Just three more races and three more battles for Scuderia Ferrari in the 2021 Formula 1 season: Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi with the first two (especially the second) tracks that seem to be more more favourable for the MCL35M. “We have never driven in Qatar and there many corners that could cause us problems – said team principal Mattia Binotto a few hours ago – “We have to prepare well, because it is up to us to show that we can stay ahead of them”.
Lando Norris also has a similar opinion. “There are still some tracks on the way that I think might suit our car better than the previous ones. But Ferrari is strong, they have a stronger package at the moment than ours, so we have to push even more” – said the strong 22-year-old English driver.
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In Qatar, particular attention must be paid to limiting tire degradation which, according to Pirelli, could be quite high. In fact, the circuit still has the asphalt originally laid back in 2004, which if clean can offer high grip.
A factor that could certainly help the Ferrari SF21 car, were it not that, despite the presence of artificial grass strategically positioned to block the sand from the surrounding desert, the asphalt could still be very dusty, which leads to less grip.
In addition to this, over the years it has become quite abrasive, which could make tyre wear and degradation even higher. Hence the use of the compounds seen this year in Portugal, Spain, Silverstone and the Netherlands, namely C1, C2 and C3.
