Ferrari takes pole position in the Miami Grand Prix, continuing the tennis exchange with Red Bull in which the two leading teams have alternated at the head of qualifying since the beginning of the season, each reacting promptly to the response of the rival. In Florida there was a challenge on the single lap whose dynamics recall those already experienced in Jeddah, with the F1-75 superior in the corners and the RB18 impregnable in length, but which, although prevailing in different parts of the track in the balance of the complete lap they balance out. The beauty of the duel between the two superpowers of the 2022 class lies precisely in the design and set-up interpretation at the antipodes for the two teamseach faithful to its own philosophy, which despite the profound differences both prove to be equally valid.
The different behavior of the cars of Maranello and Milton Keynes is partly the result of the intrinsic characteristics of the single-seaters, with Red Bull in particular having a low resistance and incredibly efficient car body. Added to this is the Honda-derived power unit, designed to limit the use of clipping and deliver electric power up to the braking point, contributing to speed peaks that in Miami were confirmed up to 10 km / h higher in comparison with the Red. On the other hand, Ferrari continues to favor relatively more charged aerodynamic configurations, thus accentuating the behavioral differences between the two cars. In Florida, the Scuderia di Maranello slowly unloaded its wings in the march towards qualifying, with the mechanics of the Cavallino immortalized even while they were intent on filing the upper flap of the rear wing, but the F1-75 still maintained a level of load higher than RB18.
Both in practice and in qualifying, Ferrari has more frequently succeeded in imposing itself in the first sector, the one dominated by high-mileage corners where the extra grip associated with aerodynamics becomes a priority. On the other hand, Red Bull was faster on average in the second sector, partly exploiting the superiority on the long straight after turn 8, but also managing to defend well in the tortuous stretch driven at low speed. The higher load level has allowed the Rossa to act as a reference point in high-speed bends, but from what has been observed it also transpires a balance more focused on the front, taking advantage of the inherent superiority of the rear of the F1-75 in direct comparison with Red Bull, which probably took to the track with a stabilized rear to protect itself in the slow. All this is confirmed in the words of Charles Leclerc, who in the post qualification admitted to having risked oversteer in the first sector, which is opposed by the Verstappen radio team in which he complained of an understeering trend.
Secondly, the high temperatures, higher than 50 ° C for the asphalt and around 33 ° C for the environment, mitigated the difficulties of the F1-75 to warm up the tires that emerged in the semi-winter climate. of Imola. Furthermore, it should not be overlooked that the entire starter fleet suffered to a lesser extent from porpoising, a trend triggered by many factors, including lower load levels which reduced the crushing of the car body to the ground. The widespread irregularities of the road surface, however, forced the teams to raise their heights from the groundsacrificing part of the load potentially released from the underbody, an operation which Red Bull may have suffered most, which up to Imola was among the teams that were most able to run with the car close to the ground, with tangible advantages on the chronometer.
However, it should be emphasized that the Milton Keynes team came one step away from pole position, despite having practically not collected data on Friday with Verstappen’s car slowed down by technical problems, which in this start of the championship have directly and indirectly limited the spoils of points. Without them, in fact, the Dutchman and his team could have acquired more information on the new US track, on which to work during the night and reach qualification in better conditions. The error in the first sector on the second lap launched in Q3 also prevented Verstappen from completing his last attempt at a time when the track was rapidly evolving, in a session that saw sudden jumps in temperature of the asphalt of 3 °. C and the wind that rapidly changed direction and intensity even up to 6 km / h. All the extenuating circumstances of the case will not give Red Bull a pole position within reach, but they underline the enormous potential of the RB18.
Center-group: seven teams in the fight
Expressing judgments on the balance of power of the center-group would be decidedly reckless, given the exceptional balance that emerged in the challenge in the rear. At the end of Q1 they were in fact 12 pilots enclosed in just 4 tenths of a second, to emphasize once again how even the smallest update or marginal gain can make a difference in this context. A splendid one emerges Alfa Romeo, whose pairing with Bottas is more and more a feast for the eyes after the consistent performance of Imola with the pace to aspire to the podium. The Finn grabs the third row despite having lost almost all of Friday and it is legitimate to wonder where Zhou’s twin car could have gone without the traffic that hindered the Chinese in Q1.
Mercedes closes in sixth place with Lewis Hamilton with a gap of eight tenths from the top, which confirms the gap that has emerged in the other races so far disputed. The elimination of Russel in Q2 does not reflect the real potential of the car, being the daughter of an incorrect strategy of the wall that kept the Englishman in the pits at a time when the track was rapidly improving. However, the Brackley team is the team that least of all has progressed from Friday to Saturday, suggesting a possible aggressive engine mapping already in free practice. The car bounced back more frequently in FP3, with the porpoising that also manifested itself in the critical stages of travel of curves 3 and 4. The team tried to go back in the set-up adjustments for qualifying, but the situation did not particularly improve. A regression that struggles to find an explanation even among the team members, perhaps due to the adoption of a more aggressive set-up after the positive signs on Friday. However, it cannot be excluded that the progressive “wear” of the road surface, highlighted by several drivers and which accentuated the irregularities in the asphalt, on the contrary forced the team to softer mechanical adjustments that triggered the aerodynamic rebound again.
In view of the race, a high level of wear is expected, thanks to the high temperatures and abrasiveness of the asphalt. The intense rain that fell on the circuit during the night washed away the rubber deposited in the trajectory, reducing the level of grip and accentuating sliding in view of the Grand Prix. Also from this point of view, Ferrari first and Red Bull later made one of the attempts in Q2 with used tires, so as to be able to both have a new additional train in the race. The increased load approved by the Scuderia di Maranello seems to theoretically put the F1-75 ahead from the point of view of the race pace, an aspect which, if confirmed, would also make it possible to delay stops and be more flexible in case of neutralization of the tender. However, the expected Safety Car could reduce the emphasis on tire management and provide numerous opportunities for close comparisons, in which the exceptional speed qualities of the RB18 will certainly be an important weapon in Red Bull’s favor. A race that sees the leading teams start in conditions of numerical parity in the strategies, preventing any kind of prediction.
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