Las Vegas promised to be an atypical monitor able to shaking issues up, and the primary day of observe on the U.S. circuit delivered lots to debate. As anticipated, the low grip ranges and really low temperatures—reaching simply 13°C on the asphalt throughout FP2—considerably impacted each pure lap efficiency and tire administration over longer runs.
Tires will undoubtedly be the first focus all through the weekend. Greater than the automobiles’ technical traits, the important thing issue seems to be how groups exploit the tires and the way a lot grip they’ll generate.
Alongside monitor evolution, groups pursued various applications. Pink Bull and Ferrari adjusted their setups to progressively scale back drag from FP1 to FP2, aligning with benchmarks from rivals. In the meantime, McLaren diversified inside the staff: Lando Norris opted for a extra loaded entrance wing, whereas Oscar Piastri selected a much less loaded configuration with a trimmed higher flap for Las Vegas.
Mercedes shines on Friday, McLaren within the center
Mercedes usually excels on Fridays however struggles to take care of the sting because the weekend progresses, with rivals enhancing whereas the W15 stagnates. George Russell acknowledges this situation might repeat tomorrow, notably because of gasoline masses and engine mappings, as Mercedes tends to push more durable on Fridays. However, each Russell and Lewis Hamilton expressed confidence.
Their W15 felt aggressive and carried out effectively beneath the day’s situations, particularly in sluggish sections such because the 7/8/9 sequence and the ultimate chicane, the place it was very sharp on nook entry. This power in sluggish corners has been a season-long pattern, because the W15 struggles extra in flowing sequences.
The actual distinction lies in tire administration. All through the season, the Brackley automobile has fared higher in cooler situations, shedding grip extra shortly in hotter climates. In Las Vegas, the drivers discovered the automobile tough to deal with because of low grip, however it was total much less nervous than different automobiles—an element that has usually penalized Russell and Hamilton this season.
Nonetheless, Mercedes lacks prime pace, falling behind different prime groups besides Pink Bull, which loses six-tenths because of the absence of a real low-downforce bundle. On the Strip, Mercedes trails McLaren by about 3–4 km/h, akin to Ferrari when neither Carlos Sainz nor Charles Leclerc advantages from slipstreams. The hole grows to 9 km/h earlier than the braking zone of Flip 4 in comparison with the McLaren MCL38.
McLaren’s automobile, as confirmed by its drivers, is aggressive in qualifying runs, excelling at bringing the tires into the suitable window and capitalizing on prime speeds on straights. Nonetheless, McLaren struggled in particular corners, reminiscent of Flip 1 and the 7/8/9 sequence, the place Norris lacked the aggression seen from the Mercedes drivers. The staff is extra involved about graining throughout lengthy runs—an issue all groups confronted because of low temperatures—however Norris was notably shocked by the automobile’s tempo with larger gasoline masses.
Oscar Piastri’s long term was extra convincing, although McLaren began their stint aggressively, in contrast to rivals who started with larger lap occasions to protect the tires. This strategy will doubtless be reviewed post-FP2 to deal with graining points beforehand seen at tracks like Monza.
Ferrari works on tender tire efficiency
Ferrari continues to grapple with tire temperatures, a recurring problem this season. The Las Vegas format fits the SF-24 with its lengthy straights and sharp corners that don’t overly stress the entrance tires. Nonetheless, as anticipated, bringing the tires into the suitable window has been tough.
This situation has plagued Ferrari in different races, notably when attempting to maximise tender tires for qualifying. Ferrari struggled extra on the tender compound than on the medium, prompting the staff to check completely different methods, reminiscent of including an additional lap after the outlap to heat the tires additional—contrasting with McLaren and Mercedes.
The circuit’s low aerodynamic load in corners complicates extracting clear laps. Leclerc needed to abort a number of laps, contemplating a brand new strategy for utilizing tender tires, whereas Sainz struggled to string collectively an ideal lap, shedding time in Turns 1, 8, and 12 whereas engaged on brake launch to enhance cornering pace.
Flip 1 stays a important focus for Ferrari, because it challenges the SF-24’s means to take care of rotation mid-corner with out shedding rear traction on exit. Sainz tried excessive entry speeds however couldn’t maintain the tempo by way of subsequent sections, shedding tenths to Mercedes and McLaren.
General, the SF-24 performs effectively on straights, aided by a lower-downforce wing setup in FP2 (although Sainz’s Strip reference benefited from a powerful slipstream). Nonetheless, Ferrari should enhance grip to seek out rhythm in corners and braking zones, notably with the tender tires. Whereas the drivers really feel extra optimistic about race tempo—regardless of graining and degradation points shared with rivals—single-lap efficiency stays a higher limitation.
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