Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was left annoyed after qualifying seventh for the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix, two locations and two tenths of a second behind team-mate Charles Leclerc.
The duo will line up for the race fifth and seventh, cut up by the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, who had his personal causes to lament being within the again half of the highest 10.
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Though Leclerc topped Friday’s single free apply session, Ferrari was conscious its automobile didn’t swimsuit the traits of the Qatar observe. The Scuderia has been slipping again relative to its nearest rivals ever since and, regardless of an encouraging factors haul in Saturday’s dash race, hit what Sainz described as a “onerous restrict” on lap time it doesn’t matter what set-up levers it tried to drag on each vehicles.
“It simply looks like our steadiness, our through-corner steadiness, our general load within the automobile in these lengthy mixed fifth-sixth gear corners, it does not appear to be performing in addition to it ought to,” he stated.
“I believe we have tried all the things attainable with a comfortable tyre to modify it on higher: sooner, slower out-lap, something you possibly can think about – and we simply merely appear to be discovering a little bit of a tough restrict with the lap time that we may produce, in notably with Charles, with the brand new flooring, and likewise me with a little bit of a tougher session than yesterday. However I believe it’s what it’s.”
The traits of the Losail observe – a clean, closed floor with predominantly quick, linked corners requiring the drivers to take a variety of kerb – mixed with cooler temperatures presently of 12 months have been anticipated to not favour the Ferrari. The absence of nook varieties requiring onerous acceleration additionally makes it tough to get the tyres on each axles into the fitting working window on the proper time.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Picture by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photographs
Having complained about low grip ranges within the dash, the place Sainz and Leclerc completed fourth and fifth, Ferrari made additional set-up modifications forward of qualifying.
“We undoubtedly tried fairly a number of issues,” stated Sainz. “Each on set-up and tyre preparation. It simply did not appear to vary our basic points. I believe whenever you’re speaking about tyre preparation, you are speaking concerning the final tenth.
“If you lack three or 4 tenths and also you see all of the medium-speed corners, you are simply missing minimal speeds and a little bit of through-corner steadiness. And also you notice that possibly simply it isn’t fairly in there, no?”
Though the Ferraris achieved what was in all probability their absolute best end result within the dash race, Leclerc’s 1m20.8s lap in qualifying in a while Saturday night was additional away from pole than Sainz had been from the entrance of the grid within the dash, the place he began fourth.
“Thus far, I believe we have maximized all the things [in terms of points from the weekend],” stated Sainz. “I ought to have certified P6 as a substitute of P7.
“I went into the final lap of Q3 with no automobile in entrance, so no tow. I do not know why we have been main the pack, and that is usually a few tenths within the straights without cost. We in all probability missed a bit on that.
“On the identical time, the 20.8 of Charles is the 20.8 that the automobile can roughly obtain. So yeah, thus far, I believe we’re maximising all the things – however maximising all the things won’t be sufficient.”
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McLaren’s 1-2 within the dash race places the staff 30 factors forward of Ferrari within the constructors’ championship with simply two grands prix to go.
“We simply want to complete forward of them and independently of the place. In fact it is good for us if they do not win P1 and P2 – however even when they end P3 and P4 and forward of us, it is nonetheless gonna be virtually Mission Not possible in Abu Dhabi.”
Pictures from Qatar GP Dash Race & Qualifying
On this article
Stuart Codling
System 1
Carlos Sainz
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
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