2019 Russian Grand Prix: Free Practices & Qualifying

[chinmay]

P1 is already underway but no thread yet. :-)

[Ferrarichamp]

I wonder if Mercedes will let Bottas race against Ham...

[chinmay]

I wonder if Mercedes will let Bottas race against Ham...

No chance, last year also he was sacrificed for Ham.

[PURE PASSION]

Didnt see it, Ver lap was on new tires (for 1 lap ) or in the end of his stint ???

[aroutis]

No need to read anything to FP1 just yet, it's just a setup session.

[Jax]

No need to read anything to FP1 just yet, it's just a setup session.

Exactly, besides they are still 4 seconds away from last year's pole. So chillax

[Jax]

No need to read anything to FP1 just yet, it's just a setup session.

Exactly, besides they are still 4 seconds away from last year's pole. So chillax

[nani_s23]

Didnt see it, Ver lap was on new tires (for 1 lap ) or in the end of his stint ???

It was at the end of stint on 2nd set of new tyres.

[PURE PASSION]

It was at the end of stint on 2nd set of new tyres.

Like us ??? I mean I saw Ver lapping while we was on track and on 2 laps he was 1st 1 sec behind Lec and then 7+ tenths behind. Then I missed him and suddenly I saw him doing a lap just under 1 tenth from Lec and then he pitted. So he was on this stint and suddenly from 7 tenths behind he lower his lap time ,or he pitted and done that lap ??!!

[nani_s23]

Like us ??? I mean I saw Ver lapping while we was on track and on 2 laps he was 1st 1 sec behind Lec and then 7+ tenths behind. Then I missed him and suddenly I saw him doing a lap just under 1 tenth from Lec and then he pitted. So he was on this stint and suddenly from 7 tenths behind he lower his lap time ,or he pitted and done that lap ??!!

There’s track evolution added to that. Also compared to Ferrari & mercs, RB did run long out on track.
At this point Lap times are nothing. So I wouldn’t read too much into that especially from RB.

FP3 might give some direction into quali & race.

[KimiBot]

No need to read anything to FP1 just yet, it's just a setup session.

time is almost same than last year FP1

[KimiBot]

No chance, last year also he was sacrificed for Ham.

he was sacrificed for Ham in Singapore, so why they would change anything
Hamilton did say that Bottas is racing against him for WDC, so he thinks that Bottas is not his butler in this race-

BTW. Mercs has won every race here

[Arcana]

he was sacrificed for Ham in Singapore, so why they would change anything
Hamilton did say that Bottas is racing against him for WDC, so he thinks that Bottas is not his butler in this race-

BTW. Mercs has won every race here

Lewis is talking his usual rubbish. The Butler will receive orders until Lewis secures the WDC. If he does it with several races before the end of the season, then The Butler will be allowed to finish in front of Lewis and even be treated with a win for his contributions to the Merc team.

[nani_s23]

Lewis is talking his usual rubbish. The Butler will receive orders until Lewis secures the WDC. If he does it with several races before the end of the season, then The Butler will be allowed to finish in front of Lewis and even be treated with a win for his contributions to the Merc team.

I think it’s good if we call him by name, rather than those words..?? Just a suggestion.

[bonzo]

I think it’s good if we call him by name, rather than those words..?? Just a suggestion.

that's correct. What was his name...Wingman? oh yea, that's what Toto called him.

[nani_s23]

that's correct. What was his name...Wingman? oh yea, that's what Toto called him.

Probably this is better than the earlier one.

[WS6TransAm01]

Too early to tell, but Charles certainly seems to have the bit between his teeth. Nice to see Singapore didn’t dampen his spirits too much.


that's correct. What was his name...Wingman? oh yea, that's what Toto called him.

I prefer Mr Potatoehead.

[bonzo]

Too early to tell, but Charles certainly seems to have the bit between his teeth. Nice to see Singapore didn’t dampen his spirits too much.



I prefer Mr Potatoehead.

and if he finishes on podium he would be interviewed by Cubehead:lol

[nani_s23]

Crofty such a biased commentator...!! How come he’s allowed to continue ???
He says “K-Mag bolted for fresh Softs in Singapore at the end to avoid point to Mercs-Bottas, although Haas team won’t be benefitted with any point”.

I’ve never seen or heard such kind of commentary before. His statements on Ferrari drivers, romance towards Ham & mercs would come from anywhere.

[aroutis]

Crofty such a biased commentator...!! How come he’s allowed to continue ???
He says “K-Mag bolted for fresh Softs in Singapore at the end to avoid point to Mercs-Bottas, although Haas team won’t be benefitted with any point”.

I’ve never seen or heard such kind of commentary before. His statements on Ferrari drivers, romance towards Ham & mercs would come from anywhere.

Do come on now. When the first safety car came out at Singapore, wasn't he the one who started counted the scenarios where Mercedes would be benefited the most while Ferrari would lose position, then he came under the realization that ... ah, crap, they 're not coming to pits... :(((( (lol)

It was one of the highlights of the race, to listen to them getting smacked over the back of the head, over, and over, and over again until the very minute our cars got P1 and P2 :D

[nhiepka]

why you guys have been discussing a lots about things in the past? it just waste your times man! Come on, let focus on practice.

[aroutis]

why you guys have been discussing a lots about things in the past? it just waste your times man!

LOL that was just last week, plus I found it too funny :D

[gump1480]

Any live streaming links?

[PURE PASSION]

Nice time from Lec,but I have the feeling it's not the best he can do (even under fp2 circumstances)

[tifosi1993]

Fastest man on speed trap: Perez 331km/h

Vettel 324km/h, Leclerc 321km/h

[KimiBot]

https://www.totalsportek.com/formula1-hungary/

[PURE PASSION]

Max 3+ tenths faster on softs !!!!

[tifosi1993]

Max 3+ tenths faster on softs !!!!

They have the new spec 4 Honda engine, Ferrari and Mercedes on older spec. Max is fastest in sector 1, should tell you everything about who's running their engine more aggressively

[PURE PASSION]

Yeh it looks something like that + on S1 & S2 Lec didnt manage to better a lot his medium pass.

[tifosi1993]

Leclerc vs Vettel best sectors

Sector 1: 33.969 vs 33.967
Sector 2: 32.148 vs 32.282
Sector 3: 27.380 vs 27.621

[PURE PASSION]

Leclerc vs Vettel best sectors

Sector 1: 33.969 vs 33.967
Sector 2: 32.148 vs 32.282
Sector 3: 27.380 vs 27.621

Can you find Lec's sectors on his medium run ??

[tifosi1993]

Can you find Lec's sectors on his medium run ??

34.4 in sector 1, 32.2 in sector 2, 27.4 in sector 3

[PURE PASSION]

34.4 in sector 1, 32.2 in sector 2, 27.4 in sector 3

So as I said, he lower logically only in S1 and then he didnt push that much

[nani_s23]

Race pace looks horrible once again :rotfl
Either Ferrari struggling with tyres or as usual Friday runs.

[tifosi1993]

Long run watch, Leclerc on medium matching Vettel on softs.

[nani_s23]

Oh my god .... no grip at all. Everyone finding it difficult to keep it on track. Such is the Asphalt

[KimiBot]

Oh my god .... no grip at all. Everyone finding it difficult to keep it on track. Such is the Asphalt

It was same last year in Friday

[PURE PASSION]

Lec 's laps compare to Ves ??

[tifosi1993]

Charles's long run pace looks impressive, Hamilton's struggling

[nani_s23]

Very close between Lewis & Albon. Almost a crash.

[nani_s23]

Lec 's laps compare to Ves ??

Max pace is ahead of all...!!

[Tifoso Svedese]

If it's dry for qualifying (Ventusky makes it look promising), I'm really hopeful about Charles controlling this weekend. As for Max, he's running aggressive engine modes for sure since he'll start P17 anyway so he'll need it on Sunday. Given how Mercedes are having top speed issues and apparent set-up problems so far, I think we'd have a good shot at pole even if it's wet.

[tifosi1993]

Lec 's laps compare to Ves ??

Leclerc (medium)
1m40.616
1m39.659
1m39.974
1m39.731
traffic (magnussen)
1m40.020
1m39.531
1m39.640
1m39.409
pits

Verstappen (medium)
1m41.208
1m39.405
1m44.491
1m39.429
1m39.468
pits

[PURE PASSION]

And the Mercs???
P.S sorry for the many questions, but I dont have live timing
P.S 2 Thanks a lot !!!!

[tifosi1993]

Long run watch, Leclerc's first lap on softs 1:38.548, followed by a 1:38.181. He is by far the fastest man on track right now.

Max also on softs, lapping between mid-high 1m38's

[nani_s23]

It was same last year in Friday

Oh is it...!! Then it’s fine.

[nani_s23]

Lec & Bottas has the edge on race pace. Their teammates are struggling to match them.

[Tifoso Svedese]

I hope Seb can pick his pace up for qualifying tomorrow so we could have a front row lockout if it's dry. I've no concerns at all regarding Charles' ability to maximize the car this weekend, however. He looks rapid.

[tifosi1993]

Lec & Bottas has the edge on race pace. Their teammates are struggling to match them.

Yup, Hamilton looked all over the place.

[nani_s23]

I hope Seb can pick his pace up for qualifying tomorrow so we could have a front row lockout if it's dry. I've no concerns at all regarding Charles' ability to maximize the car this weekend, however. He looks rapid.

He’s struggling to match in S3. This shows he’s not keeping his tyres in better shape at the end of the lap.
Also he backed out 2 times during hot laps. He might not be far, but should be ahead of mercs & behind Lec come quali.

[nani_s23]

Yup, Hamilton looked all over the place.


He’s complaining of Understeer over the radio.
Bottas likes this track very much, so he’s on it.

[Tifoso Svedese]

Hammy's historical inability around Sochi is a proper mystery given on paper it's very similar to Abu Dhabi.

[tifosi1993]

Hammy's historical inability around Sochi is a proper mystery given on paper it's very similar to Abu Dhabi.

Yup, it's a bogey track for Hamilton. Hopefully he will have another Russia 2017 like race.

[darkchild]

Leclerc will easily take pole. I think Merc and Ferrari where heavier, as their S3 times where slower then with mediums. Also, our S1 and S2 are nowhere near what we will have come qualifying.

Leclercs race pace is great though, only one coming close is Max, but him starting from 6-8 place will put him in deficit. Vettel looks rattled.

[Ferrarichamp]

unless I'm mistaken, the last time a team won 4 races in a row without getting a title was McLaren in 2005, so it doesn't happen very often.

[tifosi1993]

Full long run data

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EFeZ5MaXoAIl7J5?format=png&name=900x900

[Fer12]

Full long run data

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EFeZ5MaXoAIl7J5?format=png&name=900x900


Thanks for posting this.
Any info on sector times?

[nani_s23]

Not happy faces at Mercedes after FP2. Toto Wolff: "We're too slow and don't know why. Now we have to catch up and acknowledge that the others are doing a good job. If we are honest with ourselves, then we are only the third best in Sochi."
"We've had small setbacks in the past too. But at the very latest, after two defeats we were back again. Now we see the fourth race in a row where we just follow the others."

@AMus

Toto started his job again...!!

[tifosi1993]

Thanks for posting this.
Any info on sector times?

https://i.lensdump.com/i/i4x5gF.jpg

[nani_s23]

https://i.lensdump.com/i/i4x5gF.jpg

By the looks S3 still a problem for Ferrari. Hope they find right set-up for tmrw.

[nani_s23]

Vettel: It was strange in the afternoon, I just didn't get a great feel but nothing to worry. We tried some stuff, now we need to decide tomorrow what we would like to keep. Not completely finding the rhythm but I am sure that by tomorrow it should be fine. For us it will be good news if we're competitive. The closer we can be to the top, the better it is for us. We will see where we are tomorrow. Don't know what the weather is doing. I think we can improve, especially in terms of balance, bringing the car together. The car was good at some stage today, so I am pretty confident it will be tomorrow.

[Tifoso Svedese]

Only five for Max? :-E

Ah well, he should be stuck in P5 regardless with their power deficit on race day.

[wisepie]

Looks like there's a strong possibility of rain for Saturday and possibly Sunday, so Max may well prove to be in there even with a grid penalty, Charles looking good so far but Seb having a bit of a mixed day, all will be revealed tomorrow, weather permitting!:Hmm:pray

[nani_s23]

If ferrari lock front row or 2nd row there’s no problem with that. With their straight line speed, they can keep that place or pass cars ahead of them easily.

[nani_s23]

Ferrari's Singapore aero update is also working well in Sochi and according to their expectations!

Binotto: "It's important to have confirmed the progress. We were fast on one lap and over the distance (longrun)."

Mattia Binotto about the slipstream effect in Sochi: "The slipstream is important here, but not as effective on lap time as it is in Monza. We take thinking about one driver pulling the other one in qualifying!"

@AMus

[FerrariF60]

Only five for Max? :-E

Ah well, he should be stuck in P5 regardless with their power deficit on race day.

You’re just as she gets pole, which I’m sure Charles will deny that...or Seb, but I wouldn’t count on it

[Rob]

A FRIDAY OF OVER 100 LAPS

Sochi, 27 September 2019 – Scuderia Ferrari got through all its Friday programme for the Russian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel were second and fifth respectively at the end of the day. The Maranello squad drivers concentrated at first on setting up the car and validating the aero package introduced on Singapore on what is a very different circuit here at the Sochi Autodrom. In the afternoon, the focus switched to preparing for tomorrow’s qualifying and Sunday’s race, doing simulation runs on the Soft and Medium compounds.

FP1. During the 90 minutes of the morning session, Charles and Sebastian did 40 laps in total, 20 each. Charles was fastest in 1’34”462 and Seb was third with a 1’35”005.

FP2. Charles was second fastest behind Max Verstappen and Sebastian was fifth. Both drivers got through their programme bringing the total number of laps to 105. They started this 90 minute session on the medium tyres posting times of 1’34”148 and 1’34”306 respectively, before moving to Pirellis softest compound to drop the times to 1’33”497 for Charles and 1’34”201 for Seb, who made a small mistake on his fastest lap.

Long run. In the second part of the session the Scuderia Ferrari drivers began working in race configuration, doing long runs on the Soft and Medium tyres. The SF90s will be back on track tomorrow at noon (11 CET) for the final hour of free practice, prior to qualifying at 15 (14 CET). The sixth edition of the Russian Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday at 14.10 (13.10 CET).

Charles Leclerc #16

“It was quite a good day. Although we have some work to do when it comes to our qualifying pace, our race pace was very positive. The track layout can be deceptive, as it has many similar corners. But it is tricky to set up the car, because the first and second sectors are quick and once you arrive in the third sector, the tyres are not in the best shape anymore. There is quite a difference in balance from the beginning to the end of the lap. You have to find a good compromise in the set-up, which will allow you to post the best lap time without sacrificing your race pace. We tested a bit in both directions today and I think we found our way.
Our competitors are strong, and we have to keep working as hard as we possibly can to keep our momentum from the past few race weekends.”

Sebastian Vettel #5

“My day was not perfect, as in the afternoon I struggled a bit to find the right balance and therefore I never got into a rhythm. I think we can do better tomorrow as we tried different things and now we need to decide what to keep and what to get rid of.

I think we need to work more on the car and then we’ll see if we are competitive. It’s too early to tell what the pecking order is and we will get a better idea of where we are tomorrow. I don’t know what the weather is doing, but the closer we can be to the front the better it is. Anyway, we have the tyres for whatever the situation might be.
To summarise I think we can improve, in particular in terms of balance. I hope tomorrow we are on the good side of things.”

[Rob]

https://i.postimg.cc/fyWvw6dc/190005-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/yg5Rjpvx)
https://i.postimg.cc/Xq3nXgNc/190014-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/MMsCFVQv)
https://i.postimg.cc/MHdJH2Fq/190015-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/YLGsDV7s)
https://i.postimg.cc/Gph73T18/190017-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/NKS7pMFB)
https://i.postimg.cc/HWZpTbD5/190011-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/rz46J0pF)
https://i.postimg.cc/VkNZmbwS/190019-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/MvhmYHvx)

[Rob]

https://i.postimg.cc/NjN84NWF/190013-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/gxZ6cKcb)
https://i.postimg.cc/KcrMfqTb/190016-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/c6CC4cTk)
https://i.postimg.cc/Xv88TjGj/190018-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/bGZknj9W)
https://i.postimg.cc/prn1bNMs/190012-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/JHMQZ2nX)
https://i.postimg.cc/P5f9JRW5/190021-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/TpSCHQNz)

[chinmay]

Qualifying starts an hour early today, race starts 2 hours early tomorrow.

[nani_s23]

Qualifying starts an hour early today, race starts 2 hours early tomorrow.

Any specific reason ???
Last race too started early, I thought it’s at 6.30PM IST. So logged in at that time, by then 15L are done.

Anyways thanks for posting the schedule. I’ll not miss this time.

[Tifoso Svedese]

Right now on my radar it appears as the morning rain has missed Sochi and has veered inland instead and there's nothing in particular over the Black Sea at the moment that looks Sochi-bound. Let's see, but I wouldn't rule out FP3 being dry.

[nani_s23]

Right now on my radar it appears as the morning rain has missed Sochi and has veered inland instead and there's nothing in particular over the Black Sea at the moment that looks Sochi-bound. Let's see, but I wouldn't rule out FP3 being dry.

All we need is quali under dry conditions.

[bonzo]

Light rain during FP3, ending just before qualy

[tifosi1993]

Front tyre pressure reduced, from 23.5psi to 22

[tifosi1993]

Leclerc vs Vettel

Sector 1: 34.128 vs 34.241
Sector 2: 32.069 vs 32.231
Sector 3: 27.527 vs 27.834

[gump1480]

LEC vs Bottas sector time please

[tifosi1993]

LEC vs Bottas sector time please

Sector 1: 34.128 vs 34.485
Sector 2: 32.069 vs 32.208
Sector 3: 27.527 vs 27.266

[gump1480]

Sector 1: 34.128 vs 34.485
Sector 2: 32.069 vs 32.208
Sector 3: 27.527 vs 27.266

We are still losing 3 tenths in last sector. I thought we would have improved this overnight. Looks like this is the limit for S3 for our car.

[Rishu]

Leclerc is simply flying

[tifosi1993]

Leclerc is simply flying

Since Austria

[tifosi1993]

Leclerc vs Vettel, FP3 quali sim, Leclerc did 2 laps and Vettel did 3, Vettel improved his time on his last lap

Sector 1: 33.869 vs 33.919
Sector 2: 31.839 vs 31.761
Sector 3: 26.999 vs 27.368

[gump1480]

Leclerc vs Vettel, FP3 quali sim, Leclerc did 2 laps and Vettel did 3, Vettel improved his time on his last lap

Sector 1: 33.869 vs 33.919
Sector 2: 31.839 vs 31.761
Sector 3: 26.999 vs 27.368

And HAM?

[PURE PASSION]

Vet did better S2 ???!!!!

[tifosi1993]

Ferrari Vs Mercedes

Sector 1:
Leclerc 33.869
Vettel 33.919
Hamilton 34.266
Bottas 34.266

Sector 2:
Vettel 31.761
Leclerc 31.839
Hamilton 32.006
Bottas 32.021

Sector 3:
Hamilton 26.826
Leclerc 26.999
Bottas 27.052
Vettel 27.368

[nani_s23]

Vet did better S2 ???!!!!

S3 is not working for him at all. He’s burning his tyres too quick.

[stefa]

Looking good?!

[From Treviso]

Christian Horner said that the Mercedes party mode is now more like afternoon tea mode when compared to Ferrari's, lol!

[nani_s23]

Christian Horner said that the Mercedes party mode is now more like afternoon tea mode when compared to Ferrari's, lol!

:rotfl

[19000rpmF-2004]

Bright days are ahead for us. Very happy for the team.

[KimiBot]

Yeah, looks good, hopefully this is true and Mercs domination ends in F1...just thinking what will Hamilton do if this happens

[Jax]

:rotfl

https://youtu.be/BDzi3Q690_M. 😁👍👍

[bonzo]

Yeah, looks good, hopefully this is true and Mercs domination ends in F1...just thinking what will Hamilton do if this happens

Fingers crossed!!
Can our pitwall crew stand to the challenge?

[aroutis]

Yeah, looks good, hopefully this is true and Mercs domination ends in F1...just thinking what will Hamilton do if this happens

Wild guess, move to Formula E.

[Ferrarichamp]

Yeah, looks good, hopefully this is true and Mercs domination ends in F1...just thinking what will Hamilton do if this happens

move to Ferrari or RB.

[totox]

Yeah, looks good, hopefully this is true and Mercs domination ends in F1...just thinking what will Hamilton do if this happens

Don't rule them out too soon. They are working on 2020/21 cars. They have a huge team and resources and they never sleep on the laurels. We must enjoy our moment now, while we can

[KimiBot]

here we go

:ferrarifl

[denskits]

Any link guys?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tifosi1993]

Ferrari out on mediums

[KimiBot]

Any link guys?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

https://www.totalsportek.com/formula1-hungary/

[denskits]

Thank you


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tifosi1993]

Yellow flag ruined Charles's lap, Vettel is struggling

[Rishu]

Might be a good idea for RB to knock off their ego and sign maybe Hulkenberg

[tifosi1993]

That Red Bull is not a easy car to drive, unless your name is Verstappen.

First Gasly, now Albon, and I don't consider either of them to be bad driver.

[Kyss4k]

Might be a good idea for RB to knock off their ego and sign maybe Hulkenberg

Seems to me the 2nd Red Bull car is built to destroy careers...

[KimiBot]

Might be a good idea for RB to knock off their ego and sign maybe Hulkenberg

I think it is first track where Albion has had difficult time, I think he has been better than I expected

[nani_s23]

Vettel lap 1st attempt mistake, 2nd attempt yellow flag & 3rd attempt Red flag...!!

[nani_s23]

I think it is first track where Albion has had difficult time, I think he has been better than I expected

Yup, even max crashed.

[tifosi1993]

Leclerc on medium, sector 1: 33.925, sector 2: 31.788, sector 3: 27.771.

Hamilton on softs, sector 1: 34.116, sector 2: 31.990, sector 3: 27.124

Verstappen on softs, sector 1: 34.180, sector 2: 31.788, sector 3: 27.400

[nani_s23]

Vettel struggling a lot in Final S3..!! Loosing lot of time. If he doesn’t rectify it, might be under threat from Ham for P2.

[chinmay]

Vettel struggling a lot in Final S3..!! Loosing lot of time. If he doesn’t rectify it, might be under threat from Ham for P2.

Balance isn't there on his Ferrari, his race pace will be awful tomorrow.

[nani_s23]

Balance isn't there on his Ferrari, his race pace will be awful tomorrow.

Yup...!! Out of S3, he will be easy for mercs under drs zone.

[nani_s23]

Mercs out on Mediums ....in q2

[nani_s23]

Ferrari on Softs ...!!

[19000rpmF-2004]

Most of drivers going on soft

[tifosi1993]

Leclerc has clear track ahead of him, Vettel is behind Gasly and Hulk

[nani_s23]

Ferrari -Vettel on Used set of Softs, said on sky.. might be wrong

[19000rpmF-2004]

Merc on medium for now.

[19000rpmF-2004]

Lec fast

[Rishu]

Anything but Leclerc Pole will be a huge disappointment, he’s lighting quick

[nani_s23]

That lap from Lec is enough for pole ...!! He’s on fire

[tifosi1993]

Charles very cautious in sector 3, not hustling the car at all.

[chinmay]

Anything but Leclerc Pole will be a huge disappointment, he’s lighting quick

He will be on pole. I don't see anyone beating him.

[tifosi1993]

Ferrari -Vettel on Used set of Softs, said on sky.. might be wrong

Vettel was on used softs

[nani_s23]

Anything but Leclerc Pole will be a huge disappointment, he’s lighting quick

Not only this race, he will be lightening fast in the next races too. Good end to the season.
Very impressive from him.
If not issues in the 1st half, Lec could pull of a Title. Ham had it easy in the 1st half.

[nani_s23]

Vettel was on used softs

May be he will go for 2nd run on new Softs

[Rishu]

Not only this race, he will be lightening fast in the next races too. Good end to the season.
Very impressive from him.
If not issues in the 1st half, Lec could pull of a Title. Ham had it easy in the 1st half.

I have not given up yet, 2 DNFs and cat is set among pigeons

[tifosi1993]

Vettel now out on new softs

Edit: so is Charles, totally unnecessary

[SilverSpeed]

Charles could be after 19 year since Schumi took 7 poles after another, the next Ferrari driver who takes 4 poles in succession.

This in his first season for Ferrari is impressive!

I hope he takes pole by 1 sec margin :-D.

[nani_s23]

I have not given up yet, 2 DNFs and cat is set among pigeons

It’s Ham & his car which never gives up

[19000rpmF-2004]

What is the strategy for this track? One or two stop

[tifosi1993]

Charles aborted his lap, but he did set fastest sector 1: 33.574

[nani_s23]

What is the strategy for this track? One or two stop

One stop

[nani_s23]

Great lap by Max too... just .2ths off...

[tifosi1993]

Grosjean P6, well done

[PURE PASSION]

Great lap by Max too... just .2ths off...

I don't expect the difference to be on the 5 tenths margin ,even with the Mercs

[nani_s23]

Charles aborted his lap, but he did set fastest sector 1: 33.574

He went deep into S2, made a mistake. So aborted. Before that he was flying in S1

[PURE PASSION]

Ouch !!! Hope Lec doesnt have any trouble with the floor !!!

[denskits]

I suspect Mercedes lost their mojo already. Further compounded by Ferrari’s resurgence.


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[nani_s23]

I don't expect the difference to be on the 5 tenths margin ,even with the Mercs

Against Charles it can be...!! Becoz he’s keeping up with mercs in S3, at least little closer than vettel

[19000rpmF-2004]

Ok this is it.

[tifosi1993]

Mighty Ferrari, take that Mercedes

[Kyss4k]

Sooo easy! Lol! :-E

[Rishu]

1.31.xx just wow

[19000rpmF-2004]

Wow.

[PURE PASSION]

SORRY, my bad !!!!!:-D

[458 Italia]

Our pace is amazing! It's just fantastic!

[nani_s23]

We got it P1 .... Charles you are a champ...!!!
Vettel did a good job too, but it’s the same loosing .2ths in Final sector alone

[KimiBot]

:ferrarifl:ferrarifl:ferrarifl

[Ferrarichamp]

we're getting used to this now :-D

[tifosi1993]

For others I don't think that lap from Charles is beatable, only Charles himself can beat it.

[KimiBot]

we're getting used to this now :-D

I have absolutely nothing against these feelings

[Rishu]

Yeah I think he still had a tenth in S1

[denskits]

This is a good problem to have.....


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[tifosi1993]

Charles going even faster, 33.333 sector 1

[Rishu]

He’s going even faster

[tifosi1993]

Well done Charles, what a talent

Hamilton with another special lap, ahead of Vettel :roll

[Kyss4k]

Damn Seb...

[Schumiklub]

Seb, seriously?


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[Rishu]

Hamilton and Verstappen responded well but Charles, you beauty. What a find from Ferrari

[chinmay]

P3, good place to start tomorrow's race!

[19000rpmF-2004]

Yes. Congrats Charles.

[nani_s23]

As expected Vettel looses in Final sector

[458 Italia]

Vettel letting the side down once again. Brilliant from Charles!

[TonyRizza]

Vettel is awful lol

[nani_s23]

Congrats Charles...!!

[chinmay]

Vettel is awful lol

Tomorrow you will say P3 is a good starting position.

[Rishu]

I’m sure Hamilton enjoyed his last lap, must be good

[KimiBot]

Just fantastic

[TonyRizza]

Tomorrow you will say P3 is a good starting position.

It is a good starting position, hes still awful

[Rishu]

Tomorrow you will say P3 is a good starting position.

Yes only if team gives you better strategy for WCC points sake

[Tifoso Svedese]

Awesome from Charles and at least Vettel will have the right side to get to his tow from the start - especially from the clean side with softs. Either way, to not make it a front-row lockout is definitely a disappointment. At least we can probably get by Hammy on the circuit given the tyre situation + straightline speed early on even if the start goes foul and we end up say 2-3. Long runs looked really good for Charles yesterday as well, but damn those few hundreds second week in a row related to Hammy vs Seb are annoying.

[512 TR]

Simply amazing turnaround these last few weeks. Only worry is Merc starting on mediums.

[Ferrarichamp]

poor Bottas 6 tenths slower than Ham. :roll

[JChan]

Is it 4th in a row for CL?

[alfa84]

Bravo Charles ��. Vettel will have his chance given that Ham wil start on soft tyres. Any weather news for tomorrow?

[Tifoso Svedese]

Simply amazing turnaround these last few weeks. Only worry is Merc starting on mediums.

Will make staying ahead/undercutting them really easy given how low the general degradation is. They won't want to run more than half the race on the softs so if we get the mediums on around 2/5 into the race, they'll most likely need to stay out for another ten laps unless they want to fall prey to our straightline speed at the end.

[Arcana]

Another quali, another Charles pole. Seb beaten by Lewis, not too surprised. It shows again who's the real deal and who's not.

I hope no Binotto / Ferrari sabotage for Charles tomorrow.

[Rishu]

Is it 4th in a row for CL?

Yes. Only other to do that for Ferrari is MS

[Tifoso Svedese]

Bravo Charles ��. Vettel will have his chance given that Ham wil start on soft tyres. Any weather news for tomorrow?

30-40 % cloud cover and should be around 20°C. Very low risk for sustained rainfall at least.

[Rishu]

Hamilton looks horrible in those glasses lol

[nani_s23]

Great quali. Bravo Charles & vettel.
It should have been P1 & P2, but it’s P1 & P3.
Nonetheless we are in better position tmrw, as Ham starting on Mediums & vettel on Softs better grip also behind Charles.
Turn2 gonna be interesting tmrw.

[tifosi1993]

Another quali, another Charles pole. Seb beaten by Lewis, not too surprised. It shows again who's the real deal and who's not.

I hope no Binotto / Ferrari sabotage for Charles tomorrow.

Yeah...Ferrari out there trying hard to sabotage Charles :roll

Yes I didn't like what happened in Sigapore. It was Charles's win, should have been Charles's win with a normal strategy. But don't come here with the bs that Ferrari deliberately hindered Charles, it's a false narrative and you know it.

[JChan]

Merc forum hohuuummmm boring Ferrari again for 4th in a row????? So What!!!! Merc dominance is starting to end, I hope next year we can develop a perfect car for the whole season and the WDC and WCC.

[Tifoso Svedese]

Yes. Only other to do that for Ferrari is MS

Really? Not Ascari?

[nani_s23]

Merc forum hohuuummmm boring Ferrari again for 4th in a row????? So What!!!! Merc dominance is starting to end, I hope next year we can develop a perfect car for the whole season and the WDC and WCC.

Yup next year looking good as of now. Long awaited titles, maranello is waiting for those.

[bonzo]

Hamilton looks horrible in those glasses lol

And that hair style, too.

[nani_s23]

WCC still a chance for Ferrari this year ??? If they finish 1-2 in the coming races..??
I don’t know about the points table.!! Can anybody help me out with it?

[SilverSpeed]

Yeah Charles!!!!!

2020 looks good now he boys :-D.

[nani_s23]

Ferrari is in serious competition from 2nd half... wt an upgrade, wt a star driver.
Really I’m happy for Ferrari team. Hope we get WCC.

[Arcana]

WCC still a chance for Ferrari this year ??? If they finish 1-2 in the coming races..??
I don’t know about the points table.!! Can anybody help me out with it?

I think that we need at least 2x double Merc dnf for it to have a chance at it...

[PURE PASSION]

WCC still a chance for Ferrari this year ??? If they finish 1-2 in the coming races..??
I don’t know about the points table.!! Can anybody help me out with it?

Don't think about that!!!
Its 133 points so mathematically we have a chance BUT many things must happen to do it!!!

[nani_s23]

Don't think about that!!!
Its 133 points so mathematically we have a chance BUT many things must happen to do it!!!

For such thing to happen. Max should intervene in couple of races for P3. :-D

[Ferrarichamp]

Charles needed that win in Bahrain to have a more realistic chance, but we can't change the past.

[SilverSpeed]

Yeah he should banzai in corner 1 again :-D.

[KimiBot]

WCC still a chance for Ferrari this year ??? If they finish 1-2 in the coming races..??
I don’t know about the points table.!! Can anybody help me out with it?

1 Mercedes 527
2 Ferrari 394

[nani_s23]

1 Mercedes 527
2 Ferrari 394

Wts was the margin during summer break..??

[tifosi1993]

Yeah Charles!!!!!

2020 looks good now he boys :-D.

Too early to tell. We're having a very strong 2nd half, no doubt about it. But sill, we're up against a team that have been dominant since 2014, and on the verge of winning their 6th consecutive WDC and WCC.

I'm glad that we have Charles now. If next years car turns out to be as good as the 2017/2018 car, then Charles will deliver. Charles has the ability to take the maximum out of a car, like Alonso/Hamilton.

[Christopher]

Wts was the margin during summer break..??

After Hungary

Mercedes 438
Ferrari 288

So since the summer break Mercs lead his been reduced from 150 points to 133.

[nani_s23]

Too early to tell. We're having a very strong 2nd half, no doubt about it. But sill, we're up against a team that have been dominant since 2014, and on the verge of winning their 6th consecutive WDC and WCC.

I'm glad that we have Charles now. If next years car turns out to be as good as the 2017/2018 car, then Charles will deliver. Charles has the ability to take the maximum out of a car, like Alonso/Hamilton.

100% agree apart Ham. Main thing is he’s quick in learning too...!!
I see him similar to MS & Alonso

[nani_s23]

After Hungary

Mercedes 438
Ferrari 288

So since the summer break Mercs lead his been reduced from 150 points to 133.

So we gained 106 in next 3races.vs 89 pts merc. With vettel not finishing in points at Monza.

[KimiBot]

1st 25
2nd 18
3rd 15
4th 12
5th 10
6th 8
7th 6
8th 4
9th 2
10th 1
Fastest lap 1

so 1-2 is 43 points
3-4 is 27 points
difference is 16 points
6 races left, 6 x 16 is 96
and we are behind 133 points

so no, must happen something else too to win WCC

[nani_s23]

1st 25
2nd 18
3rd 15
4th 12
5th 10
6th 8
7th 6
8th 4
9th 2
10th 1
Fastest lap 1

so 1-2 is 43 points
3-4 is 27 points
difference is 16 points
6 races left, 6 x 16 is 96
and we are behind 133 points

so no, must happen something else too to win WCC

Bottas is vulnerable...!! Don’t discount max for P3 in the coming races.

[KimiBot]

Bottas is vulnerable...!! Don’t discount max for P3 in the coming races.

Yes, it is possible, but 1-2 in every race is not enough if Mercs 3-4 in every race, so we need few races where Mercs lose more points
Possible, but unlikely, that would be a miracle if we won WCC

[Ryder1984]

Hamilton only needs to take 5th place for the next races , including this , and the title's out of reach for both us and RB. His only real worry , if you could even call him that , is Bot. As far as I can see we're out for this year. Also , to anyone harboring hopes for a great car next year , calm down! That way you won't be too disappointed. I know it sounds negative , but we've been the favorites last year and this one too , after testing , and look what happened. What I've learned in my 20+ years as a Ferrari fan is that we have some years when we're unstoppable but most years we screw things up royally.

[PURE PASSION]

AND to all this, who guarantee to you that we will be 1-2 in ALL remaining races???!!! Even just to win all the races is pretty optimistic!!!

[Stormsearcher]

Wow charles!!!! just wow!
Trouncing not just his teammate, but Hamilton as well. Beautiful to watch.
I just hope "strategy" stays in his favour for the race.
I do think Seb will jump hamilton into turn 1. So the 2 ferraris will be gunning for another 1-2.
Lets see what happens. Interesting race.

[nani_s23]

I wonder why mercs aren’t reacting to Ferrari’s resurgence. They given up this season with the buffer they had in the points.??
They might have given a head start for next years car...!!

[Ferrarichamp]

I wonder why mercs aren’t reacting to Ferrari’s resurgence. They given up this season with the buffer they had in the points.??
They might have given a head start for next years car...!!

or do they have an issue with their latest spec engine which they've kept quiet? :Hmm

[Giallo 550]

This place is pretty quiet, considering Ferrari and Leclerc just took their fourth pole in a row.

[nani_s23]

or do they have an issue with their latest spec engine which they've kept quiet? :Hmm

Don’t think so...

[nani_s23]

Lewis: "He (@Charles_Leclerc ) is stealing all the poles"
:clap

[FerrariF60]

Lewis: "He (@Charles_Leclerc ) is stealing all the poles"
:clap

about time some Ferrari driver has somethig to say about teh Merc pace all along this season.....FERRARI IS BACK BABY!!!!

[Vettel165]

After a 1 week ban which I deserved I am back.

Charles is just mega this days, its hard to say but on pure 1 lap perfomance an over 30 years old Seb has no chance against him this year. It could also be seen as he reached his peak already before this year. Probably we will never see the mega Seb again as he was in 2010-2013 and 2015, 2017, first part of 2018. But he still is a 4 time world champion in the end. And the car doesnt suit him as Leclerc this year. Leclerc has done an amazing job and is Ferrari future. Drivers come and go, it is as it is.
Just got to give credit to Charles. I am not that kind of delusional fans who hate other drivers, I respect every driver.

Tomorrow anything can happen. Hope Seb overtakes Hamilton at the start and we are 1-2 after Turn 1. That long straight helped Bottas to jump both of our drivers in 2017. Dont know really.

Forza Ferrari, Seb, Charles.

[aroutis]

I wonder why mercs aren’t reacting to Ferrari’s resurgence. They given up this season with the buffer they had in the points.??
They might have given a head start for next years car...!!

Maybe simply they're on top of their current evolution. Simple as that.

[KimiBot]

It should be easy 1-2 tomorrow, because of that straight line speed what we have, but then again, it is racing, so you never know.

[nani_s23]

It should be easy 1-2 tomorrow, because of that straight line speed what we have, but then again, it is racing, so you never know.

I’m thinking the same. But mercs strategy is making me to think a lot.
1) either it should benefit them just like F2 race
2) they took a chance where there’s nothing to loose for them. Even if it goes wrong 3-4 is pretty much fixed.
Just they want to break Ferrari winning streak.

[Stormsearcher]

We just need 1 or maybe 2 DNFs for Lewis. We will be back in the game. :-D
Without which i dont think we can catch him. Hes sealed this year.

[bonzo]

WCC still a chance for Ferrari this year ??? If they finish 1-2 in the coming races..??
I don’t know about the points table.!! Can anybody help me out with it?

+ 3-4 DNFs of Hamster

[FerrariF60]

After a 1 week ban which I deserved I am back.

Charles is just mega this days, its hard to say but on pure 1 lap perfomance an over 30 years old Seb has no chance against him this year. It could also be seen as he reached his peak already before this year. Probably we will never see the mega Seb again as he was in 2010-2013 and 2015, 2017, first part of 2018. But he still is a 4 time world champion in the end. And the car doesnt suit him as Leclerc this year. Leclerc has done an amazing job and is Ferrari future. Drivers come and go, it is as it is.
Just got to give credit to Charles. I am not that kind of delusional fans who hate other drivers, I respect every driver.

Tomorrow anything can happen. Hope Seb overtakes Hamilton at the start and we are 1-2 after Turn 1. That long straight helped Bottas to jump both of our drivers in 2017. Dont know really.

Forza Ferrari, Seb, Charles.

...true, but in 2017 we did NOT have the best engine coupled thta with good aero efficiency and top speed......this year we have

finger's crossed we'll see a ferrari 1-2 after the first 2-3 corners as well as at the END or race

[wappad]

After a 1 week ban which I deserved I am back.

Charles is just mega this days, its hard to say but on pure 1 lap perfomance an over 30 years old Seb has no chance against him this year. It could also be seen as he reached his peak already before this year. Probably we will never see the mega Seb again as he was in 2010-2013 and 2015, 2017, first part of 2018. But he still is a 4 time world champion in the end. And the car doesnt suit him as Leclerc this year. Leclerc has done an amazing job and is Ferrari future. Drivers come and go, it is as it is.
Just got to give credit to Charles. I am not that kind of delusional fans who hate other drivers, I respect every driver.

Tomorrow anything can happen. Hope Seb overtakes Hamilton at the start and we are 1-2 after Turn 1. That long straight helped Bottas to jump both of our drivers in 2017. Dont know really.

Forza Ferrari, Seb, Charles.

Welcome back :thumb! Good post to start with :clap

Forza Ferrari, Seb and Charles :-)

[nani_s23]

...true, but in 2017 we did NOT have the best engine coupled thta with good aero efficiency and top speed......this year we have

finger's crossed we'll see a ferrari 1-2 after the first 2-3 corners as well as at the END or race

Yup end of race. It’s 1-2 finish, Ferrari would be happy.

[nani_s23]

+ 3-4 DNFs of Hamster

Which not gonna happen.

[Tony]

Seeing Leclerc drive the way he has this year makes me wonder what could have been last year if he was on the team... it's a bit of a shame, he seems to be the real deal, hopefully Ferrari can deliver a better car at the start of next year....

[SilverSpeed]

He's even getting faster race after race this is really impressive.

On sky they said 'The hunt for the red leclerc.' :-D :-D :-D

[PURE PASSION]

I wonder why mercs aren’t reacting to Ferrari’s resurgence. They given up this season with the buffer they had in the points.??
They might have given a head start for next years car...!!

They will have an upgrade on the next race in Suzuka !!!

[nani_s23]

They will have an upgrade on the next race in Suzuka !!!

That’s RB package, don’t think it’s mercs as said on skyf1

[stefa]

I am super happy for the team. I am actually in Italy in Florence. Any tip which TV station is broadcasting race tomorrow?

[PURE PASSION]

That’s RB package, don’t think it’s mercs as said on skyf1

No I'm pretty sure that I read somewhere that Merc have sceduled an upgrade for Suzuka

[nani_s23]

Binotto: "The SF90 has improved and we have accelerated our development to have more drag and aero downforce. Also, thanks to the new package, we now lose out less in the corners and the overall balance is good."
"Once again, Charles produced a good lap, even though he made a couple of small mistakes, which means he had the potential to do even better. It has to be said that the track surface here is very smooth, so it’s easy to make a mistake."
"Seb qualified third, which might actually be better than second when it comes to tomorrow’s start, even if it would have been nice to have locked out the front row."

[tifosi1993]

I am super happy for the team. I am actually in Italy in Florence. Any tip which TV station is broadcasting race tomorrow?

Sky is your only option I'm afraid.

[nani_s23]

I am super happy for the team. I am actually in Italy in Florence. Any tip which TV station is broadcasting race tomorrow?

Sky sports the only option. Mute it for pre-race, when the actual race just unmute it & end of the race plz don’t forget to mute it again.
There will be some nonsense stuff tmrw for sure.

[wisepie]

I am super happy for the team. I am actually in Italy in Florence. Any tip which TV station is broadcasting race tomorrow?

You lucky man to be in Italy, stefa, you'll need to find a sports bar or somewhere with Sky Italia coverage, you will probably need a drink to calm your nerves! Charles on pole again is proving that we have a megastar on our hands, let's hope tomorrow brings us another good result, Seb starting 3rd could work in our favour too, but Merc's tyre choice may help them in the long run... Hamilton will always be there to try and spoil our fun and he did look ridiculous in those post-quali glasses, maybe he has been blinded by the red mist around him. Here's hoping for a great result tomorrow and well done to both Charles and Seb.:thumb

[Arcana]

Charles is amazing and it's getting better and better. I wasn't expecting him to be that good honestly. He matured a lot in a short in a very short period of time and proved great race craft when he duelled with Max and Lewis. Yet he made a couple of mistakes in the first part of the year so I'm not sure if he was able to challenge for WDC last year if he debuted directly with Ferrari.

[tifosi1993]

They will have an upgrade on the next race in Suzuka !!!

But nothing major, and don't I think it's going to help them that much. Suzuka is a power-sensitive track, it may not have long straight but there are several acceleration zones. This track is all about acceleration and traction, and the SF90 accelerates like a rocket coming out of a corner/chicane.

Before the Singapore upgrades, I would have feared sector 3 and how it would destroy any gains Ferrari would have made in the other 2 sectors. But after the Singapore upgrades, our car can now keep up with Mercedes in slow speed corner. And also most importantly, we have Charles.

[paolo lalli]

Forget Lewis it's all Charles now.Seriously I wonder what is going through Lewis and mercedes heads right now.Not even Bottas can help.Lamenting what could have been this year if only the problem was caught earlier .This LECREC is just sensational.

[ChrisFerrari]

I hope Seb is going to be careful tomorrow at the start .. There's no need for a Singapore 2017 again.

[Rob]

https://i.postimg.cc/DyjRDVqR/190034-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Cz8vBQr4)[
https://i.postimg.cc/15nK9bkk/190031-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/PPHDyVry)
https://i.postimg.cc/WzjtQqPp/190030-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/mzXb9DDK)
https://i.postimg.cc/qMqpgxQV/190026-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/7bFFW7pm)

[nani_s23]

I hope Seb is going to be careful tomorrow at the start .. There's no need for a Singapore 2017 again.

It depends on who gets the better start, as Charles will be defending his position. How hard defending/attacking is gonna be the question.

[Rob]

https://i.postimg.cc/CxjMVLmz/190032-rus-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/5X2WB1cV)
https://i.postimg.cc/jSsqtY9c/190029-rus.jpg (https://postimg.cc/w7GYQZ9R)

[Ferrari312T4]

I am starting to like our approach of low drag concept. If we gain so much on straights with adding more downforce while not sacrificing that straight line speed, I think we might be faster than mercedes. But let's see what our racepace is. But the outwash philosophy might be our Eureka. It's so good to see light at the end of a dark tunnel. So good to see that hard work by our team is finally paying off. I think appointing Binotto on the position of Arrivabene has been a good choice. Although it took a bit for him to grow into that role at the start of the season. I think Arrivabene wasn't bad, but I think Binotto is much knowledgeable about our car. Together with two great drivers. We have a good package and things are paying off.

[Rob]

Fourth consecutive pole for Charles

Sochi, 28 September 2019 – Scuderia Ferrari secured its seventh pole of the season, the sixth courtesy of Charles Leclerc, who was the only driver to get under the 1m 32s barrier at Sochi Autodrom. Tomorrow at 14.10 local (13.10 CET) the two SF90s will be in line astern on the grid, after Sebastian Vettel qualified third for the second race in a row, in both cases just behind Lewis Hamilton, by 29 thousandths in Singapore and 23 here in Sochi. This was Scuderia Ferrari’s 226th pole and, for the first time since 2008, the team has secured more than six poles in a season. Charles is the first Ferrari driver since Michael Schumacher to take four consecutive poles, the German having done so in Italy, the USA, Japan and Malaysia in 2000.

Q1. Mixed fortunes in the first part of qualifying, Charles immediately posted a good 1’33”613 on the Medium tyres, however Sebastian made a mistake in the third sector which meant he lifted off and aborted the run. From then on things got complicated, as on two occasions, as he tried to put in a quick lap, the yellow flags came out, because of incidents involving first Kubica and then Albon, which meant he had to lift off again. The Thai driver’s encounter with the barriers eventually brought out the red flag so that Sebastian had to make one final run on Soft tyres to easily make the cut to Q2 with a 1’33”032.

Q2. Charles now fitted Soft tyres for the first time and immediately did a good lap in 1’32”434. Sebastian however used the same set he’d used in Q1 to post a 1’33”091 which he later improved to 1’32”536 after pitting for a set of new Softs.

Q3. In this final session, Charles and Seb were able to run two sets each of Softs. On his first attempt the Monegasque stopped the clocks in 1’31”801, while the German did a 1’32”135. After changing tyres Charles got down to a 1’31”628 and Seb improved to 1’32”053, again just pipped by Hamilton by the smallest of margins.

All in the family. Charles was presented with the mini Pirelli tyre given to the man who is on pole by Robert Shwartzman. Earlier in the day, the Russian Ferrari Driver Academy student clinched the title in the Formula 3 championship with one race to go in the series. The race was won by fellow FDA driver Marcus Armstrong. Keeping it all in the family.

Charles Leclerc #16
“The car was amazing to drive and the team did a great job anticipating the track evolution and setting up the car in the best way. We are just focusing on ourselves and the work we are doing seems to be slowly paying off. On my side, I continue focusing on the negative and working to improve and learn as much as I can.
The lap in Q3 was great, apart from when I lost the rear a bit in turns 16 and 17. I’m still happy to end the day with a result like this, but I am already fully focused on the race now.

Our race pace was good in FP2, which is a positive sign. We will start the race on different tyres to our competitors, but I don’t think that there is a huge difference between the soft and medium compounds in terms of their degradation. It will be difficult and crucial to keep everyone behind at the start, because it’s a long way to turn two. I will give it all I’ve got.”

Sebastian Vettel #5
“Overall I was reasonably happy with the car, but not entirely satisfied. Q1 was a bit complex as I made a mistake on my first attempt and then I was slowed by two yellow flags. I found it difficult to get into a clean rhythm, especially towards the end of Quali, when it was vital to extract the absolute maximum out of the car.

However the race is tomorrow and I am confident. We need a good start and then we can think about the rest of it. We start on the clean side, on the Softs while the Mercedes are on Mediums and being on different tyre strategies will make for an interesting fight. I believe we have made the right tyre choice for the start and I think we have an advantage over our rivals down the straight, so a tow might come into play.”

Mattia Binotto Team Principal
quote We are very happy with the way qualifying went. Already yesterday we realised that our car was quick and today we delivered the result. Once again, Charles produced a good lap, even though he made a couple of small mistakes, which means he had the potential to do even better. It has to be said that the track surface here is very smooth, so it’s easy to make a mistake.

Seb qualified third, which might actually be better than second when it comes to tomorrow’s start, even if it would have been nice to have locked out the front row.
The SF90 has improved and we have accelerated our development to have more drag and aero downforce. Also, thanks to the new package, we now lose out less in the corners and the overall balance is good.

As for the race, the key moment will probably be the start and another important aspect will be the fact we are starting on a different tyre compound to our competitors.”

[Tifoso Svedese]

There should be team orders for the start tomorrow that they have to give each other space and also a clear plan for how to get Vettel to Leclerc's tow so we can have them alongside one another but give Charles the inside line for Turn 2. We need to exploit our superior acceleration, better tyres and clean side to perfection to get Leclerc P1 and Vettel P2 out of S1 tomorrow and from then on it shouldn't be too hard to seal a 1-2 to be honest. Mercedes won't try and pit before half distance for sure so the undercut risk would be minimal, we just need them to work together to get the 1-2 in order at the end of lap one and from that moment on the Gandalf cars should be literally powerless to do anything about it. Even if the pit at say lap 35 for softs, by then they'd emerge 10-15 seconds adrift (assuming Charles leads) and with us being on mediums that won't wear too much.

[Vettel165]

Like I suspected, Seb still struggling in some way with the car. Yes the car is a little bit more planted with the new updates, but he still hasnt got the same good feeling with the throttle and braking, as he had in his best years. I have been following him since 2007.

Today this is what happened. Seb vs Charles lap comparision.

Leclerc doens't lift completely the throttle, and is much earlier accelerating from turn 4.

This is also the cause for the slightly higher speed on the back straight and and the performance in Sector 2.

Both drivers have to do some corrections in Turn 16 and they lose time.

Every time Vettel exits a corner, he has to modulate the throttle, he can't just floor it, this is the major problem vs Leclerc, he seems to have no confidence on the rears.

https://f1ingenerale.com/f1-gp-russia-ecco-perche-vettel-non-va-come-leclerc/

I know when Ferrari and the whole team can add a little bit more rear stability and downforce to the car he will be back with a bang also in qualy. But dont know that will happen soon, and until than I expect Charles to be faster in the qualy than him. Race is an another story. This is the reality.

Seb and high drag + high downforce car Red Bull style= Much better for him
Seb and low drag + low downforce cars 2019 style= Would never suit him, as he is sensitive in this department.

[Tifoso Svedese]

Seb and high drag + high downforce car Red Bull style= Much better for him
Seb and low drag + low downforce cars 2019 style= Would never suit him, as he is sensitive in this department.

Unfortunately, this is what separates the good from the great. Schumacher and Alonso were like lions no matter the car type and I see those signs growing for Leclerc as well. Vettel did have a great moment with the high-downforce era double-diffuser cars but he's not quite been the same since. For that reason alone, I doubt we'll ever see 2013-Seb again. I'd like to be wrong if it would happen in red but I fail to see how.

[nani_s23]

Unfortunately, this is what separates the good from the great. Schumacher and Alonso were like lions no matter the car type and I see those signs growing for Leclerc as well. Vettel did have a great moment with the high-downforce era double-diffuser cars but he's not quite been the same since.

Exactly my thoughts too. That’s why he’s never in the level of MS & Alonso. He can’t adapt to the car which is not liking to him. But when he gets it right, he’s unbeatable. It’s the point of right or wrong that’s it.

I agree with you, I’m seeing adaptability in car from Lec.

[19000rpmF-2004]

Like I suspected, Seb still struggling in some way with the car. Yes the car is a little bit more planted with the new updates, but he still hasnt got the same good feeling with the throttle and braking, as he had in his best years. I have been following him since 2007.

Today this is what happened. Seb vs Charles lap comparision.

Leclerc doens't lift completely the throttle, and is much earlier accelerating from turn 4.

This is also the cause for the slightly higher speed on the back straight and and the performance in Sector 2.

Both drivers have to do some corrections in Turn 16 and they lose time.

Every time Vettel exits a corner, he has to modulate the throttle, he can't just floor it, this is the major problem vs Leclerc, he seems to have no confidence on the rears.

https://f1ingenerale.com/f1-gp-russia-ecco-perche-vettel-non-va-come-leclerc/

I know when Ferrari and the whole team can add a little bit more rear stability and downforce to the car he will be back with a bang also in qualy. But dont know that will happen soon, and until than I expect Charles to be faster in the qualy than him. Race is an another story. This is the reality.

Seb and high drag + high downforce car Red Bull style= Much better for him
Seb and low drag + low downforce cars 2019 style= Would never suit him, as he is sensitive in this department.

I hear that too. Sev need a car with heigh downforce like Red Bull car and that is the reason he strugle.
Also that is the same reason D Riccardo is struggling at Renault. Other believe that MV will have the same problem if he move to other team from Red Bull.
Red Bull has being the bench mark on aero and down forse for the rest of the grid for many years.

[SilverSpeed]

Seb is old and cannot change his style any more while the youngster Charles has far troubles with this issue.

[19000rpmF-2004]

Sky has a contract with formula 1 to be only broadcast channel? I tired of the comments.

[stefa]

You lucky man to be in Italy, stefa, you'll need to find a sports bar or somewhere with Sky Italia coverage, you will probably need a drink to calm your nerves! Charles on pole again is proving that we have a megastar on our hands, let's hope tomorrow brings us another good result, Seb starting 3rd could work in our favour too, but Merc's tyre choice may help them in the long run... Hamilton will always be there to try and spoil our fun and he did look ridiculous in those post-quali glasses, maybe he has been blinded by the red mist around him. Here's hoping for a great result tomorrow and well done to both Charles and Seb.:thumb

Thank you! I look for some bar. Hopefully will get another 1-2!