2023 Japanese Grand Prix - Practice & Qualifying Thread

[elnano14]

Look likes RBR / Max is back again
The RB19 + front limited track is a match made in heaven
This track is supposed not suitable for us, but I think we're doing fine, both Leclerc and Sainz took P2 & P4 in both FP, with Lando was in-between those 2
Race pace was fine too, just the gap to Max is too big...

[paolo lalli]

P2 constructors championship this is the ferrari target for 2023 as for drivers top3 would be amazing.Where is checo in all of this today.Maybe all the rubber was taken off his red bull and some left on Max's car.Seriously they can not be that far apart.

[racingbradley]

Not a bad start for our boys to-day but it's only practice and we don't know what the other teams are doing.

Merc are quite a bit ahead. We might have to be satisfied with 3rd in the constructors but never say no.

[SilverSpeed]

Floor update is working good to know this!

[gump1480]

Why are we so slow today?

[nani_s23]

Why are we so slow today?

S1 is killing us .5ths down alone. Similar to silverstone S2.

Mclaren seem to have upper hand on us this weekend.

[nani_s23]

Charles: "I made a mistake in S3 but not a huge one.

Where are we losing compared to McLaren?"

Xavi: "Compared to Norris, we are losing half a second in S1, half a tenth in S2, you are faster by a tenth in S3. So mainly S1."

Charles: "There is no more what I've done there."

[gump1480]

S1 is killing us .5ths down alone. Similar to silverstone S2.

Mclaren seem to have upper hand on us this weekend.

So yesterday's pace was a fluke. We didn't lose so much in S1 to them in FP1 and FP2. Good lord...this car has no front end. Pathetic.

[nani_s23]

So yesterday's pace was a fluke. We didn't lose so much in S1 to them in FP1 and FP2. Good lord...this car has no front end. Pathetic.

FP1 & FP2 are never representative. Teams go back & fine tune the set up for FP3 & build it up to Quali. That’s how the process is.

This track suits Mclaren very much (example: Silverstone), hence they are front.

Mclaren vs Ferrari vs Mercedes … these teams performance varies from track to track.

[elnano14]

Yesterday we already 0.4 - 0.5s slower than Max in sector 1
McLaren upping their game today, plus our sector 2 is not as strong as yesterday anymore (Charles was the fastest man in sector 2 yesterday)

[nani_s23]

Yesterday we already 0.4 - 0.5s slower than Max in sector 1
McLaren upping their game today, plus our sector 2 is not as strong as yesterday anymore (Charles was the fastest man in sector 2 yesterday)

It’s all down to engine modes come quali. But I feel ferrari could be 3rd or 4th fastest team here on this track.
Mercs generally are good at strategy & Race pace.

[paolo lalli]

2nd i n constructors is the target finish in front of mercs that's the mission for the races that remain.

[stefa]

CS is nowhere this weekend compared to CL

[nani_s23]

CS is nowhere this weekend compared to CL

Balance is swinging from track to track.

[stefa]

Red Bull in their usual from this earth performance

[stefa]

Balance is swinging from track to track.

Would be great to be in front of Mercedes

[Aviamata]

we our guys sitting in the garage ?

[stefa]

S1 is KILLING US!!!!

[Aviamata]

S1 is KILLING US!!!!

These type of corner is what killing us this season so . Anyway we still ahead of Mercedes , tomorrow hope our guys try their best to reduce the gap in the WCC

[nani_s23]

S1 is KILLING US!!!!

Yup similar to silverstone S2. It’s all about high speed corners.

[nani_s23]

Mclaren didn’t improve on their 2nd run. It was close for Charles leclerc to get P2 or P3.

[Aviamata]

Anyone watched practices session there ? How is our long-run pace ?

[patrese86]

Leclerc couldn't of done anymore.

Max is ridiculous, Perez is no slouch and would be matching Norris and Piastri in that McLaren.

How did our long race pace look? Think we will need a bit of a miracle for a podium but you never know.

[Aviamata]

Leclerc couldn't of done anymore.

Max is ridiculous, Perez is no slouch and would be matching Norris and Piastri in that McLaren.

How did our long race pace look? Think we will need a bit of a miracle for a podium but you never know.

If these guys doing something crazy tommorow , there's chance for us to get a podium

[nani_s23]

If these guys doing something crazy tommorow , there's chance for us to get a podium

Perez is behind. He will obviously get ahead of Ferrari’s.

Hope for 2 DNF’s for top3… then ferrari can be on podium

[paolo lalli]

Finish in front of mercs that's the game plan.Max should win with McLaren fighting for 2nd ferrari will fight for third or fourth. SHOULD FINISH IN FRONT OF MERCS CLOSE UP THE CONSTRUCTORS POINTS.

[elnano14]

Our race pace (with Leclerc yesterday) is decent, but tyre deg is very high in this track, tyres fall off very quick
Leclerc had the same deg on mediums while Norris was on softs yesterday

[elnano14]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F6tBuFia...jpg&name=large
Tyres available for tomorrow. Max have 3 sets of new medium, Perez and Ferrari with 2 sets of medium. Mercedes, McLaren & Alonso with 2 sets of hard.