The longest eight minutes of Kevin Magnussen’s career were marked by a slow countdown. Sitting inside the cockpit of the single-seater in the Haas garage, a superstitious silence on the radio, and a keen eye on what Sergio Perez was doing on the track, who came out of the pit lane with intermediate tires.
A few corners and it was all very clear: the increasing rain on the Interlagos circuit would not have allowed us to lower the times obtained a few minutes earlier with the slicks, times that had seen Magnussen dramatically take the first position.
Kevin Magnussen celebrates pole position in Brazil with Guenther Steiner, Haas F1 Team Principal
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Only two minutes from the end of Q3 Magnussen and the whole Haas were no longer able to hold back the euphoria for a historic result, the conquest of the first pole position, both for Kevin and for the team.
The circumstances surrounding this exploit were atypical, but what Haas and Magnussen did was on par with the competition. The team was very skilled in taking advantage of the position of the box, the last one at the bottom of the pit lane (based on the Constructors’ classification of the previous season) and Kevin was put in a position to be the first to return to the track when the traffic lights has turned green.
Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team, receives the Pole Position award from Felipe Massa
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
“The exit position was today’s turning point – said Magnussen – I was able to do my lap without having anyone in front. Thanks to everyone, the car was also excellent today, we were fast for all qualifying. It’s all so incredible ”.
Tomorrow will be another day, but the afternoon in Sao Paulo is one that gives meaning to the season, especially if it is a team and a driver who have never looked so high in an official Formula 1 ranking.
As often happens in sports, a few meters away from those who live a dream there are those who chew bitter. “Am I the only one who has the intermediates?”. The question was asked by Charles Leclerc, while he was waiting for the green light placed at the exit of the pit lane.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The response of the engineer Xavi Marcos was indicative, with little room for doubt: “From what we see it seems so”. The results of the Interlagos qualification are well known, Leclerc did not actually compete in Q3 with the tires he should have used on a dry track and found himself in tenth position.
It is not the first time that Ferrari has managed to hurt itself this season, and the Interlagos qualification is another chapter that will have to be analyzed in order to be able to optimize the complex communication system between the various components that operate during qualifying and the race. .
The decision to let Leclerc out at the start of Q3 with intermediate tires is perplexing: that the track was still dry was clear information for all the other teams.
Doubts remain even in the face of the choice of differentiating the two single-seaters (intermediate for Leclerc, slick for Sainz), because if they really thought the asphalt would be wet in the Scuderia garage, they should have fitted the intermediate also on the second car, vice versa. there was no reason to give up a ‘run’ with slicks also with Leclerc, and eventually mount the intermediates in the second ‘run’.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
In the chaos even Leclerc should have given up immediately after coming out of the pits, giving up the fast lap that ended up damaging Perez, who was behind him.
Not much would have changed, in light of Russell’s going off the track that caused the red flag, but in situations like the one seen today at Interlagos, Charles is also called to take a strong position.
Not a few insiders commented on the story by imagining Alonso or Hamilton in the role of Leclerc. It is true that to win you need to be a group, but there are days when you also need to give a strong signal to allow the group to grow. And today was one of those days.
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