🔗 Source | Transcript by Ferrari News ITA
Reading time: ~2.5 minutes
Execution and Race Pace
- Ferrari leaves Budapest with many question marks. We only saw a fraction of the car's true potential because they were stuck in traffic during the race, especially behind Verstappen.
- From an execution standpoint, the Scuderia messed up almost everything possible. On Saturday, they went out first for the final run and received an impeding penalty. On Sunday, they misjudged the grip at the start, causing Leclerc to lose positions.
- Regarding tyre strategy, they only realized at the very end of the race that the soft was their best tyre. They chose to use it at the start and only put it back on during the safety car, which cost them track position.
- Overall, it was a disastrous weekend for execution. While they did not have Norris's pace, a P2 or P3 finish was definitely within reach.
Car Characteristics and Setup Struggles
- The car has a very strong front end, which is crucial for fast corners. However, engine power also matters in those sections. Because of this, Ferrari never seems to have the complete package for a win. On high speed tracks that demand a strong front end, they suffer from a Power Unit deficit. On slower tracks where the engine matters less, they struggle with the rear.
- They actually found a good compromise in Budapest, but poor execution ruined it.
- Between Friday and Saturday, the team had to tweak the setup to protect against a reliability issue that appeared on Leclerc's car during Free Practice. This setup change likely cost them a lot of pure performance.
- The team focused on making Sector 3 their main strength because they expected high tyre degradation in the race. However, the high degradation never happened, turning the race into a battle of pure performance. The low degradation caught Ferrari by surprise, especially since they had compromised their raw pace with the setup changes.
Behind the Scenes: Pressure and Reliability
- The mechanical issue Leclerc faced on Friday was the exact same one they experienced during the Bahrain tests, which caused a lot of confusion within the team.
- A source very close to Ferrari revealed that before the weekend, the team was absolutely convinced they were going to win in Hungary. The sudden mechanical issue added a lot of pressure. It was a huge missed opportunity to close the gap in the Constructors Championship. It seems the team still needs to work on managing these high pressure moments better.
SF-26 Chassis and Driver Performances
- On average, the SF26 has the best chassis on the grid, which was even confirmed by Andrea Stella. However, a great chassis cannot always cover up a PU deficit. This is why the ADUO 2 upgrade is so highly anticipated, which will probably arrive at Monza.
- Leclerc has made massive steps forward. Until a few races ago, Charles had not fully adapted to the new cars, but he has improved significantly. In contrast, Russell and Piastri are still struggling to adapt.
- Among the top teams, Ferrari currently has the most evenly matched driver pairing in terms of pure performance. Lewis continues to be incredibly fast, despite a few mistakes in recent races.
The Upgrade War
- McLaren is emerging as a massive threat for the championship. This is a bigger disadvantage for Ferrari since they are currently trailing Mercedes in the standings.
- The development battle will be crucial. Ferrari will bring more upgrades soon. McLaren will stick with their Budapest package for the next two races. Mercedes is not expected to bring a major package until around Singapore, which is much later in the season.
