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!
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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
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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
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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...
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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
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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).
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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
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Formula Data Analysis
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)!…
Here's a very comprehensive article on the team radios between McL's pit wall and their drivers:
https://www.racefans.net/2025/11/23/the-mclaren-radio-messages-which-show-they-tried-to-manage-plank-wear-during-the-race/
https://www.racefans.net/2025/11/23/the-mclaren-radio-messages-which-show-they-tried-to-manage-plank-wear-during-the-race/
RaceFans
The McLaren radio messages which show how they tried to manage plank wear
McLaren told their drivers to manage their speed in corners where plank wear would have been a concern, but couldn't avoid disqualification.
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LAS VEGAS GP - RACE | TOP SPEED PER LAP
With two races to go, Albon's and Williams' top speed record (369km/h, '24 Las Vegas) for this generation of cars will never be beaten!
HAM and BEA ALMOST beat the 2025 record (365km/h by HAM in Monza). HAM was stuck in traffic for so long that he exceeded 360km/h on FIVE laps!
With two races to go, Albon's and Williams' top speed record (369km/h, '24 Las Vegas) for this generation of cars will never be beaten!
HAM and BEA ALMOST beat the 2025 record (365km/h by HAM in Monza). HAM was stuck in traffic for so long that he exceeded 360km/h on FIVE laps!
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QATAR GP - SPRINT QUALI ANALYSIS 🏁
🟠 PIA on pole with an excellent package: fastest in the slowest and fastest corners, plus good top speed.
⚫️ Mercedes: least drag... but lacked downforce.
🟢 ALO could stay full throttle for >70% of the lap!
🔵 RBR and 🔴 Ferrari had no strengths: lowest top speed despite modest downforce, slow in the slowest corner...
🟠 PIA on pole with an excellent package: fastest in the slowest and fastest corners, plus good top speed.
⚫️ Mercedes: least drag... but lacked downforce.
🟢 ALO could stay full throttle for >70% of the lap!
🔵 RBR and 🔴 Ferrari had no strengths: lowest top speed despite modest downforce, slow in the slowest corner...
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QATAR GP - SPRINT | TOP SPEED PER LAP
VS TOP SPEED IN SPRINT QUALI
HAM’s poor top speed in Sprint Quali pushed him to switch rear-wing spec, costing a pit-lane start.
He went from slowest to fastest (despite using DRS for only six laps), yet felt the car was overall even worse!
Charles Leclerc, stuck in traffic, hit 339km/h.
RUS held a 5 km/h edge over PIA (neither used DRS).
Expect Ferrari and other struggling teams (imagine saying that 12 months ago) to experiment further in quali!
VS TOP SPEED IN SPRINT QUALI
HAM’s poor top speed in Sprint Quali pushed him to switch rear-wing spec, costing a pit-lane start.
He went from slowest to fastest (despite using DRS for only six laps), yet felt the car was overall even worse!
Charles Leclerc, stuck in traffic, hit 339km/h.
RUS held a 5 km/h edge over PIA (neither used DRS).
Expect Ferrari and other struggling teams (imagine saying that 12 months ago) to experiment further in quali!
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QATAR GP - RACE | RACE PACE ANALYSIS
In trying not to disappoint any driver, McL disappointed both: not splitting the strategy was shocking, and gifted VER the win!
If VER takes the noscript, McL’s collapse will be a case study...
PIA was 0.40s/lap quicker than VER: not enough to offset the extra stop.
NOR was slower even before his floor damage.
SAI is my DOTD: 4th-best pace despite damage → deserved podium!
HAD was faster than LEC before his unlucky puncture (ALO even quicker)!
ANT >> RUS.
LEC had little pace; HAM had none.
In trying not to disappoint any driver, McL disappointed both: not splitting the strategy was shocking, and gifted VER the win!
If VER takes the noscript, McL’s collapse will be a case study...
PIA was 0.40s/lap quicker than VER: not enough to offset the extra stop.
NOR was slower even before his floor damage.
SAI is my DOTD: 4th-best pace despite damage → deserved podium!
HAD was faster than LEC before his unlucky puncture (ALO even quicker)!
ANT >> RUS.
LEC had little pace; HAM had none.
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Formula Data Analysis
QATAR GP - RACE | RACE PACE ANALYSIS In trying not to disappoint any driver, McL disappointed both: not splitting the strategy was shocking, and gifted VER the win! If VER takes the noscript, McL’s collapse will be a case study... PIA was 0.40s/lap quicker…
A crazy stat: in the last 5 occasions that (at least) 3 drivers fought for the WDC in the last race, the one leading the championship NEVER won! 🤯
The weight of expectations? Can NOR break this streak? (‘81, ‘83, ‘86, ‘07, ‘10).
Reddit source:
https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/1pap8wr/on_the_last_five_occasions_that_at_least_three/
The weight of expectations? Can NOR break this streak? (‘81, ‘83, ‘86, ‘07, ‘10).
Reddit source:
https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/comments/1pap8wr/on_the_last_five_occasions_that_at_least_three/
Reddit
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