The high fuel simulations conducted on Thursday afternoon at the 6.174-kilometre Jeddah Corniche Circuit in view of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix show a Ferrari SF-24 single-seater that can be described as good when compared to its direct rivals. The Italian cars started off somewhat cautiously in the high fuel load tests, then lowered their lap times as the laps went by. The Jeddah track, considering its smooth and not very abrasive surface, is defined as not very wearing on the tires and allows drivers to progressively increase their pace as the weight of their car decreases.
However, once again, Red Bull is the clear favorite. The RB20, in the skilled hands of the Dutch driver. shows the fastest pace compared to the rest of the competitors. The two Austrian cars seem to be among the most consistent, not only in terms of average pace but also in terms of Pirelli tire wear. Max Verstappen was the fastest in this mini run, lapping on Medium compound tires with a lap time consistently around 1:34.
Saudi Arabian GP 2024/Long Run Analysis Fp2: Red Bull has the Best Overall Pace. Ferrari SF-24 Cautious Introduction on Tires
Delving into the specifics of what the data shows, it’s observed that the two drivers of the world champion team completed two of the longest stints of the entire grid. Both Red Bull drivers were on the yellow-banded Pirelli tires, with Max Verstappen managing to lap on average half a second faster than his teammate. George Russell also had a very good pace, but the Englishman completed only one useful lap for the simulation, not showing the true race pace of the Mercedes W15.
The performance of Lewis Hamilton, which seems to lack a good feeling with his car, is more telling. Lewis, who was on medium tires like his teammate, was not able to perform consistently and surely needs a setup change to find good sensations on the fast Saudi Arabian track. According to statements released yesterday by Mercedes technicians, a rear wing change seems very plausible. A configuration with more downforce and capable of providing greater stability at the rear will be chosen.
Ferrari is the only one among the top teams to have used two different types of tires. Charles Leclerc with the Soft compound put together a run three-tenths faster than Carlos Sainz in FP2. The Spaniard on Mediums might was clearly affected by his not excellent physical condition, up to the point of having to miss the rest of the Saudi Arabian weekend, losing on average almost seven-tenths per lap compared to Max Verstappen. The Monegasque chose the red-banded tire, which theoretically is not the favorite for the race, considering that the most indicated strategy would likely be Medium – Hard. However, the softer tire, if mounted at the start, could give a different imprint to the first laps, providing benefits.
Saudi Arabian GP 2024/Tire Degradation Analysis Fp2: Ferrari SF-24 Shows Negative Wear. Soft Could Become Race Tire
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Shifting attention to what the data related to tyre degradation, it’s noticeable how the red tire mounted on car number 16 allowed for excellent performance improvement. As usual at Ferrari, both drivers were conservative in introducing the tire, then gradually lowered the lap time, to not overly stress the tires and ensure that the lifespan of the compound was fully respected. The Ferrari drivers showed the best degradation of the entire grid, improving their performances by about a second.
The driver from the Principality, moreover, in the last stint performed his best long run showing that the C4 at his disposal still had potential to exploit. More regular degradation at Red Bull, with Verstappen showing very consistent performance, managing to improve his lap times by about two-tenths from the start to the end of the stint. Checo Perez had a longer long run and a slight performance consumption, on the other hand.
The Mexican driver, indeed, using the Pirelli C3 tyres, maintained a higher pace compared to his teammate, including a cool-down lap around the ninth passage. The greatest wear among all the cars examined was detected on Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin. The two-time world champion worsened his pace by about three-tenths throughout the stint, showing some difficulty in managing the car with medium tires.
Saudi Arabian GP 2024/Corner Speed Analysis Fp2: Ferrari SF-24 Good in All Sections. Red Bull RB20 Shows Excellent Aerodynamic Efficiency
Lastly, commenting on the data related to the average corner speeds during the long runs in the second free practice session, Ferrari is the best with a full fuel load in low-speed corners. The Ferrari SF-24 cars average 4 kilometers per hour faster than the rest of the grid, with other drivers having a minimum speed around 92 kilometers per hour. Good performance in slow corners by Fernando Alonso, who, aboard his AMR24, is the only one close to the performance of the red car. The middle section of the chart doesn’t change the values much, with the SF-24s confirming they are also the best in medium-speed corners.
Max Verstappen is the only one able to keep up with the Italian car, achieving the same speed as Charles Leclerc. Fernando, however, skilled in slow corners, is among the worst in mid-speed, not being able to make the most of his car’s potential. Finally, a quick look at the last section of the data dedicated to fast corners shows how Charles Leclerc exploited the softer compound and a more loaded car to be the best in corner 6, the fastest of the circuit.
Good performance in the fast section also by Lando Norris. The young English McLaren driver manages to achieve a speed similar to that of his great friend and former teammate Carlos Sainz, trailing about 6 kilometers per hour behind Charles. Finally, it’s worth noting Max Verstappen’s excellent performance in the fast sector. The reigning world champion is the best among the cars with medium compound tires, showing a car capable of generating the highest aerodynamic load of the entire grid.
Source: Alessandro Arcari and Leonardo Pasqual for FUnoanalisitecnica
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