On the final run, Red Bull got a predictable pole position on its home circuit, but it is safe to say that Ferrari officially no longer has a significant disadvantage in terms of efficiency.
Max Verstappen got a much less obvious pole position than expected, fighting to the end with the Ferrari cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. A qualifying session marked by two red flags caused first by Lewis Hamilton and then by his teammate George Russell, with a different and in some respects similar dynamic.
The Mercedes drivers have been looking for something that the car cannot yet deliver. Both Mercedes cars have lost the rear, trying to get everything they can out of the W13, asking for something the car can’t yet give. With the updates made in recent weeks, the car appears significantly more stable. Something that is visibly allowing the drivers to start being more aggressive in braking and insertion, which is fundamental at the Red Bull Ring. Not surprisingly, Lewis Hamilton in particular was showing it, raising the limit with a first sector even at Max Verstappen’s level: “I think we would have been in contention for pole position” – Toto Wolff said.
The W13 is now running with a lower-configuration on average than seen at the beginning of the 2022 Formula 1 season, as pointed out by Giuliano Duchessa for formu1a.uno. Both to mitigate porpoising, and because it can afford a less rigid mechanical setup coupled with more acceptable heights, as a result of the updated floor. In addition, as mentioned, the C5 certainly does not seem to be its ideal tire, with a rear that moves a lot and puts pressure on the tyres.
Technically speaking, it is an important weekend for the Anglo-German team, on a track that is theoretically less comfortable than Silverstone.
Max Verstappen had 1 tenth to manage on the straights, Ferrari’s weapon was to change the balance.
As mentioned, there was no significant difference in top speeds between the F1-75 and the RB18. Certainly Max’s car has not lost all the lead on the straight, however it has gotten smaller since Barcelona and after Ferrari introduced the rear wing in Canada. In the case of a normal start, it will be interesting to see during the Sprint Race if he can defend himself with DRS closed or we will see an exchange of positions.
The Dutchman has always commanded the first sector this weekend, made up of the two most important straights, gaining an average of 1 tenth over Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, however less than expected. The Monegasque in particular had a good balance to recover that gap, however the partially heated and reused tires, after the red flag caused by Russell, took away a bit of feeling in turn 1 and especially in the slower parts where he did not improve compared to his first try.
Max Verstappen for his part found a brilliant last sector in the final lap, the one with the fastest corners, earning pole position in the last corner. Basically both front row contenders – plus Carlos – would have had something more to show and it’s impossible to say who had more edge.
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At one point in qualifying it was quite clear how the Maranello team is continuing to use a very low engine mode in free practice to limit the degradation of the power unit. The F1-75 cars showed up in qualifying with a significant change in setup compared to what was experienced in FP1. A front wing with greater incidence to mitigate understeer which was very present especially in the first part of the first hour of free practice, pending the increase in grip. The only macro element that – as is known – can be regulated despite parc fermé rules and a move that turned out to be very positive on Saturday.
The first three drivers were separated by just 89 thousandths, so we should see a fascinating Sprint Race, especially if today a different choice of compound for Ferrari and Red Bull.
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