If already at the end of the qualifying shootout the first discontent had emerged regarding an SF-24 which was not returning the desired performances, in particular due to the bouncing problems and in the fastest corners which cost around 3 tenths per lap, the sprint provided some more indications on the fact that, even over long distances, at the moment the Cavallino does not have the pace to challenge the leaders.
The “short” race, which in fact unfolded in a 23-lap stint on the medium tyre, highlighted two fundamental elements: on the one hand, the fact that the Reds must work on the details, on the other, the issue of performance, not at the level of those of Red Bull and McLaren, who have demonstrated that they have a superior pace to the competition.
In fact, Leclerc also got off to a great start, as he was able to pass both the two Alpines and Sergio Perez’s Red Bull on the first lap with a nice move that started on Turn 4 and then closed on the outside on Turn 6. However, once he got into the mix with the two Mercedes and Carlos Sainz, the Monegasque encountered problems that slowed down both SF-24s, such as brake management.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
“The first lap went well, I’m satisfied with it, but the rest of the race was very difficult, we managed the brakes and we didn’t have pace,” said Leclerc after the race, clearly disappointed not only with the result, but also with overall performance.
The Red Bull Ring tends to be a particularly stressful track for the braking system, both because the track is located at high altitude with thinner air, and due to the characteristics of the circuit itself, which focuses on violent braking interspersed with three long straights. Furthermore, being at the back of a group of four cars, it is clear that dirty air tends to increase temperatures, also accentuating certain disparities between the right and left side of the car.
Precisely at the moment in which Leclerc had to increase the lift and coast techniques, i.e. the procedure whereby one tends to first lift the foot from the accelerator and then perform a less abrupt braking as in this case, at the same time he also expanded the gap to the Mercedes. The fact of not being able to use the DRS to keep close to the group extinguished any hope of a duel for the driver from Monaco, who had to settle for seventh place.
“The brake problem made it a bit difficult to stay in DRS being the fourth car in the train, I had to do a lot of lift and coast to try to maintain the correct temperatures. It’s about details, but we have to be on track on these things, but the bottom line is we’re not fast enough right now. For this afternoon I want to try something, even if it might go the wrong way, but we have to try something because we’ve been struggling for two/three races.”
![Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24](https://cdn.motorsport.com/images/mgl/YKEdN780/s1000/charles-leclerc-ferrari-sf-24.jpg)
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
However, the real problem is not so much the seventh position, because it is the result of both yesterday’s episode in the sprint qualifying and, above all, the lack of performance of the SF-24. For this reason Leclerc added that in the window in which Parc Fermé reopens between the end of the sprint and the start of qualifying this afternoon, he will take a few more risks on the setup.
“I honestly want to try something different for this afternoon, maybe take the risk that it will be even worse, but it can’t be worse than seventh or eighth. I think there is more to gain by trying a different path.”
“It’s time to try something different because, if we do a perfect qualifying, maybe we get fifth or fourth. But that’s not what we should have as our goal,” added the Ferrarista.
The brake problem also penalized Carlos Sainz, especially in the first part of the race, when he was trying to stay close to Oscar Piastri. As in the case of Leclerc, the Spaniard was also forced to do a lot of lift and coast to manage the high temperatures, losing the possibility of using the DRS to defend himself from George Russell.
![Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24](https://cdn.motorsport.com/images/mgl/6b7D3wL0/s1000/1020252427-sut-20240628-gp2411.jpg)
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Mark Sutton
It is no coincidence that, subsequently, the Englishman was able to pass the Prancing Horse driver who, with the temperatures brought back under control, tried to defend himself from Lewis Hamilton who, in any case, admitted that he was not particularly satisfied with the chosen setup. Sainz was good at defending himself, maintaining a fifth place that, however, does not satisfy anyone.
“Yes, like Charles I had problems with the brakes in the first part of the race, they were very hot and I had to lift my foot on the straights, gaining a bit of a gap to let them cool down. We’ll see what to do for tomorrow, here we are at high altitude, there is a lot of slipstream, take the DRS and the brakes get very hot,” Sainz told Sky Italia.
“Then when I lost the DRS to Piastri, you could see that Mercedes had a little more than us, Russell passed me, but they had more. I tried to keep Lewis [Hamilton] behind that it wasn’t easy”.
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