Sizzling on the heels of Ferrari’s powerful weekend on the Marina Bay Circuit, it has emerged that the Scuderia’s efficiency was closely restricted by brake points. F1Technical’s senior author Balazs Szabo explains how LICO pressured Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to defend fairly than to assault on the Singapore Grand Prix.
Ferrari endured a tough weekend final day trip at Singapore. The SF25 lacked pace in qualifying which noticed Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc safe solely the sixth and seventh spot on the grid.
The Monegasque acquired the higher begin on Sunday and located himself working fifth as he was capable of overtake his team-mate and the Mercedes of Andrea Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap.
Nonetheless, Leclerc encountered technical points and needed to take care of his brakes from the early phases of the race. On account of his difficulties, he misplaced out to the Italian as he was pressured to elevate and coast within the majority of the race.
Hamilton spent the vast majority of the Singapore Grand Prix in P7. As he had a free pit cease window, he pitted for a second time to take a recent set of softs. The seven-time world champion was capable of eat up the bottom to the again of his crew mate on recent rubber.
The Briton was let via to chase down his Mercedes alternative which he did, solely to lose his brakes late on. He allowed Leclerc again via and misplaced practically 40 seconds to Alonso over the past couple of laps.
Nonetheless, whereas he was wanting to nurse his brake points on the ultimate laps, he exceeded the observe limits on 4 events for which he obtained a five-second penalty. It meant the Leclerc completed sixth whereas Hamilton left the Marina Bay Circuit with an eighth-place end.
Reflecting on Ferrari’s weekend, Leclerc admitted that he was not totally shocked by the Scuderia’s lack of tempo on the Singapore Grand Prix, because the follow periods had indicated that the SF-25 wouldn’t carry out in the identical method as its predecessors had on the Marina Bay Circuit.
“It was a extremely tough race, sadly, a mirrored image of the entire weekend. Proper from Friday, we struggled to search out the fitting feeling with the automobile and we by no means managed to place every little thing collectively in the best way we’d have wished.
“At present, in site visitors it was unattainable to maneuver ahead, as we additionally needed to cope with cooling issues. Sadly, the place we completed displays the place we’re at this time.
“Over the previous two races we now have encountered numerous difficulties that we should now analyse intimately, in order that we are able to begin enhancing once more. The purpose is to be higher ready and able to struggle with our fundamental rivals in two weeks’ time in the USA.”
What does LICO stand for?
Talking to reporters after the race, Leclerc revealed that Ferrari might have supply a greater tempo at Singapore, however he needed to handle his brakes “all through your complete race”.
“I believe within the final laps we misplaced about 15 seconds to the leaders. However that doesn’t totally replicate the fact. I needed to handle the brakes all through your complete race, and it was removed from ideally suited. All of us needed to do it given the temperatures.
“However for us, it was actually excessive, particularly in the direction of the tip. From the primary lap to the final, after the preliminary overtakes, it was an extremely powerful race.”
The radio trade between Leclerc and his race engineer Bryan Bozzi revealed the true extent of the problems for the Scuderia. Bozzi requested Leclerc to hold out LICO for almost all of the race.
LICO stands for “Raise and Coast”, one thing that has been a standard incidence for Ferrari all through this season.
Whereas the Scuderia’s drivers normally must “elevate and coast” as a way to keep away from doable points with plank put on, the Singapore Grand Prix pressured Hamilton and Leclerc to elevate on the finish of the lengthy full-throttle sections to take care of their brakes.
“Don’t even complain. For fu**s sake. We’re doing 200 metres of LICO on a regular basis!,” Leclerc mentioned over crew radio.”
Key moments of the race trade between Leclerc and Bozzi concerning the brake points:
Lap 5: Bozzi: „Preserve performing some LICO T14 and T16, subsequent 2 corners.”
Lap 17: Bozzi: „Minimize the height and LICO, rear left dics temp sizzling.”
Lap 18: Bozzi: „So rear left dics too sizzling. We have to take away some braking power and convey it again down, rear left.”
Lap 19: Bozzi: „Sure, we had a rear dics imbalance, you’ve got recovered most of it now.”
Lap 20: Leclerc: „Inform me after I can push once more. I’m shedding loads of time.”
Bozzi: „Sure, regularly choose up the tempo.”
Lap 28: Bozzi: „We want gentle LICO, Charles, gentle. Antonelli DRS.” Leclerc:„This LICO is…”
Lap: 29: Bozzi: „We want no less than 30 metres in all of the braking zones.”
Lap 39: Leclerc: „Which brakes do wee must prtect?” Bozzi: „Now it’s the entrance, the entrance.” Leclerc: „Replace me on these items.”
Lap 41: Leclerc: „Come on, I would like updates ont he brakes, Entrance, rear okay. There’s a lot. I simply must know.”Bozzi: „On the finish of this lap, you’ll be able to cease LICO and push.”
Lap 51: Bozzi: „We want 20 metres LICO once more. We have to handle each entrance and rear brakes for 20 metres.”
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