Charles Leclerc’s Canadian weekend started with a very clear goal: the comeback operation. Ferrari did everything to keep the decisions made regarding the power unit of the Monegasque confidential, and the definitive confirmation regarding the possibility that Leclerc could serve a penalty on the starting grid of the Canadian Grand Prix came only at the end of the session. FP2, when the FIA announced (late) that the number 3 ECU had been installed on the Ferrari number 16.
At the start of FP1, the use of a new endothermic unit combined with new MGU-H, MGU-K and control unit was formalized, all combined with a previous turbo, probably the number 1 transplanted from the first power unit used in the season. With this configuration Leclerc would not have had to serve any penalties, then the use of the third seasonal control unit in the FP2 session made the Scuderia’s plans clearer.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
At the moment Leclerc is serving ten positions on the Montreal grid, but it is likely that today, at the start of the FP3 session, the FIA will communicate other new elements mounted on Charles’ PU, which could thus start on Sunday from the last position of the grid. Whether it is the eleventh (in the case of pole) or the twentieth (in the case of a complete change of the PU) it changes little, but it seems that for Ferrari it is a very significant figure judging by the confidentiality that surrounds the whole.
What is already certain is that Leclerc will have to race the Canadian Grand Prix starting from the rear, a necessary choice after the problems that have affected his power unit in Azerbaijan. Ferrari tried to manage an unfavorable situation by trying to put some hay in the farmhouse, or more elements that will come in handy over the course of the season, entrusting Leclerc and the top speed of his F1-75 (yesterday good but always lower than the Red Bull) the task of limiting the damage in the 70 laps of the race scheduled for Sunday.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Red Bull rocket, Ferrari jumps better
Leclerc’s Canadian weekend was planned differently from the start, as confirmed by the work program seen from the FP1 session, in which he completed many laps in a long-run configuration.
Even the choice of tires communicated by Pirelli yesterday evening confirmed a Leclerc in the “race” version, being the only driver to have kept two sets of medium and two new hard ones, giving up a train of soft. Further confirmation that qualifying this weekend is not among Charles’s priorities.
In terms of performance, the F1-75 was confirmed close to Verstappen’s Red Bull (81 thousandths the gap in favor of Max on Leclerc) but the world champion printed his time using only one set of soft against Charles’s two. .
Overall the Dutchman appeared more consistent (he was the leader in FP1, FP2 and also in the race simulations) but the margin is not yet so reassuring as to put Red Bull on the safe side.
Max knows he has a great opportunity to stretch in the championship standings, but Montreal’s history is full of crazy races in which the predictions have been drastically disproved, and if it is true that a Ferrari will be called upon to come back, there is. still another ready to play.
The photograph of the performance is a well-known verdict: Ferrari confirmed itself as the best single-seater on the curbs, Red Bull soars on the straights with DRS open. But for the first time this season, Friday saw Verstappen and Leclerc working on different schedules.
While Max tried the race simulations with medium tires (the most popular in sight on Sunday) Charles completed his long-run with the soft, confirming that he wanted to start the race in ‘attack’ mode with the aim of recovering positions. .
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari F1-75
Photo by: Patrick Vinet / Sutton images
Sainz first striker
For the first time since joining Ferrari, Sainz finds himself in the role of ‘first striker’. “I enjoyed this first day of testing because we were able to progress well over the two sessions – he commented – driving was a bit complicated due to the gusts of wind, but we managed to complete our program without a hitch. . Understanding the behavior of the tires in the best possible way will be fundamental in view of the race, and in this sense we were able to collect a good amount of data ”. THE
Sainz’s long-run on medium tires was the fastest ever, but Carlos switched to the yellow set in the final laps of FP2, so with a cool train paired with a low fuel load.
If the weather forecasts are confirmed, Carlos will be in the running for pole on a wet track, and judging by the intensity of rainfall seen this week, a full-wet track is likely to be confirmed.
It will be a very demanding challenge for everyone, but in Sainz’s case with a little more pressure. He knows he has an opportunity, but there is a Red Bull that is scary with Verstappen. But if he comes to a direct confrontation with Max, Carlos will find himself in the role of who has the least to lose, an advantage that should not be underestimated.
#Ferrari #Leclerc #prepares #comeback #Sainz #pole