Ferrari has due to this fact placing within the work in Barcelona with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. On Tuesday, on the primary day of this three-day session on the lovely Montmelò circuit, the Scuderia’s drivers took turns behind the wheel of the SF-23. The Prancing Horse booked the Spanish observe to benefit from TPC classes, checks regulated by the Worldwide Federation, the place a number of guidelines should be adopted. These concern the automobile for use, the software program, the tires equipped particularly by Pirelli, and the restricted mileage.
On this context, we can not merely discuss mere coaching—it could be far too reductive. For sure, the restrictions imposed by the FIA make the job of an F1 crew significantly extra sophisticated. That’s true. However, there are numerous elements that may be examined and, as such, show very helpful for the trigger. On Tuesday morning, Charles Leclerc centered a part of his session on learning the tires. We coated this subject intimately in a devoted article as a result of, though the tires are totally different, some insights can nonetheless be drawn.
Furthermore, there was a comparability concerning knowledge assortment with the simulator, an important instrument in fashionable F1 for assessing the accuracy of its correlation with real-world circumstances. This was a part of the work carried out by the Monegasque, who additionally regained among the confidence misplaced over the previous months in on-track motion. A really helpful coaching session in a number of respects, as he prepares for the true debut on the Bahrain pre-season checks, the place the brand new automobile will probably be unveiled—hopefully showcasing its glorious elementary traits within the Center East.
The state of affairs was barely totally different for the seven-time F1 world champion. The motive force from Stevenage is a veteran of the game’s high class, with 20 years of expertise in single-seaters. Nonetheless, he can nonetheless be thought-about a “rookie” with regards to his information of Ferrari—each when it comes to its automobiles and the distinctive method of the historic Italian crew. Due to this fact, he must undergo a studying curve that may present him with the inspiration to compete with the Scuderia. Lewis is totally dedicated to this course of.
On Tuesday afternoon, throughout Ferrari’s second session, it was his flip to take to the observe. The British driver accomplished a number of runs, all the time on the wheel of the SF-23. In response to info gathered by the Italian media, Hamilton’s baseline setup differed barely from Leclerc’s. The general downforce stage was the identical however distributed otherwise. Hamilton’s driving type just isn’t a “copy and paste” of Leclerc’s. There are similarities, certain, however some facets are distinctly totally different between the 2.
Initially, the British driver’s dealing with may be very clean, resembling that of former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz. The ex-Mercedes driver additionally prefers a really steady rear finish, whereas Charles, on a number of events, has proven he can handle a extra nervous rear if the advantages outweigh the downsides. Throughout his laps, along with simulating a typical race weekend work program, Lewis paid specific consideration to braking phases. He particularly centered on trail-braking, a vital approach utilized by all F1 drivers.
Within the case of the British driver, it was essential to deepen his preliminary method to Brembo brakes. This includes a exact braking approach: making use of heavy stress on the pedal earlier than steadily releasing it because the automobile enters the nook. On the similar time, Hamilton studied the “trailing throttle” to additional stabilize the automobile with a slight quantity of throttle open. Charles is a real grasp of this system, steadily utilizing it in lots of qualifying classes final season. Weight distribution in corners is essential and was a part of Lewis’s coaching.
The seven-time Formulation 1 world champion additionally labored on the automobile’s setup and apply begins. The beginning system is totally different from Mercedes’, with a definite use of the paddles positioned on the rear of the steering wheel. Moreover, he skilled on the assorted energy unit modes, together with engine mapping for the interior combustion engine and the hybrid system of Ferrari’s energy unit, designated 066/12. On the finish of his second day driving a Ferrari, Hamilton was as soon as once more glad.
The suggestions offered to the crew was extremely optimistic as he seems ahead to testing the SF-24 subsequent week, adopted by runs with the most recent piece of aero-mechanical engineering from the Maranello squad. The total trackside crew was not current, however distant assist from Maranello was accessible.
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