Within the twenty second qualifying session of the 2024 Components 1 championship, Scuderia Ferrari continued the work with the tender compound that started through the last free observe session on the 6.2-kilometre Las Vegas Strip Circuit in Nevada with out making important setup adjustments. The low-drag rear wing, which is the specification beforehand seen within the Italian Grand Prix on the Monza circuit was confirmed, whereas each SF-24 automobiles ran the usual ground specification, with out the up to date edge particulars. From a dealing with perspective, there was a common extra of rotation, with stability shifting noticeably towards the rear at decrease speeds.
This attribute precipitated slight understeer on nook entry in sure areas, reminiscent of Flip 7. Ferrari centered extensively on tire preparation, which required appreciable work even throughout the qualifying session itself. The Maranello staff regularly communicated with the drivers by way of radio, suggesting methods like weaving on straights to create a thermal cycle that would generate ample temperature within the entrance tires at the beginning of a lap. Sustaining this temperature was additionally essential, because the lengthy straights precipitated it to drop under the goal vary.
This difficulty, notably on the tire tread, was intently monitored, with the staff aiming to make the most of a level of understeer to warmth the tire floor. Finally, this influenced the technique for decent laps. The primary query was whether or not to incorporate a further preparation lap past the out-lap. In Q3, Ferrari opted to not carry out a preparation lap, not like Pink Bull, as we’ll see later. In the meantime, Mercedes acquired their tire warm-up technique spot on, thanks additionally to the traits of the W15 automotive in low temperature situations. By reaching higher stability, they managed to function their automotive throughout the optimum efficiency window.
This consequence was one thing the Maranello staff had struggled with in current races. With monitor temperatures at 13.5°C and ambient temperatures round 12°C, unusually chilly situations for Components 1, the W15 single-seater proved notably efficient. This automotive naturally overheats its rear tires and generates important friction on the tire floor. Like Ferrari, Mercedes employed weaving through the warm-up lap however averted a prep lap. Nonetheless, with a extra superior stability, they had been much less affected by understeer in low- and medium-speed sections.
Optimum tire administration allowed the Brackley staff to excel within the first sector, a significant weak spot for Ferrari, which then needed to get well misplaced time within the the rest of the Las Vegas lap. This factors to a recurring difficulty with the SF-24 automotive, specifically inadequate entrance tire temperature at the beginning of the lap. George Russell gained considerably in Turns 2, 3, and 4, primarily because of better-prepared tires that supplied greater grip ranges. McLaren, however, struggled not solely within the preliminary a part of the circuit but in addition continued dropping time between Turns 5 and 9.
Solely in Flip 5 did it lose virtually two-tenths, dropping an equal quantity within the low-speed part between Turns 7 and 9. After this part, the hole remained nearly fixed. In comparison with Ferrari, the primary limitation stays the straights, the place they’re unable to achieve on Mercedes. At low speeds, they might have extracted extra from the automotive and the Tender tire. On nook entry, each MCL38 automobiles lacked important grip, dropping beneficial time. Lastly, Pink Bull confronted important difficulties right here in Las Vegas.
Max Verstappen secured a fifth-place end, salvaging the end result, whereas Sergio Perez was as soon as once more eradicated in Q1. The work executed by the Austrian staff on the rear wing made headlines: the Pink Bull engineers used a Dremel to chop the trailing fringe of the extra flap, additional lowering the wing’s chord, realizing that the one ready for Las Vegas was not sufficiently low-drag. This modification improved the highest velocity however didn’t yield important advantages over the lap, particularly when it comes to traction. From this, we will draw a conclusion.
In share phrases, 50% of the difficulties will be attributed to setup, which didn’t absolutely resolve the problems on the straights or enhance traction. The opposite 50% is because of tire warm-up. Most likely, when it comes to mechanical setup, Pink Bull needed to compromise on suspension stiffness to attempt to put power into the tires, particularly the entrance ones. These temperature points on the entrance axle have emerged up to now, even when the Milton Keynes staff was dominant.
Lastly, we check out the telemetry information and if we observe the perfect occasions of the primary groups, we see that the majority drivers set their finest lap in Q3 aside from Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time Components 1 world champion and future Ferrari driver, in reality, didn’t put collectively a clear lap because of his personal mistake. With out this error, his W15, quantity 44, may have reached third place, behind Carlos Sainz. The Ferrari driver was only one and a half-tenths behind, with all of it collected within the opening sector.
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