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2023 Qatar FP1 Analysis

2023 Qatar FP1 Analysis

Oct 06, 2023

Hello Data Gurus,

Here's my Qatar FP1 quick analysis. And since I forgot the tyre rules for sprint qualifying, I went ahead and reminded myself below 😅

FP1 was kind of a chaos session with a new track surface, loads of wind, and insane levels of sand flying around. Keep in mind this is the only practice session teams will get before qualifying, and after qualifying - the car setup is fixed (maybe they'll revisit this rule for sprint weekends next year).

The best way to read this report is actually over on www.buymeacoffee.com/brrrake/posts - and there's a lot more that Members get access to as well 👍

I'll be live on YouTube in about 20 minutes to watch the qualifying session. You can totally watch along if you use https://multiviewer.app/ for F1 with F1TV Pro (requires a paid subscription, but this is the only way to watch F1). Also, if you're looking for a VPN so that you can use F1TV Pro when you go on vacation, you can use https://www.nordvpn.com/brrrakef1 (they sponsored my last YouTube video, but I've been using them for over a year because I go on vacation a lot).

Here's the YouTube link for the Quali stream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXJSsiqzLWA

Heck, I might even do a Qualifying Analysis stream tonight 👀👀 - I'll let you know on Twitter later.

Enjoy!

Cheers,
Blake

Summary

  • Relevant lap times going into qualifying

    • 2021 Pole 1:23.196 VER

    • 2023 FP1 1:27.428 VER

    • 2021 Qualifying saw just over 1s of track evolution from Q1 to Q3

  • Some teams running HRD MED and some running HRD SFT

  • Backmarker cars ran MED SFT

  • Some teams running high fuel on their second stint, but difficult to gauge fuel loads, and degradation, as track pace was improving quickly

  • Track improved massively through session (first run to final run about 6s) - the new surface was likely a very strong factor in this

  • High winds some corners very tricky. Additionally with high winds, lots of sand being blown onto circuit

  • Top 5 fastest teams pace order is… strange - indicative of chaotic session

  • ALO and PIA perfect sectors would have moved them ahead of Ferrari and ahead of Alpha Tauri

  • Not much between Verstappen and Sainz - will be about who gets the better lap together

  • Hamilton running higher downforce than RUS on their fastest lap, it appears. Honestly, it looks good, except he didn't quite put T13/14 together (see bottom of report for teammates compares)

Sprint Weekend Tyre Rules

  • 12 sets instead of 13 as a normal weekend (12 dry, 4 inter, 3 wet)

  • Sprint weekend: 2 HRD, 4 MED, 6 SFT (Normal Weekend: 2 HRD, 3 MED (-1), 8 SFT (+2))

  • After P1, 1 tyre set must be returned

  • After sprint, 1 tyre set with highest lap must be returned

  • In SQ1 and SQ2, may use 1 set of new MED tyres per session

  • SQ3, must use a SFT tyre (it is allowed to be a previously used set)

  • If any of the SQ sessions are declared wet, tyre selection free for remainder of SQ

  • Free tyre choice for sprint race and grand prix

  • Wet Weather Rules

    • For sprint weekend, if P1 or qualifying are wet, drivers who used an inter will get a fresh inter. Must return 1 intermediate set if so.

    • If neither P1 or qualifying are wet, but the sprint race is LIKELY to be wet, FIA may allow 1 set of inters.

    • If inter or wet tyres are used during sprint, all drivers get a new set of inters

Run Plans

  • Many teams running repeated laps at higher fuel in middle of session - then back down to low fuel to check soft tyre balance end of session

Performance

Speeds and Lap Times

  • Most cars around 314-316

  • Red Bull, Aston and Ferrari 318+ - not a major difference

Telemetry Analysis

Source: www.formula1.com

“High Fuel” Running

  • “negative deg” as the grip was so low to start, track was gripping up at a faster rate than the tyres were dropping off

  • It’s always difficult to tell what fuel load people are running, but Merc clearly running less fuel than others

Top Teams

VER vs SAI

  • Similar straight line performance

  • Some differences in approach to low speed corners or issue with data sync (drivers running shorter or longer lines?)

  • T12-14 - VER goes fast into T12, but loses time on the exit (net minor advantage to SAI)

  • Minor, but not systematic differences in HS MS and LS corner performance - really difficult to say - probably very similar performance between FER and RB

VER vs ALO

  • VER better traction T1/T2, better overall grip T4/5

  • ALO reasonable rest of lap

  • Drivers with different approaches to T12-14 (one long sustained set of 3 corners, lifting off at the apex to keep on track and rotate the car)

  • ALO strong T15-16

VER vs TSU

  • TSU running much more drag than VER

  • TSU similar approach to T12-14 - but the higher drag level means he loses time relative to VER

VER vs NOR

  • NOR really only faster T10, everywhere else similar or slower

  • NOR running more drag than VER

VER vs RUS

  • Similar straight line performance

  • RUS strong T1, but losing out in S2 and final two corners

Teammate Comparisons

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