An unpredictable Ferrari
To amaze where one expected to struggle and disappoint where optimism was justified: the Ferrari SF-23 has proven so challenging to read that it performed well at the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium, but disappointingly in Budapest and Zandvoort. Carlos Sainz stated after the Dutch Grand Prix that Singapore could also be a ‘defensive’ weekend for the Scuderia in Maranello. However, there are several aspects to believe that once again, the pre-race prognosis might be turned around, this time positively.
Both Helmut Marko and Christian Horner agreed that Ferrari is the most dangerous opponent in the Marina Bay weekend, a track whose characteristics don’t align well with the DNA of the Red Bull RB19. “Red Bull doesn’t hide some concern for Singapore. The RB19 has already shown it doesn’t favor bumpy street circuits, as it’s designed to work low and stiff. For the same reason, low-speed corners are not its strong suit, nor is the high downforce setup. The RB19 also revolves around setups that prioritize race pace, struggling to express the same potential in qualifying. Overtaking in Singapore is not impossible, but still very challenging. If the world champions miss the pole position, as they did in Baku, Budapest, and Monza, the path to victory could be steep,” Carlo Platella pointed out in the weekend preview.
On the contrary, the layout of Singapore could help Ferrari mask the difficulties they’ve had so far when it’s necessary to adopt the high downforce configuration. The numerous slow corners are ‘perfect’ in light of Maranello’s design tradition, which knows how to capitalize on traction out of corners. According to today’s edition of Il Corriere dello Sport, there are other aspects that can help Ferrari avoid repeating the disappointments of Budapest and Zandvoort: “Among the drivers and technicians, there’s a positive energy circulating, as if the bitterness in Hungary and the Netherlands taught something important. From the Hungaroring onwards, the Red Team has also made some progress in reducing weight.”
The 400-meter straight instead of two chicanes is another assist for Ferrari: “The new average speeds will be more in line with the characteristics of the Red car,” added the sports newspaper based in Rome. Red Bull won’t have sections where it can make the most of its extraordinary aerodynamics, which allowed Max Verstappen to build substantial leads at Zandvoort in just Turn 7 (to be taken at high speed). Those types of corners, which are abundant in the ‘ring’ of Budapest, were difficult for Ferrari, which can instead be agile among the corners of Singapore, as it already was in Baku, Azerbaijan.
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