Charles asked for a precise and reactive advance and continues to improve session after session. Lewis at one point took another direction: but the seven times world champion is convinced that …
The fourth position of Leclerc on the departure departure of the Japan GP in Suzuka obviously does not satisfy the ambitions of men in red, but must be interpreted as a positive viaticum in terms of increasingly high understanding of Ferrari SF-25 behavior. This at least by Monegasco who succeeded in the objective of evolving the car between Friday and Saturday, thanks to choices of structure very different from those of Hamilton.
Leclerc’s structure
–
Charles looked for an overall balance that also included an attention not secondary to the traction of the SF-125 leaving the slow curves, trying to privilege a precise foreclosure in the fast changes of direction, but without prejudice to the stability of the retrotrene, which on a track Rear Limited as Suzukathat is, which mainly puts pressure on the rear tires, takes on a significant weight according to the race. It is equally clear that each forecast can be subverted in case of rain, but analyzing the intermediate times of Leclerc, especially if compared with those of Russell’s Mercedes who seemed unapproachable on Friday by the two Ferraris, it emerges that the progression of the Sf-25 of the Monegasque was consistent with the evolution of the track, finding a precise correlation between the increase in the asphalt grip and the pre-road improvement.
Hamilton’s choices
–
This was not the case for Hamilton, or at least it seemed the performance progress was also similar on his car until the FP3 on Saturday morning. Then, modifying the setup of the car with a qualifying and race perspective, in the decisive Q3, the balance became less predictable, inconstant, leading to smudging that in fact determined the detachment of Hamilton to three tenths from the other Ferrari. This, in part, could be traced back to a phase still not completed with harmony between Lewis and a SF-25 of which it still has to weigh the sensitivity to the minimum changes of setup. To be clear, there are those in the paddock claims that the SF -25 have a strong potential but a minimal difference in set -up – equal to the thickness of a credit card – it overturns its dynamic behavior. In the race, Lewis himself reiterated that, although he certainly did not want to conquer eighth place on the grid, he considers the setup of his decidedly more effective SF-25 especially with a view to the management of tires.
© RESERVED REPRODUCTION