Let’s take a look at the minimum and top speeds from the first free practice session for the 2023 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Circuit:
Top speed:
Scuderia Ferrari’s low drag in Bahrain was partially due to the skinny rear wing they run: it seems that when running a wing more suitable to the track their advantage vanishes! Will the gained downforce be enough?
Red Bull’s top speed brings back flashbacks of last year
Concerning Ferrari, their ‘reasonable’ top speed and third worst throttle usage (they used it for 4.7% less of the lap compared to the Alfa) tell me that they were carrying a lot of fuel compared to the others. A lower-PU mode is possible, but most of the gap should be fuel-related.
Minimum speed
Fernando Alonso proved in Bahrain that he could do a great first sector by sacrificing his minimum cornering speed to improve his exit from corner 1…This is not the case here!
And what about Ferrari’s minimum speed: good suspension setup or driving-style related?
Leave a Reply