It was the busiest Friday of this first part of the 2022 World Championship. The need to test the mountain of updates brought to Montmelò on the track led the teams to cover almost the distance of a Grand Prix between FP1 and FP2.
The two hours available were exploited until the last minute, between long-runs and qualifying simulations and a scenario emerged with confirmations (Red Bull), surprises (Mercedes) and a Ferrari that has not yet completely clear the picture. total.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
The ‘revisited’ F1-75 proved to be very fast in the qualifying simulation, as confirmed by the best time obtained by Charles Leclerc in both FP1 and FP2, but the long-runs showed significant tire degradation, with both drivers and with both compounds used, medium (more accentuated) and soft.
There is no alarm in the Scuderia garage, there are many data to be analyzed, and considering the technical innovations brought to the track, it will be checked today if something has impacted on tire management.
However, a solution will have to be found, because the race pace confirmed by Max Verstappen was by far faster. Red Bull, which arrived in Barcelona with no apparent news but with an RB18 fresh from a ‘diet’ that brought it very close to the weight limit, benefited from moving with a car with no unknowns to verify, but in view of Sunday Verstappen ago fear.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB18
Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
Max covered 15 laps with medium tires with a pace of 1’26 “037, the same figure calculated on Leclerc’s long-run is 1’26” 613 (out of 13 laps) and 1’26 “224 for Hamilton, on the distance of 11 turns. The environmental conditions, with 32 degrees of temperature and 44 of asphalt, put a strain on the tires, always on the verge of overheating, and in view of Sunday the conditions could be even more demanding, with forecasts announcing another 2 degrees more. .
An encouraging figure, the one obtained by Mercedes, and in fact at the end of the day the brightest smiles were those of Hamilton and Russell, who, after more than two months from the first race of the season, had a W13 capable of covering the straights. without seeing two steering wheels.
George Russell, Mercedes W13
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
The technical innovations brought to Barcelona seem to have hit the mark, and net of the hopping (not completely eliminated, but drastically reduced) the two Mercedes drivers managed to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
“We are not at the level of Ferrari and Red Bull – commented Andrew Shovlin with caution – but we have made progress in reducing jumps and we hope to be out of the middle group. Now let’s continue with the long-runs, but… on the Brackley simulator ”.
It will not be only Mercedes that will continue the work on site. For the first time this season there are many questions ahead of Sunday’s race, to the point that tomorrow’s qualifying is almost overshadowed.
“I expect a race with tire management like never before – commented Hamilton – but it’s not a surprise, we knew it would be like this this year”.
However, qualifying will hold ground, at least tomorrow afternoon, and just in view of a race that promises to be difficult it will be a bonus to be able to take the front row, a goal that sees Ferrari and Red Bull on equal opportunities.
Leclerc confirmed that he had a good feeling with the soft, while Verstappen messed up a bit in the qualifying simulation, leaving a few tenths on the road, also thanks to the traffic. It promises to be a very high voltage weekend, not only because of the expected high temperatures. At stake seems to be more than the points that will be awarded on Sunday at the end of the race.
#Ferrari #night #brings #advice #Red #Bull #Mercedes #fearsome