Dash qualifying in Qatar produced a end result that was at the very least partially anticipated. McLaren led the pack with a cushty margin, whereas Ferrari lagged behind. Nonetheless, there have been surprises: with the cooler night situations, Mercedes (particularly George Russell’s automobile) got here alive, securing a front-row begin alongside pole-sitter Lando Norris, with the British driver simply 63 thousandths behind, whereas Max Verstappen’s Crimson Bull confirmed power solely in ultra-high-speed corners. No shock from Sergio Perez, who as soon as once more appears more and more absent. This means an aerodynamic setup unable to deal with variations in circulation dynamics successfully. Let’s delve deeper into a number of the information.
The primary pattern noticeable within the opening corners of the observe mirrors what was noticed in apply: McLaren is constantly sooner by means of the primary 4 corners, indicating tires that come to life instantly on the Woking crew’s automobile. The low prime pace additionally suggests a extremely aerodynamically loaded MCL38, with constant efficiency all through the lap as a consequence of glorious tire temperature management and an optimum steadiness, even on Losail’s assorted corners. These corners characteristic totally different speeds however lengthy arcs, difficult a automobile’s aerodynamic steadiness as the middle of aerodynamic stress shifts. Such shifts could cause oversteer or understeer inside a single lap. Nonetheless, McLaren’s spectacular aerodynamic package deal, underneath Andrea Stella’s management, seems immune to those points, at the very least by way of pure one-lap efficiency.
Conversely, the identical problem appears to hinder Max Verstappen’s Crimson Bull, which excels, as anticipated, within the quickest corners however struggles considerably in medium and low-speed turns—the place essentially the most time is usually misplaced. This limitation may spell a difficult weekend for the newly topped four-time world champion, other than tire administration. Not like Crimson Bull, Mercedes exhibited fluctuating efficiency however excelled significantly in braking and mid-corner phases, particularly in corners 4 and 5, with minimal pace loss in flat-out sections on the 5.419-kilometre Lusail Worldwide Circuit. The traction and acceleration information additionally counsel a very high-strung Mercedes energy unit, a declare supported by George Russell’s feedback about being on the restrict within the quick third sector. Between corners 12 and 15, George Russell was the one driver to shift into eighth gear, demonstrating important engine torque and speedy battery consumption. This compelled him into recharge mode at Flip 15, costing him useful time and presumably the pole place.
The explanations behind the SF-24’s drop in efficiency in comparison with the sturdy apply session are comparatively simple. A roughly 5-degree temperature drop since late afternoon altered the automobile’s aerodynamic steadiness. Whereas the rear finish and diffuser grew to become simpler, the entrance finish progressively misplaced grip, triggering understeer that the drivers couldn’t overcome. On a circuit with such nook sorts, this understeer severely compromised the automobile’s efficiency. It’s additionally seemingly that this impact compounded over the session, with the entrance sliding resulting in temperature mismanagement of the entrance tires. The frustration on the faces of Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and crew principal Frederic Vasseur was comprehensible, because the SF-24 had exceeded expectations earlier within the day. Encountering such a persistent challenge throughout qualifying was a bitter capsule for Ferrari’s camp.
However, the SF-24 nonetheless confirmed promise, significantly on medium and onerous compounds, leaving room for optimism within the Dash and most important race. Furthermore, from a 2025 growth perspective, having a stable baseline stays a superb start line. Losail serves as a pure wind tunnel, testing vehicles underneath various yaw angles. The Dash might be significantly revealing concerning tire administration and the way setups evolve for the primary qualifying and race. Finally, this observe highlights the unimaginable grip ranges and cornering speeds achieved by present System 1 vehicles higher than most different circuits.
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