Monaco GP race pace analysis: Ferrari SF-24 limited by tactical framework in Monte Carlo. Monaco GP: race pace is strongly influenced by the layout of the track.

Scuderia Ferrari won the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix with Charles Leclerc, the eighth round of the 2024 world championship. A triumph that stems from the superiority of the Monegasque driver who, since the very first run on Friday morning in the first free practice session, demonstrated that he had a clear objective in mind: to bring home the result that had eluded him in previous editions for various reasons. In Monte Carlo, analyses are always difficult, as the race pace is strongly influenced by the layout of the track along the streets of the Principality. McLaren could do nothing to challenge Charles Leclerc, but this situation, as we will see, was not caused just by the track layout, but the telemetry data shows that the MCL38 cars of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris did not have the pace to trouble the Ferrari driver.

A good Mercedes optimized the weekend through the qualifying session, where George Russell managed to place himself ahead of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. This move allowed him to maintain his position during the race and cross the finish line ahead of the three-time Formula 1 world champion, even though the pace of the Dutch driver was decidedly superior. To start our usual analysis, let’s consider the performance of the drivers in the various sections of the Monte Carlo circuit, keeping in mind the average speed of the cars.

The first laps of the Monaco Grand Prix saw a very conservative attitude from all the drivers, with Charles Leclerc leading the pack and setting the pace. Valtteri Bottas, after making the first pit stop, with a clear track, was able to lap three seconds faster than the leading drivers. This factor indicates how much the top drivers at the front were conserving their tires. On the other hand, completing 75 laps with the same type of tire was not a given, even if we are talking about the white-banded Pirelli.

First of all, we can say that at the Casino corner, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, obtained slightly better references compared to the two Ferrari drivers, who were more focused on managing the tires at this specific point of the track. Max Verstappen and the two Mercedes drivers, on the contrary, obtained lower average results. The reason is simple: the continuous tire management that George Russell had to undertake to finish the race with the Medium tires, a compound which as we know is more performant than the Hard but at the same time is more subject to degradation.

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In the slow section at the beginning of the second sector, it is evident how Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen exploited the additional grip, guaranteed by a softer compound, in order to achieve better average speeds. The performance was a bit slower for the two Ferrari drivers, who, as mentioned, were using the slowest sector of the track to slow down the pack and keep it compact. A key factor, as we analyzed in the article related to last Sunday’s race, was precisely to close the pit stop window to Lando Norris compared to the Mercedes W15 of George Russell.

Regarding the third sector, we notice that as he exits the swimming pool section, Charles Leclerc manages to average about 5 kilometers per hour more than his Maranello teammate, who was dealing with a bit of graining (as mentioned by the Spanish driver several times over the team radio to his race engineer Riccardo Adami) on the front left tire, particularly in the middle phase of the Monaco race. If we consider the speed at the apex instead, we see similar values in the slow zone due to nearly identical lap times. George Russell was slightly faster than his rivals, putting more energy into the tires right at the beginning of the central sector.

For this reason, instructions from the pit box asked the young Englishman to manage the tires more effectively in turn 5, a section of the track also monitored by Ferrari. In medium-speed corners, Ferrari shows superior performance. The two Ferrari drivers, both of whom reached the podium, enjoyed a car that was better suited to medium-speed corners. In these sections of the track, the Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were the only ones not explicitly asked to manage the tires.

It is quite evident, as seen with Charles Leclerc in the last laps of the Monaco Grand Prix, that Ferrari’s pace was much better than the data reveals, but the tactical framework of the race imposed a controlled rhythm in order to avoid any unnecessary risks and secure the result, a win and a double podium finish for the Maranello team. In corners 3 and 12, no significant differences are noticed. The four leading drivers achieved slightly better performance thanks to the higher pace they maintained during the race.

F1, Monaco GP: Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari is the best with DRS open

Finally, let’s analyze the speed values before turn 1. Among the top drivers, only Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, and Carlos Sainz used the drag reduction system multiple times. In general, the benefit of the movable wing was not significant, allowing Lando Norris and Carlos Sainzto gain 8 kilometers per hour, and only 3 kilometers per hour for Oscar Piastri. These cars are the most efficient even with the wing closed, benefiting from a slight slipstream from the cars ahead. At the same time, Charles Leclerc and George Russell showed better minimum speed at the beginning of the drag reduction system section, taking advantage of a car more “adept” at corner exit.

Scuderia Ferrari allowed Charles Leclerc to realize his dream, with a pace that was actually superior to what was shown on track. Now confirmations are awaited on other circuits, such as the next one that will host the upcoming round of the 2024 Formula 1 championship, the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Canada, which will undoubtedly provide much more relevant data more in terms of the overall competitiveness of the cars. The points gained by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz last weekend in Monaco have partially reopened the fight against Red Bull for both Formula 1 championships. Only the upcoming races will tell if the updated SF-24 single-seater will be up to the level of the Austrian car at more tracks and if dreaming will once again be permissible for the Ferrari fans.

Source: FUnoanalisitecnica