Ferrari starts on the right foot in the Silverstone F1. In the second free practice session, the two red pilots are placed in second and third position, separated by just 0.079s. The car number 16, led by Charles Leclerc, closes the turn at 0.222s from the McLaren of Lando Norris, absolutely at ease on the home track and favored for the weekend. A hair more in difficulty Hamilton, who however took a lot of traffic and failed to optimize the lap through the handling.
Ferrari must fix curve 4
The English circuit seems to be getting married well with the characteristics of the SF-25. The new bottom works. Of the 18 curves of the circuit, most are at high speed. Folds that require suspension rigidity. In addition, the asphalt is smooth, without Bump, and the flat curbs allow you to lower the car without excessively consuming the plank. This is a small advantage for the Italian car.
Context where he manages to use better heights from the ground to efficiently activate the ventur channels under the floor, maximizing the soil effect to generate dezione in a clean and continuous way. Analyzing the telemetry of comparison between Leclerc and Norris emerges a clear appearance: the entire detachment between the two It is born mainly in curve 4critical point for the SF-25 since FP1.
This is also why the team intervened on the rear axle to try to improve the stability of the car. In this stretch, Charles struggles to approach precisely to the rope point. The entrance is conditioned From Summary Underson And, when he tries to return to the gas in the center of the curve, the retrutre loses adherence and generates Overterzo. I wait for a double correction.
It is therefore necessary to check the funnel and then to resume the outgoing traction. The result is a consistent loss of speed: The two Ferraristi are the worst of the grid in the performance at the 4, with an 8 km/h gap compared to Norris. The cause is to be found in the rear setup, which must be so rigid to keep platform stable, but sufficiently flexible to guarantee adherence in the slower traits.
Too much stiffness involves slipping and, consequently, reduces the ability of the car to “download” power to the ground progressively. Even the tires made theirs, as they were not activated in the right way. The single -seater number 16 It lights up in the second sectorsigning the best inter -meter of the session. This section is characterized by exclusively fast curves.
Starting from Copse, traveled in full by Leclercwhile Norris raises his foot of 45%, and then go to the Maggots, Becketts and Chapel. Precisely in this infinite they start from curve 10 to end at 14, Leclerc earns 0.158s. The average speed of this section is just over 250 km/h; So, very high speed curves that generate forces G up to 6g and enter too much energy on the tires.
Charles travels this stretch in a masterful way, with a travel speed of the 13th greater than 5 km/he especially managing to go to the gas a few meters earlier than Norris out of the exit of the 14 that he enters the straight. Here the key is to have the most rigid front axis to maintain absolute precision in the change changes. The front must be reactive and allow you to launch into the curve without ever correcting.
Excellent phase is detached for Leclerc
Also in curve 15 (Stowe), which is covered at 242 km/h, the Monegasque seems to be in confidence, so much so that simultaneously with Norrisbut by adopting a more aggressive and incoming modulation of the brake, which allows it to slow down the single -seater faster and go full gas a few meters earlier. In this curve the gain is marginal, but allows him to shorten on the British pilot.
From telemetry you can easily notice how also the braking in curve 16 (the first part of the club complex) was quite good for Lex Alfa Romeo, so much so as to earn 0.064s in detached. Margin who, however, reperception in the acceleration phase, where once again, exactly as in curve 4, he is forced to correct the rear that slips slightly in traction.
The SF-25 is confirmed very competitive to Silverstone, especially in the fast sections where the structure, aerodynamic balance and the pilot trust allow Leclerc to express themselves at best. However, the key to aiming at the front row, and trying to annoy the Super McLaren, will be to solve those small but critical problems in the few slow sections of the circuit. In short, more compromise is needed.
Authors: Zand Arcari – @BouRouziz – Marco Iurlandino
Images: Scuderia Ferrari – F1TV
