Photo: F1
The Spaniard Ferrari driver set the pace on the opening day at the 15-turn 5.842 km circuit of Paul Ricard for the Lenovo Grand Prix DE France 2022, posting a 1:32.527, just 0.101 faster than teammate Charles Leclerc.
A lack of front end grip got the better of Max Verstappen, who was third .550s off the pace of Sainz. Mercedes driver George Russell was 0.764s off the pace ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton by 0.226s.
The No.1 takeaway from Friday is that Ferrari looks strong by topping both practice sessions and delivering a 1-2 in the second practice, more than half a second ahead of the field.
Data shows they enjoy a significant edge in slow-and Medium-speed turns but are matched by Red Bull in high-speed turns. Sainz is out of the running for the pole because of a power unit grid penalty with an additional penalty coming.
Red Bull has a slim edge in racing pace over Ferrari by just one-tenth of a second. With hot conditions expected throughout the weekend, tire management will be more critical than usual.
The team was strongest with a high fuel load but struggled with car balance and handling in low fuel conditions.
Mercedes were thought to make a significant amount of noise in France with a series of upgrades, weather conditions, high-speed layout, and the smoothness of the track catering to their strengths. However, both Russell and Hamilton expressed disappointment in not realizing the gains they had expected. The team overall expressed disappointment in not getting more high fuel load work during Friday's sessions. They still were able to be only fractions off in slow-, medium-, and high-speed corners.
Hamilton is optimistic that the team can compete for a podium with some overnight homework ahead of Saturday's practice, followed by qualifying.
All three top teams agree that whoever masters tire management the best without incident in the hot conditions will ultimately prevail.
The Formula One Lenovo Grand Prix Grand Prix De France 2022 can be seen on ESPN Sunday, July 24 @ 7:30 am EST.
The No.1 takeaway from Friday is that Ferrari looks strong by topping both practice sessions and delivering a 1-2 in the second practice, more than half a second ahead of the field.
Data shows they enjoy a significant edge in slow-and Medium-speed turns but are matched by Red Bull in high-speed turns. Sainz is out of the running for the pole because of a power unit grid penalty with an additional penalty coming.
Red Bull has a slim edge in racing pace over Ferrari by just one-tenth of a second. With hot conditions expected throughout the weekend, tire management will be more critical than usual.
The team was strongest with a high fuel load but struggled with car balance and handling in low fuel conditions.
Mercedes were thought to make a significant amount of noise in France with a series of upgrades, weather conditions, high-speed layout, and the smoothness of the track catering to their strengths. However, both Russell and Hamilton expressed disappointment in not realizing the gains they had expected. The team overall expressed disappointment in not getting more high fuel load work during Friday's sessions. They still were able to be only fractions off in slow-, medium-, and high-speed corners.
Hamilton is optimistic that the team can compete for a podium with some overnight homework ahead of Saturday's practice, followed by qualifying.
All three top teams agree that whoever masters tire management the best without incident in the hot conditions will ultimately prevail.
The Formula One Lenovo Grand Prix Grand Prix De France 2022 can be seen on ESPN Sunday, July 24 @ 7:30 am EST.
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