What’s going on with Alpine? 🤔
In Mexico, every team went quicker in quali than last year - except for Alpine, which was 0.654s SLOWER!
Gasly said he was satisfied with the progress from Friday to Saturday… yet he qualified 18th (8th last year).
The team claims it’s focused on 2026, but so are most others... and that shouldn’t make them SLOWER than last year.
Underpowered engine, poor low-speed performance… they’ve only scored points at four tracks so far, mainly those demanding high aero efficiency: Bahrain, Catalunya, Silverstone, Spa.
They currently sit dead last in the WCC, their worst showing since 1978!
What's your take? 👀
Made via @JMP_software
In Mexico, every team went quicker in quali than last year - except for Alpine, which was 0.654s SLOWER!
Gasly said he was satisfied with the progress from Friday to Saturday… yet he qualified 18th (8th last year).
The team claims it’s focused on 2026, but so are most others... and that shouldn’t make them SLOWER than last year.
Underpowered engine, poor low-speed performance… they’ve only scored points at four tracks so far, mainly those demanding high aero efficiency: Bahrain, Catalunya, Silverstone, Spa.
They currently sit dead last in the WCC, their worst showing since 1978!
What's your take? 👀
Made via @JMP_software
🤔7❤4
SÃO PAULO GP 🇧🇷 | WING THURSDAY!
Medium-load setups on average, but with plenty of variety:
• Medium-low: Mercedes, Racing Bulls (better if dry);
• Medium-high: Aston, Alpine, Haas (better if wet).
Also big design contrasts: ‘V’-shaped lower plane for McLaren/Ferrari vs full-width for Red Bull.
📸 @AlbertFabrega
Medium-load setups on average, but with plenty of variety:
• Medium-low: Mercedes, Racing Bulls (better if dry);
• Medium-high: Aston, Alpine, Haas (better if wet).
Also big design contrasts: ‘V’-shaped lower plane for McLaren/Ferrari vs full-width for Red Bull.
📸 @AlbertFabrega
👍8❤6
SÃO PAULO GP 🇧🇷 | SPRINT QUALIFYING
BEST SECTOR GAP:
NOR was just 0.014s behind VER in Sector 1, and quickest in the other 2. VER lost over 4 tenths in S2 alone!
Teams by ideal lap/sector
1) 🟠 McL/NOR (quick everywhere);
2) 🟢 Aston/ALO (well-rounded);
3) ⚫️ Merc (Struggled in S2, good S3);
4) 🔵 RBR/VER (Fantastic S1, disaster S2);
...
7) 🔴 Ferrari! Slow everywhere, and worst car in S3!
BEST SECTOR GAP:
NOR was just 0.014s behind VER in Sector 1, and quickest in the other 2. VER lost over 4 tenths in S2 alone!
Teams by ideal lap/sector
1) 🟠 McL/NOR (quick everywhere);
2) 🟢 Aston/ALO (well-rounded);
3) ⚫️ Merc (Struggled in S2, good S3);
4) 🔵 RBR/VER (Fantastic S1, disaster S2);
...
7) 🔴 Ferrari! Slow everywhere, and worst car in S3!
❤8🥰1
SÃO PAULO GP 🇧🇷 | RACE: TOP SPEED PER LAP
🚀 With a fresh power unit, Verstappen hit the highest top speed (346 km/h, same as low-drag Sauber) in his stunning charge from pit lane to the podium, despite an early puncture!
Reminiscent of Hamilton’s 2017/2021 Brazil comebacks.
🏁 Fastest race pace too, even in traffic; full analysis tomorrow!
🚀 With a fresh power unit, Verstappen hit the highest top speed (346 km/h, same as low-drag Sauber) in his stunning charge from pit lane to the podium, despite an early puncture!
Reminiscent of Hamilton’s 2017/2021 Brazil comebacks.
🏁 Fastest race pace too, even in traffic; full analysis tomorrow!
❤6👏3
SÃO PAULO GP 🇧🇷 | RACE: TYRE DEG AND STRATEGIES
The fact that we had different strategies does not change this: compounds weren’t equal at all performance-wise!
🟡 Medium > 🔴 Soft >> ⚪️ Hard
Hards were dropped after poor pace, while Softs ran only as the mandatory second compound: Mediums had better degradation AND pace!
The fact that we had different strategies does not change this: compounds weren’t equal at all performance-wise!
🟡 Medium > 🔴 Soft >> ⚪️ Hard
Hards were dropped after poor pace, while Softs ran only as the mandatory second compound: Mediums had better degradation AND pace!
❤11👏1
AVERAGE GAP TO POLE AFTER 21 RACES
🟠 McLaren, 🟣 Alpine: the only two #F1 teams that got farther from pole as the season went on!
Everyone else closed the gap; ⚪️ Haas clawed back over a third of its deficit.
In the 2nd half, 🟡 Racing Bulls overtook 🔵 Williams, while Alpine went from 7th to last!
Ferrari improved more (0.18% closer) than Mercedes (0.09%), who did better than RBR (0.03%): the top 4 teams got much closer by the season's end.
Made via @JMP_software
🟠 McLaren, 🟣 Alpine: the only two #F1 teams that got farther from pole as the season went on!
Everyone else closed the gap; ⚪️ Haas clawed back over a third of its deficit.
In the 2nd half, 🟡 Racing Bulls overtook 🔵 Williams, while Alpine went from 7th to last!
Ferrari improved more (0.18% closer) than Mercedes (0.09%), who did better than RBR (0.03%): the top 4 teams got much closer by the season's end.
Made via @JMP_software
❤8👏3
LAS VEGAS GP | WING THURSDAY!
🔴 Ferrari's wing (Monza-spec) is the least loaded among top teams: the front surface will be minimal once DRS opens!
Will there be enough downforce to heat the rears?
🟠 McL's V-shaped lower plane preserves some downforce.
⚫️ Mercedes: much deeper lower plane.
⚪️ Racing Bull's upper plane is skinny and 'twisted': minimal drag without DRS, but little to be gained from it.
Ferrari and Sauber might set a new top speed record: ALB reached 369km/h last year!
📸 @AlbertFabrega
🔴 Ferrari's wing (Monza-spec) is the least loaded among top teams: the front surface will be minimal once DRS opens!
Will there be enough downforce to heat the rears?
🟠 McL's V-shaped lower plane preserves some downforce.
⚫️ Mercedes: much deeper lower plane.
⚪️ Racing Bull's upper plane is skinny and 'twisted': minimal drag without DRS, but little to be gained from it.
Ferrari and Sauber might set a new top speed record: ALB reached 369km/h last year!
📸 @AlbertFabrega
❤5
LAS VEGAS GP - PRACTICE 2 | DRS EFFECTIVENESS
I estimated how much each car’s Power/Drag ratio improved with DRS: NOR’s gain was just ONE THIRD of RBR’s and HAM’s!!!
🔵 RBR: VER 19.6% vs TSU 19.9%;
🔴 Ferrari: LEC 11.3% vs HAM 20.1%;
🟢 Mercedes: RUS 10.2% vs ANT 14.4%;
🟠 McL: NOR 6.7% vs PIA 17.6%.
❌ Less effective DRS;
❌ ERS deployment dropped with DRS ON.
Result:
Lowest top speed in FP2 (343km/h, -3km/h vs PIA,
-11km/h vs BEA)!
This smells 'lower ERS mode' to me...
I estimated how much each car’s Power/Drag ratio improved with DRS: NOR’s gain was just ONE THIRD of RBR’s and HAM’s!!!
🔵 RBR: VER 19.6% vs TSU 19.9%;
🔴 Ferrari: LEC 11.3% vs HAM 20.1%;
🟢 Mercedes: RUS 10.2% vs ANT 14.4%;
🟠 McL: NOR 6.7% vs PIA 17.6%.
❌ Less effective DRS;
❌ ERS deployment dropped with DRS ON.
Result:
Lowest top speed in FP2 (343km/h, -3km/h vs PIA,
-11km/h vs BEA)!
This smells 'lower ERS mode' to me...
❤6👍1
Throwback to last year, when the slipstream made Gasly's Alpine self-destruct!💥(Not his fault)
⚫️ Lap 13 (Reference)
🟣 Lap 14 (Failure)
He got a strong tow from TSU, reaching 361km/h under DRS: the engine reached 12937rpm in 8th gear, then exploded! (Speed dropping, no power afterwards).
The gear ratios are fixed for all tracks: Alpine's last gear is short, and the engine couldn't resist the resulting high rpm (and the hot air from TSU's car didn't help either).
Made via @JMP_software
⚫️ Lap 13 (Reference)
🟣 Lap 14 (Failure)
He got a strong tow from TSU, reaching 361km/h under DRS: the engine reached 12937rpm in 8th gear, then exploded! (Speed dropping, no power afterwards).
The gear ratios are fixed for all tracks: Alpine's last gear is short, and the engine couldn't resist the resulting high rpm (and the hot air from TSU's car didn't help either).
Made via @JMP_software
❤6
LAS VEGAS GP - QUALIFYING | Q3 TOP SPEEDS:
HAD 338 km/h;
RUS 336 km/h;
LAW 336 km/h;
SAI 334 km/h;
NOR 331 km/h;
VER 331 km/h;
PIA 331 km/h;
GAS 331 km/h;
ALO 329 km/h;
LEC 328 km/h.
Kudos to HAD, RUS, and LAW for setting a good laptime despite a low-drag aero configuration! Will help them in the race.
Kudos to HAD, RUS and LAW: good laptimes despite low-drag setups → Advantage in the race.
NOR/VER/PIA: same top speed!
ALO and LEC had the lowest top speed, and might struggle tomorrow (high drag with DRS off).
HAD 338 km/h;
RUS 336 km/h;
LAW 336 km/h;
SAI 334 km/h;
NOR 331 km/h;
VER 331 km/h;
PIA 331 km/h;
GAS 331 km/h;
ALO 329 km/h;
LEC 328 km/h.
Kudos to HAD, RUS, and LAW for setting a good laptime despite a low-drag aero configuration! Will help them in the race.
Kudos to HAD, RUS and LAW: good laptimes despite low-drag setups → Advantage in the race.
NOR/VER/PIA: same top speed!
ALO and LEC had the lowest top speed, and might struggle tomorrow (high drag with DRS off).
❤7
LAS VEGAS GP - RACE | McLaren's Plank Wear Issue
McLaren spotted the excessive plank wear far too late!
NOR lifted-and-coasted heavily in the last 4 laps, especially at Turn 10 (fastest one → worst for wear), losing up to 52km/h (~1s in one corner alone)!
Still, by Lap 46, the damage was already done.
PIA didn't lift at all.
VER is now within a win’s distance from the WDC leader - this is his smallest gap in 15 races (since Imola)!
If McLaren’s extreme tyre wear really came from porpoising, it should be track-specific and unlikely to reappear in the final two races.
If it’s a fundamental car issue, they’ll need to raise the ride height, losing key downforce… and Qatar is the worst track for that!
Via @JMP_software
McLaren spotted the excessive plank wear far too late!
NOR lifted-and-coasted heavily in the last 4 laps, especially at Turn 10 (fastest one → worst for wear), losing up to 52km/h (~1s in one corner alone)!
Still, by Lap 46, the damage was already done.
PIA didn't lift at all.
VER is now within a win’s distance from the WDC leader - this is his smallest gap in 15 races (since Imola)!
If McLaren’s extreme tyre wear really came from porpoising, it should be track-specific and unlikely to reappear in the final two races.
If it’s a fundamental car issue, they’ll need to raise the ride height, losing key downforce… and Qatar is the worst track for that!
Via @JMP_software
❤15