In preparation for the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League, the grid order for the Chinese Grand Prix gained a unique twist. Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin secured a surprising third position, while the Ferraris, usually Red Bull’s main competitors, are in sixth and seventh places, separated by the two McLarens. On the other hand, Mercedes had a disastrous day, with George Russell starting in eighth and Lewis Hamilton in 18th.
This seemingly random grid order is not a coincidence. In the first two days back on the Shanghai track after a five-year absence, a distinctive performance factor emerged. The track grip did not evolve in the usual way seen during a typical grand prix weekend. As rubber is deposited and grip increases, cars typically suffer understeer. As grip increases for all four tires, the rear tires tend to gain more grip than the front tires.
This pattern is a normal part of a race weekend, and teams adjust their settings accordingly. However, historically Shanghai has not been a track where rear tires are the limiting factor. Instead, front tire wear has posed the biggest challenge. This year, however, the track is proving to be limited by the rear tires. Grip has not improved significantly, possibly due to the protective surface coating and rain on Friday. As a result, the balance of the cars did not shift towards understeer as expected, putting additional stress on the rear tires.
This discovery was gradually revealed throughout each session, but was confirmed during the morning race. Red Bull had a bigger advantage than usual, with Ferrari as the second fastest car, hindered by Alonso’s Aston and his highly worn rear tires. This allowed Hamilton to secure a distant second place behind Max Verstappen.
Interestingly, the cars that struggled with low temperature tires during Friday’s sprint qualifying – Red Bull and Ferrari – ended up being the fastest cars in the dry race, benefiting from better tire wear. On the other hand, McLarens and Aston, which generated good tire temperature in qualifying, did not perform well in the sprint. Mercedes was somewhere in between.
The new parc fermé regulations for the sprint, implemented for the first time this weekend, allowed teams to make changes to the settings between sprint qualifying and the grand prix qualifying. Teams sought to protect the rear tires by introducing some understeer in their cars. However, the choice was complicated by the influence of strong winds. The variable strength and direction of the wind had a significant impact on the car’s balance, especially on a low-grip surface.
Verstappen, the pole position for the grand prix, acknowledged the confusion caused by the wind, which affected his lap in Q3. Despite the challenges, he managed to secure the pole position. The Red Bull, known for generating a significant portion of its aerodynamic pressure from the bottom of the car, was less affected by the wind. Perez, after a challenging session, qualified in second place, narrowly avoiding elimination in Q1.
Alonso, who qualified in third, does not believe that his position will have a significant impact on the race result. He expects to finish behind the Ferraris, McLarens, and possibly the Mercedes. However, he remains optimistic about his team’s qualifying performance.
Comparing onboard footage between Alonso’s Aston and Russell’s Mercedes, it is evident that the Aston had better change of direction. It is not clear whether Alonso intentionally designed less understeer to improve his grid position or if it is simply a characteristic of the car’s natural balance and tire usage.
Lando Norris, qualifying in fourth place, shares Alonso’s concerns regarding rear tire management, despite changes in settings made after the sprint race. He believes there is room for improvement in this area.
Mercedes had a disappointing qualifying session, mainly due to Hamilton’s mistake of underestimating the tailwind at Turn 14 during Q1. He went off track and failed to advance to Q2, losing valuable time. Russell, who had already used a set of soft tires in the sprint race, had to use an additional set in Q2 due to a red flag caused by Sainz. With only one lap in challenging wind conditions in Q3, Russell was not at his best. However, Mercedes is confident in their tire wear, which is likely better than that of the McLarens and Alonso’s Aston.
Ferrari remains optimistic about their chances in the race, despite a disappointing result in qualifying. They believe they have a competitive car and will focus on overtaking other cars quickly. The main challenge will be navigating through the DRS train and taking advantage of overtaking opportunities when DRS is not available.
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The Brazilian driver Felipe Massa announced his retirement from Formula 1 racing. Massa, who currently competes for the Williams team, made the announcement during a press conference this Thursday. The 35-year-old driver said that this will be his last season in Formula 1 and that he is looking forward to starting a new chapter in his life.
Massa is one of the most experienced drivers in Formula 1, having competed for over 15 years in the category. He started his career at Sauber before joining Ferrari, where he had his best performance, coming very close to winning the world title in 2008. However, a serious accident at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009 left him with serious injuries and affected his career.
After recovering from the accident, Massa returned to compete in Formula 1, but never managed to reach the same level of success. He joined Williams in 2014 and has been a valuable member of the team since then, helping to develop the car and providing experienced leadership for younger drivers.
Although Massa is retiring from Formula 1, he does not plan to completely abandon motorsport. He has expressed interest in competing in other categories, such as Formula E or endurance races. Massa also said that he is excited to spend more time with his family and explore new opportunities off the tracks.
The news of Massa’s retirement was met with sadness by Brazilian fans and the Formula 1 community. Many praised his career and dedication to the sport, highlighting his friendly personality and his skill as a driver. Massa will certainly leave his mark on the history of Formula 1 as one of the most beloved and respected drivers.
