton Keynes team’s representative performed well on the climb towards the Casino, maintaining a slightly narrower trajectory compared to the main rivals. However, it should be noted that on several occasions, the Hasselt-born driver noted that the tires were not ready for turn one, an aspect that will be important to keep in mind today.
On the other hand, there are high hopes tinged with red, often making qualifying and single-lap skills a strong point for Ferrari. Despite a small hiccup for Carlos Sainz at the Swimming Pool, which can happen when racing just centimeters away from the walls while still trying to find the ideal measurements, both engineers and drivers were satisfied with the behavior of the car.
There was great anticipation for this weekend, as in recent events, the SF-23 showed a tendency to perform well in the slow sections, especially after the setup changes made since the Australian GP. By opting for a softer approach in terms of suspension, the Maranello car regained brilliance in traction and slow-speed areas. On a track that emphasizes these two aspects as key characteristics, expectations were legitimate.
For now, the Italian car has shown comfort on the narrow streets of the Principality, particularly in the slow sections and over the kerbs. An example is the Swimming Pool area, where Charles Leclerc opts for a slightly different approach, sacrificing the first part of the chicane to be more assertive on the exit. This was also seen at Santa Devota, where the Monegasque generally chooses a more aggressive approach on the inner kerb, thus gaining something on exit. Last year, the Scuderia driver was able to make a difference in that section, especially in the second phase of the corner, and has confirmed it again this season.
Equally positive is the performance at the Port chicane, especially in the first part, concerning entry and mid-corner, even by slightly delaying the throttle compared to their competitors. In the internal comparison, Carlos Sainz has shown good confidence in the car, particularly in the section from the hairpin to the tunnel entrance, where he managed to outperform Fernando Alonso as well.
From a timing perspective, there is undoubtedly still something to extract, partly due to a small error at La Rascasse where Carlos Sainz went slightly long and had to correct, and partly because in Monaco, drivers tend to keep those last crucial tenths in their pockets until qualifying.
Aston Martin is the third contender.
In Monte Carlo, it’s all about confidence. This feeling certainly does not lack in Fernando Alonso, both in the car and in the possibilities of Aston Martin to aim for a big hit during the day. The first day of practice indicated a battle primarily between Red Bull and Ferrari, with the British team in the role of the outsider.
The crucial aspect mentioned by the Spanish driver is that the car has likely proven to be very easy to drive, which plays a role on the narrow streets of the Principality. Overall, the AMR23 has performed well in medium-speed corners, especially in entry and mid-corner at Massenet. There may still be something to extract in turn one, but for now, the Silverstone-based car has proven to be competitive.
The interesting aspect is that the car designed by Dan Fallows and his technical group has also performed well in the section from the hairpin to the tunnel, but it lacked a little in terms of traction in the final sector, particularly in the last two corners. Observing the telemetry data, it can be noted that Alonso generally tends to delay the throttle return in those areas without reaching peaks comparable to the Ferrari drivers. It will be interesting to see if the Spaniard has kept something in his pocket to play today.
After a first part of the championship dominated by Red Bull, the new development that emerged in the Principality at the end of the first day is that making predictions will finally not be an easy exercise in a battle where everyone believes they can conquer the most coveted prize.
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