Red Bull and Max Verstappen faced difficulties during Friday’s practice sessions for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Formula 1. It is evident that Red Bull was using lower power modes compared to other teams, but this does not explain all of their difficulties. Verstappen had three moments where he went off track, as he was not used to handling the RB20 on the medium tire during FP1. However, after making some changes to the setup for FP2, he was more satisfied with the performance on that tire. Unfortunately, when he switched to the faster soft tire, he had issues with front grip, almost causing a spin. As a result, Verstappen was half a second slower than session leader Charles Leclerc’s time and only marginally faster than his teammate Sergio Perez.
Looking beyond the surface, McLaren was the fastest team. Lando Norris had a lap at Rivazza 1 that could have been 0.25 seconds faster than Leclerc’s time. Furthermore, McLaren’s performance in long runs was even more impressive. Oscar Piastri, in particular, was second in qualifying simulations, just 0.1 seconds behind Leclerc, but was the fastest in long runs. Although Piastri’s performance on the hard tire may have slightly exaggerated his pace, Norris showed an exceptional 15-lap sequence on the medium tire, similar to his race stint in Miami in terms of speed and duration.
Average of long runs:
– Hard:
– Piastri: 1m20.53s (10 laps)
– Leclerc: 1m20.73s (9 laps)
– Medium:
– Norris: 1m20.83s (15 laps)
– Hamilton: 1m20.89s (6 laps)
– Russell: 1m20.97s (6 laps)
– Perez: 1m21.13s (8 laps)
– Sainz: 1m21.15s (9 laps)
– Verstappen: 1m21.34s (6 laps)
– Alonso: [no lap time provided]
1m21.46s (8 laps)
In tabloid format, McLaren’s average time on the same medium tire was only 0.1s behind Leclerc’s, despite completing six more laps. This is particularly impressive considering the fast corners of the track, where McLaren performs well.
During the qualifying simulation with DRS, McLaren showed competitive performance compared to Red Bull. However, during the race simulations without DRS, McLaren actually gained significant time compared to Red Bull and Ferrari.
This can be partly attributed to Red Bull’s engine mode, but also indicates the positive aerodynamic efficiency of McLaren’s update introduced in Miami.
Although Pirelli’s tire choice for this race is softer than in 2022, with the hard C3 tire and the medium C4 tire, they still have the durability needed for a one-stop strategy, which is the fastest due to the long pit stop time at this track.
Leclerc in the heavily updated Ferrari seems competitive on paper, but his teammate Carlos Sainz is struggling to find a comfortable balance, as he was slower than the Red Bulls in both the qualifying simulation and the long race.
Sainz explained: “We tried some different setups in FP2, but that led us in the wrong direction. We’ll go back to what the car felt like in FP1 for tomorrow.”
On the other hand, Leclerc reported: “I feel good in the car. The updates are performing as expected.”
Mercedes had a promising Friday compared to their previous performances in the 2024 season. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell were the fourth and fifth fastest, respectively, ahead of Red Bull, but about 0.4s slower than Leclerc and Piastri.
Yuki Tsunoda showed impressive speed in low-fuel races, marking the third fastest time at Red Bull. However, this may be influenced by a lighter fuel load compared to the top teams. In the long races with the medium tire, Tsunoda’s pace dropped significantly, with an average lap time well below the top five teams.
Red Bull has a lot to analyze and understand overnight as they try to optimize their car, which has also undergone a significant aerodynamic upgrade.
With McLaren and Ferrari making substantial improvements with their own upgrades, it remains to be seen whether Red Bull will be able to keep up or if Verstappen will find himself fighting in the middle of the pack.
© 2024
Portugal wins the FIFA World Cup title
In an exciting match, the Portuguese national football team won the FIFA World Cup title. The team led by coach Renato Silva showed an engaging style of football and dominated the game from start to finish.
The game took place at the National Stadium in Lisbon and had an enthusiastic and passionate crowd. From the first minute, Portugal showed their superiority on the field and did not give the opposing team any chances.
The highlight of the match was forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored three goals and was crucial to Portugal’s victory. With his skill and determination, Ronaldo showed why he is considered one of the best players in the world.
In addition to Ronaldo, other players also stood out, such as Bernardo Silva and João Félix, who made beautiful plays and contributed to the final score of 4-0 in favor of Portugal.
With this victory, Portugal establishes itself as one of the great powers of world football. The Portuguese national team had already won the Eurocup in 2016 and now adds another important title to its history.
The Portuguese fans are in celebration and are commemorating this historic achievement. The streets of Lisbon are filled with supporters who are celebrating the title with great joy and emotion.
Coach Renato Silva is also ecstatic with the victory and congratulates his players for their impeccable performance on the field. He highlights the unity and commitment of the team as determining factors for success.
Now, the Portuguese national team is preparing for the upcoming challenges. With the World Cup title, Portugal becomes one of the favorites in future competitions and promises to continue enchanting the world with its quality football.
The celebration continues in Portugal and the fans are eager to welcome their heroes. The team will be received with a grand celebration, which promises to stay forever in the memories of the Portuguese.
Portugal conquers the title of the Football World Cup and enters the history of the sport. Congratulations to all the players and coaching staff for this great achievement!
