Same update package, two opposite results. Self in Spain Ferrari disappointed, in Canada it seems to have found at least the right direction to worry Mercedes and Aston Martin. But Is Happy Horse Sunday a flash in the pan or the actual beginning of a journey?
Canada's role in Ferrari's performance
The conditions for Sunday in Montreal were not as negative as in the case of Barcelona. Self the layout Catalan represented the closest thing to a nightmare for the characteristics of the SF-23, that Canadian seemed more friendly to the redhead. And so it was. The low speed corners, frequent acceleration and the forced use of most of the curbs were factors that went well with the single-seater by Leclerc and Sainz.
If on the one hand the type of track boded well for the little horse's weekend, on the other it brought back some fears among technicians and fans. Why the Montreal track has a reputation as a tough track on tyres, and it is precisely here that the little horse amazed. The degradation has been contained, and the times are not far from the first. However, it must be underlined that the degradation was more limited than usual for everyone. The fourth and fifth places are attributable to the unlucky qualification, but the impression is that Ferrari could have fought for the role of second or third force.
The role of tires in the right strategy
When George Russell hit the wall, bringing out the safety car, the red team's strategists did not give in to the temptation to call the drivers to the pits. The first reason lies in the feedback from the pilots: Leclerc and Sainz still felt the medium tire was good; the second lies in the concern of a restart with white tyre, which is difficult to bring up to temperature. Thus, the two kept the track engineers updated in the following laps, postponing the stop to the 39th and 40th laps. The Red Bull of Perez, with the average, stopped at the 38th round.
The two Ferrari they returned ahead of the Mexican, with the latter kept at a safe distance by the excellent pace of the SF-23. The showdown came with the hard tyre, the notoriously most difficult compound for the Maranello car. Nevertheless, again, the stint was good, not far from the times of Mercedes of Hamilton who was running on medium tyres. The good feeling of the drivers and the management of the tires allowed the red team to take home a fourth and fifth place, but the final test is yet to come.
Ferrari breathes, but now waits
As Carlos Sainz testifies, the key to making the red work well it's not the rear wing on duty, but something much more complex: the structure. The operating window of the SF-23's tires was too narrow until Canada, as was the case with the W13 last year. If, as it seems, Maranello have understood how to widen it, the technicians will have more leeway to put on track configurations that are more suited to the characteristics of the current track.
Not only that, because data correlation will also play a key role, which up to now has seemed anything but coherent. Correlation that seemed to exist during the Canadian weekend. The good feeling of the pilots, also witnessed by Leclerc's smile and words, is a sign that optimism is not dictated by the stage result, but by the conditions for the rest of the season.
Let the fans rejoice. The real litmus test will come at Silverstone. A path that will bring the deficient aspects of the SF-23 to the limit. If the car reacts well to the British stress test, we can begin to draw conclusions about the direction of development taken at GES. We will have a first taste of the behavior of the SF-23 in high-speed curves in the central sector of Austria, but for exhaustive feedback we will have to wait until July 9th.
The margins for maneuver
Despite the exploit, the SF-23 had a problem. The redhead, as for some time now, continued to show bouncing which causes so much damage to the pilots' backs. The top speed was high, the pace was good, but the skipping is a sign that the project is behind the competition, but with ample room for manoeuvre.
Well, after bang from Sainz in Monte Carlo in FP2 the bottom of the car went worldwide, and the simplicity of the surfaces that characterize perhaps the most important technical area in this regulatory era was revealed. Even the suspension doesn't seem to be up to par with the best, and this element too can constitute a base on which to base the ascent to the top. The road is long, very long. The bottom line is that the updates worked, but the real question is: will they continue to do so?
SOURCE: racingnews365.com
