A Turbulent Day for Ferrari at Interlagos
A spinning Ferrari was a familiar scene on Friday at Interlagos, with Lewis Hamilton experiencing a dramatic 720-degree spin after his SF-25 bottomed out at Mergulho during FP1.
Challenges in the Second Sector
The second sector of the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace is notorious for its bumps and varied camber and gradient. Just three corners prior, Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc had his own spin during the second part of sprint qualifying. This triggered yellow flags and caused Hamilton to cross the finish line after the chequered flag was waved, eliminating his chance for another fast lap.
Reflecting on Performance
Despite the setbacks, Hamilton acknowledged he was having an off day. “The yellow flag didn’t help, but we gave it everything we had,” he remarked following his elimination in SQ2. “We’re just not fast enough right now, and I need to focus on having fun in my current position.” At 11th place, he decided to shift his mindset to enjoy the race.
Close Margins in Qualifying
Although Hamilton was marginally faster than Leclerc earlier in the session, his 1m09.811s lap time left him outside the top 10, underlining the razor-thin margins in F1 today. Following Leclerc’s spin, Hamilton’s next attempt was even slower at 1m09.934s, which ultimately kept him from advancing.
Ferrari’s Ongoing Struggles
Ferrari’s challenges throughout the season stem from persistent issues with the SF-25. Its aerodynamic design is meant for low ride heights, yet they have struggled to achieve this in real conditions. Effective rear ride heights are crucial under ground-effect regulations, and the team has been unable to find a solution that allows optimal performance without compromising ride height.
Comparative Performance and Technical Insights
While teams like McLaren and Red Bull have figured out how to maintain an effective low ride height, Ferrari has not yet cracked this code. With Leclerc’s qualifying pace plateauing and issues like a gear downshift error, there are still significant hurdles to overcome for the team.
Conclusion and Looking Ahead
Despite the disappointing day, Hamilton avoided penalties regarding the yellow flag incident, which was judged as unavoidable since he was past the flags when they were displayed. Moving forward, both drivers will need to take valuable lessons from this session to improve their strategies for the upcoming races.
