Ferrari is struggling more than yesterday. Perhaps the F1 rule change on pressures imposed by Pirelli and the higher track temperature are reducing the Red car’s performance. The same goes for the setup changes made for the race. Throughout qualifying, the Maranello cars suffered in the first three corners. Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had to control the steering angle to avoid oversteer, struggling to hit the apex.
Additionally, the Ferrari drivers did not immediately adapt to the new setup, maximizing performance only after Q2. As expected, McLaren exploited the full potential of the car, which had been untapped yesterday. The reigning world champion team has the best car in Sector 1, with Piastri proving more skilled than his teammate in finding the limit. The Australian managed the tires well.
He made better use of the grip in the final corners of the track, where he set the best references. In contrast, Norris made the same mistake as yesterday, braking too late at Turn 14. Russell also delivered an excellent performance, securing the front row for Mercedes. The Briton continuously varied his tire-warming approach across different runs, finding the ideal window only in Q3.
Ferrari’s setup changes
The driver from the Brackley-based team took advantage of the rear camber adjustment compared to the F1 Sprint, which made the Silver Arrows competitive in the fast section. In the slower parts, McLaren’s drivers stood out, benefiting from a softer setup than yesterday. Norris and Piastri were the best in mid-corner, frequently braking earlier to set up a good exit.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, suffered from understeer on entry, carrying less speed to the apex. As Hamilton stated, the team made rear-end adjustments, finding benefits in medium-speed sections. In fact, at Turn 1 and through the entire section leading to Turn 3, where drivers enter with slight braking before letting the car roll, Lewis set the best reference.
However, only in Q3, despite dealing with some oversteer, the British driver managed the rear end better, improving his performance. Throughout qualifying, the F1 champion demanded too large a slip angle from the tires, which led to oversteer. Ferrari deemed the initial “snail” section crucial, where its drivers overused the tires, sacrificing some performance for the rest of the lap.
Work on Traction
To improve traction on exit, Ferrari’s drivers adopted an overly conservative approach to braking at Turn 14, losing about 0.15 seconds to Oscar Piastri. However, this choice did not pay off, as—just like yesterday—the tires were not in optimal condition. It is a situation from which the Maranello team can undoubtedly learn.
McLaren, on the other hand, benefited from setup changes in slow sections like Turn 14, though its average speed in the initial T1 corners was lower. This is because the MCL39 suffers less understeer than its rivals, covering fewer meters. As a result, despite having an average speed 4 km/h lower than Lewis Hamilton’s, it still sets a better time in T1.
In terms of traction, Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen demonstrate a very well-balanced rear end, allowing them to efficiently deploy all the power from the power unit when exiting Turn 3. The Australian takes advantage of the smooth torque delivery to reduce the electric component’s boost on the short straight leading to Turn 6, which, as we will see, enhances performance on the main straight of the Asian F1 circuit.
Ferrari, however, continues to struggle with throttle application on exit. This issue could stem from suboptimal tire temperatures or be a strategic choice for tomorrow, considering the setup adjustment aimed at a more conservative tire approach for the long run. This move might have made the car less responsive over a single lap but more competitive in race pace.
Different Hybrid Deployment on the SF-25
Examining the top speeds compared to yesterday, we can get an idea of the aerodynamic changes made after the Sprint Race. George Russell and Max Verstappen maintain their top speeds, while McLaren has adjusted its power deployment, coming closer to the best in terms of peak velocity. However, the two MCL39s still lack efficiency on the long straight leading to Turn 14.
In this section, they lose over 5 km/h compared to Max Verstappen. Ferrari has also opted for a different hybrid deployment strategy compared to yesterday’s Sprint qualifying, aiming to compensate for traction weaknesses by prioritizing power use on corner exits. This is evident in the section leading to Turn 6. As a result, its top speed before Turn 14 is lower, though overall aerodynamic load appears similar.
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