For one spherical solely, having the facility of a ‘GP2 engine’ isn’t insurmountable as drivers spend simply 43% of the lap on full throttle – the least of any circuit on the calendar. Likewise, McLaren needn’t be fairly so involved concerning the extreme drag from its MCL60, for the reason that common pace is simply 105mph. Neither is imperfect aerodynamic effectivity brutally punished within the principality. This historic venue is an outlier.
With the emphasis as a substitute tipped in the direction of mechanical grip across the pristine, hosed-down streets, being fast requires a capability to brake confidently into the 19 corners, discover a well-behaved chassis on the apex after which depend on sound traction to slingshot out the opposite facet.
Fernando Alonso reckons it’ll take a botched pitstop, a bout of unreliability or a crash to knock a Purple Bull driver off the highest step of the rostrum this season. Maybe a wet forecast for this weekend can intervene too. However, for all of the reward rightly given to the RB19’s potent DRS, straight-line pace and stability by high-speed corners, if any observe can depart Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez susceptible this yr, Monaco may be it.
In earlier seasons, a lot has been learn into the fiddly last sector of the previous Spanish GP – with its vicious kerbs and defining chicane – for what it signifies concerning the kind information heading into Monaco. However a rejigged operating order which now locations the Barcelona spherical immediately after 78 laps across the French Riviera means it is a comparability that goes out the window this yr. Nevertheless, the road circuit-biased begin to the time period permits a run round Azerbaijan to fill the void.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR23, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin AMR23
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
The second sector of the Baku lap takes drivers from the 90-degree left-hander of Flip 5, up by the treacherously slender fort part and again all the way down to the entry of the important Flip 16, which tees up the flat-out dash to the road. The center a part of the lap is outlined by low-speed, second and third-gear corners and staccato bursts of acceleration. A few longer stretches, for this comparability, will mimic the cost by the Monaco tunnel. Bar a nook or two from Australia and Miami, that is probably the most apt doppelganger featured to date.
In isolation, the sector two occasions taken from the qualifying session for the total Azerbaijan GP look good for Ferrari. Saturday dash and Sunday polesitter Charles Leclerc set the benchmark over the Purple Bulls by 0.15 seconds. That bodes effectively for a slice of house success for the Monegasque racer. However the Scuderia additionally concedes that its race tempo has lacked in comparison with its Milton Keynes rival, who in flip has scarified some one-lap efficiency.
Ferrari driver coach Jock Clear says: “We have to totally perceive how we are able to get the race tempo. We’ve to take our hat off to Purple Bull and say they’re doing one thing very, very intelligent. That automobile works very, very effectively in race tempo. We’d additionally conclude that to take action, perhaps they’re giving up some qualifying tempo. That is why we are able to compete with them as a result of they are not optimum in qualifying.”
As such, if Leclerc was to keep away from extending his unwelcome document of crashing on his doorstep to as a substitute lead from pole, the dry race tempo indications from Baku level to him having one or each Purple Bulls respiration down his neck.
2023 Azerbaijan GP qualifying sector two occasions
With Aston Martin an extra 0.3s slower than Purple Bull by the center sector in Baku, the Silverstone workforce seems to face an uphill battle to ship Alonso a victory – a prospect that may have appeared extra possible this weekend than another. Nevertheless, the inexperienced machines would possibly nonetheless come to the fore.
Though the headline sector time leaves somewhat to be desired, the extra exact GPS knowledge is Positive for the AMR23s. With Alonso’s quickest effort from the Friday afternoon session overlaid with these of respective workforce pacesetters Leclerc, Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, Aston seems to be strongest of all underneath preliminary acceleration.
Out of Flip 5, for the method to the fort and between the stone turrets, he units the tempo because the rear axle hooks up neatly. On condition that the Spaniard is then quickest over the timing line regardless of the Astons having struggled in a straight line in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia factors to a set-up that leans in the direction of aero effectivity. If the workforce backs down from this assault to favour its earlier configurations that enabled Alonso to be the final of the late brakers within the opening rounds, then the low-speed prowess ought to come collectively effectively for Monaco.
Sticking with the Baku telemetry, Purple Bull proved quickest from entry to exit by the slower adjustments of path – even when its exact apex pace was constantly 2-3mph beneath its rivals. Ferrari then got here to the fore in the direction of the tip of the straights. Mercedes, in the meantime, solely set the tempo out of the Flip 15 kink. However the purple and silver vehicles might characteristic extra considerably in Monaco.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-23
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Whereas Ferrari has delayed its upgraded rear suspension till Spain owing to the heavy rain that was predicted for Imola, a revised ground and diffuser in Miami plus an extra tweak to the rear for Monaco ought to ship lap time. The adjustments being conceived to make the chassis extra benign ought to marry effectively with the twisty Monaco lap. Particularly when the rear needs to interrupt free underneath acceleration and if any moist climate does arrive.
Equally, Mercedes is one thing of an unknown amount. The revised dash schedule for Azerbaijan punished its characteristically sluggish begin to weekends. Unable to optimise set-up in FP1, it was on the again foot for the remainder of the spherical. Therefore a near-0.5s hole to Ferrari by the center sector.
A extra conventional format ought to assist issues. As does the arrival of its first main improve. The W14 will sprout typical sidepods, a revised ground and new entrance suspension to placate drivers which might be sad with automobile stability. Whereas none are optimised for Monaco, if these revisions correlate with wind tunnel simulations of improved efficiency, a point of that shall be on show this weekend.
Though motorsport boss Toto Wolff has given a actuality examine, warning that one replace package deal alone is not going to thrust Mercedes into championship competition in a single day, Hamilton and George Russell ought to nonetheless anticipate to whittle away at that half-second deficit.