Fundamental session in view of tomorrow's FP2. The wind was still the master on the Caucasian track, while the asphalt cooled down compared to the previous session: the temperature range is considerable and Sunday could be a factor in the perspective of tire management.
Leclerc wins, behind the two Red Bulls
The Monegasque puts her in front of everyone with a 1:43.244. Perez chases at two and a half tenths, and Verstappen it's almost four tenths. Fourth Alonso a Surprise in front of Sainz; aAlpine which on the obverse is scary: 342 km/h, but it pays off a little in the driven. The race pace of the red was surprising, but Red Bull is not far away, so we just have to see if in Milton Keynes they will arrive at FP3 with a setup suitable for claiming leadership on what on paper it is a Red Bull track.
Ferrari… gets wings?
It seems like a profanation but there is some truth: from Maranello the long-awaited new low-load wing has arrived that there was also a Miamibut it hadn't been used. Brand new wings were experienced by both pilots to collect useful data in view of the weekend.
The first feedback about the speed is not bad at all: 8 km/h more to the speed trap vs FP1, and consequently, a third sector clearly better compared to the 13pm session. What impresses most though is open wing aerodynamic efficiency, where the red seems more similar to Red Bull, until now the undisputed queen in the 'field'. Despite it all, the porpoising hasn't gone away on the F1-75.
Red Bull fixes mobile wing
The car of Perez e Verstappen it seems to fit well, but to keep up with the competitiveness of the F1-75 the winged bull's technicians cannot afford mistakes. The long straight is the comfort zone of Newey's RB18, where it expresses its maximum potential with DRS open… when it works well; Because the mechanics worked to the last minute, even with the hose, to fix the mobile wing of the reigning champion who in FP1 danced dangerously when open.
Mercedes: change the session but not the porpoising
The hopping which was seen in FP1 it hasn't dropped in FP2. Brakley's technicians have tried to make adjustments to mitigate the annoying phenomenon, but to no avail. Hamilton closes 12th and Russell seventh one second and three from the leader. Hamilton even, when the detachment from the time of Leclerc, is amazed on the radio.
And the rest of the grill?
It reconfirms Alpha Tauri: gasly sixth and Tsuonoda eighth. Or with is ninth with Norris behind; the Englishman's partner is 14th. Hag e Stroll close in eleventh and thirteenth position, the inlets of bellies Aston Martin they inspired Alpine, who replicated them in a more or less similar way. Bottas before Zhou in 15th place. Magnussen 17th and Schumacher penultimate. Albon he finished 18th after turning on FP2 risking heavy damage to his car: the Thai closed the fourth to last corner too soon, touching, or perhaps even more, the wall on his right. Last Latifs.
