Alexandre
Ferrari arrives in Shanghai with the firm intention of erasing the disappointment of Melbourne. On the Shanghai circuit, the Scuderia Ferrari finally wants to measure the true competitiveness of its SF-25.
The Chinese rendezvous, the second event of the Formula 1is very different from Albert Park. Teams will have to contend with a layout featuring long, technical corners, freshly-laid asphalt and lower temperatures than in Melbourne, at least on Friday (around 18°C), before an expected rise to 24°C for the rest of the weekend. What's more, the tire range (C2, C3 and C4) has nothing in common with that used in Australia, and we'll have to keep a close eye on how the asphalt "gums up" over the laps.
This Chinese Grand Prix also marks the first Sprint of the season, A single free practice session on Friday morning, followed by a qualifying session that will set the parameters for the rest of the weekend, right up to the end of the Sprint race on Saturday. In other words, there will be very little margin for error to optimize the SF-25 from the start of the weekend.
Despite the tight schedule and the uncertainty of a track not yet sufficiently "gummed up", Frédéric Vasseur is optimistic:
"We're delighted to be back on track so soon after Melbourne, as the Shanghai race gives us the opportunity to turn the page immediately. The circuit's characteristics are totally different from those at Albert Park. What's more, this Sprint weekend features a novel format that leaves more points at stake."
The Ferrari Team Principal insists on the importance of preparatory work, particularly in the simulator, to avoid any setbacks:
"From a technical point of view, it was essential to do some thorough work in Maranello before arriving here. As always, we'll only have one hour of free practice, and we'll have to use part of that time to get used to the completely new asphalt. We'll do our utmost to exploit the SF-25's full potential and support Charles and Lewis as best we can, knowing that they've always enjoyed this track."
On the good news front, Ferrari received all its equipment from Melbourne on time. Not so for McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Aston Martin, who had to wait until Wednesday afternoon to pick up their crates due to logistical delays on two cargo flights.
With this setback avoided and a spirit of revenge in the ranks, the Scuderia hopes that the lessons learned from the Australian Grand Prix will enable it to approach Shanghai with a perfectly tuned car from the very first laps. It's at this price that Ferrari will finally be able to reveal the SF-25's true performance, and perhaps kick-start a new dynamic in the race for the world title.