On the same track where his first career pole position arrived in 2022, a year later Sergio Perez lived up to expectations, making the most of a wonderful opportunity that allowed him to hit his second pole start in Jeddah.
On the very fast Saudi track, Red Bull once again impressed, showing off a mix of speed in the corners and speed on the straights that was difficult for the opponents to match, confirming itself as the most complete package on the grid.
Without Max Verstappen, blocked by a technical failure in a ride towards a pole that seemed obvious, eyes rested on the Mexican, who highlighted the qualities of the RB19 even more on a city track on which he has always tended to do well .
But the tenth and a half given to Charles Leclerc, beaten by the Mexican just like last year, tells more about the form of the Reds than that of the Milton Keynes team. If twelve months ago Ferrari was fighting for pole, albeit with all the circumstances of the case, today the SF-23 has to watch its back, because those 155 thousandths only tell a half story.
If Perez hadn’t made a mistake in the first corner of the second attempt coming wide in braking, after having misjudged the braking point in order to take advantage of another car’s slipstream, the liability probably could have been heavier.
It is no coincidence that in the interviews the Ferrarista defined his Saturday as a day in the middle, divided between the satisfaction of a lap at the limit, the umpteenth magic that finds its best notes from the onboard camera and from the stopwatch point of view , and the awareness that Red Bull continues to be a category in its own right.
The time recorded in the first sector, although not the absolute best, is the perfect summary: fast, in harmony with the single-seater, especially compared to Carlos Sainz who instead suffered from the difficulties in getting the tires up to temperature, but whose efforts “thwarted” by a car that has yet to find its own identity.
Poleman Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, arrives at Parco delle Ferme
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
Red Bull still a point of reference on the straights
If a year ago the RB18 had paid for a certain lack of load and excessive weight which limited cornering agility, the new single-seater also found strength on those weak points which had limited last season’s car. The Milton Keynes engineers have been able to add efficient downforce, without nullifying the excellent top speeds, which have remained among the highest on the grid in this championship as well.
On his fastest lap, in fact, on the main straight Perez reached 329 km/h, without showing any sign of derating, further confirming the goodness in terms of hybrid delivery by the Honda Power Unit.
An aspect that, on the other hand, was very present on the Reds throughout the weekend, even in qualifying mode, with a leitmotif that now recurs cyclically at every appointment in which the electric part must make the difference.
Telemetry Qualifying, Saudi Arabian GP, Perez-Leclerc
Photo by: Gianluca D’Alessandro
In fact, although the step forward in terms of mapping compared to Friday was evident, reaching almost 327 km/h against the 319 km/h of free practice, in the last part of the stretches the SF-23 always pays for a small drop in speed. A figure that finds an explanation in the fact that on Friday Ferrari concentrated more on the long distance than on the qualifying simulations.
However, one interesting aspect remains to be noted: on the straight before the last corner, the telemetric traces of both Prancing Horse riders show a wide gap from those of Red Bull, not only in terms of top speed, but also in terms of progression , which instead is not found in the other two extensions.
This could indicate that, although the hybrid actually works in that stretch, in order not to reach below 20% in terms of total charge, the Red one manages the energy available in a different and more parsimonious way. Something that, on the other hand, does not concern the Honda Power Unit, which can afford not to lose performance in the long run by giving up something in terms of starting point. Observing the overall partial times, Perez in fact obtained the absolute best time in the third intermediate time, trimming more than a tenth from the rest of the grid.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Leclerc makes the difference in the first sector
The first split on the Jeddah track is undoubtedly the most complex for the riders, looking for the right combination between warming up the tires and the grip needed to tackle the high-speed corners with the necessary confidence.
If on Friday Leclerc was able to make the difference in terms of speed going into the first chicane by partially sacrificing the traction phase, where the gap from Aston Martin and Red Bull was going to widen, the symphony changed on the day of Saturday.
Instead of letting the car slide outwards in turn two, as he had done in free practice, the Monegasque opted for a different approach in qualifying, closing on the inside curb to cover fewer meters and better position the car on exit.
Telemetry showing the different use of the accelerator: it can be appreciated how Leclerc in various points tries to anticipate the return to the accelerator.
Photo by: Gianluca D’Alessandro
Although, indeed, the SF-23 still shows some défaillance in traction, the more loaded wing at the rear, the interpretation and layout of that section helped to contain the gap before reaching turn four.
Turn four represents the point in which Perez struggled the most during the whole weekend, having to anticipate braking to avoid ending up understeer in the middle of the corner, an essential element given that a quick reminder is needed to set up the next corner, where Leclerc was able to make a difference.
In the first part of the fast sequence, up to turn nine, the Ferrarista defended himself well, managing to bring even more speed through the road with an approach that favored that section rather than the exit. Observing the telemetry, in fact, we notice how the Mexican releases the accelerator in a more conspicuous way and then rides full speed again on the following stretch, without slipping from the rear.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-23
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Something that, on the other hand, the SF-23 was unable to replicate, forcing the Ferraristi to choke while fighting against oversteer, which prompted the number 16 to widen his line, passing hard on the external curb of turn ten.
That clean driving by the Red Bull driver proved to be the central element in guaranteeing a good starting point at the exit and on the following stretch, quickly recovering what was previously lost.
Different approaches also in turns 22-23, in which the Monegasque has chosen to sacrifice entry, also to avoid excessive understeer, to then anticipate the return on the accelerator and guarantee a good exit in view of the long section with wide open throttle . An interpretation that is the opposite of that chosen by Perez, who had instead chosen to push in the first part, knowing in any case that he could count on a good recall in the middle of the corner.
Turn 27 showcases three different approaches
After free practice, it hadn’t gone unnoticed how the last corner guaranteed numerous interpretations, each extremely particular depending on the phase to be favoured.
Trajectory graph at turn 27, Saudi Arabian GP
Photo by: Gianluca D’Alessandro
If the Red Bull drivers managed to be incisive on entry by attacking the entrance and then staying very close to the inside curb, Ferrari and Aston Martin aimed for a slightly different approach, favoring speed in the middle of the corner and the traction phase.
An aspect that also reappeared on Saturday, with Leclerc placing himself between the two extremes. A slightly wider trajectory on entry, albeit not like Fernando Alonso, to then close in the middle of the corner in order to anticipate the return to the accelerator on exit without causing the rear to slide along the road.
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