Telemetry analysis: Charles Leclerc only driver to take 130R corner flat out in wet conditions. Charles took 130R corner flat out in wet conditions.

The first free practice session for the 2022 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix took place in wet conditions as predicted at Suzuka, where Fernando Alonso was the fastest ahead of the Ferrari F1-74 cars of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

The session saw the drivers take to the track at first with extreme wet tires and then move on to the intermediates. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez made only one run with the intermediate tires, while the Maranello team’s drivers used both compounds.

Analyzing the telemetry data from FP1, formulapassion.it pointed out that Charles Leclerc was the only driver to take the high-speed 130R corner flat out even in these difficult conditions. Carlos Sainz lifted his foot slightly off the accelerator like Max Verstappen, who, however, arrived at that point with much more top speed and had to significantly take the pressure off the accelerator pedal.

Ferrari seemed to use a setup which was much more focused on wet conditions than the Red Bull one also in terms of power unit mapping. Below is the graph relating to the data listed. The red line, that of Charles Leclerc, remains ‘in full’ unlike that of Carlos Sainz and Verstappen, who were the only ones to enter eighth gear on the main straight and before the braking of the Casio Triangle chicane.