Visa Money App RB F1 Workforce noticed their Belgian Grand Prix get off to a “robust” begin throughout Friday’s two apply classes.
And with rain within the forecast, and Yuki Tsunoda going through an enormous grid penalty within the Grand Prix itself, issues might get even harder over the weekend.
In Friday’s first apply session, Daniel Ricciardo posted the Thirteenth-fastest session, whereas Tsunoda was a bit additional again within the subject, with the Sixteenth-fastest time. FP2 introduced much more struggles, as Ricciardo completed in P14, and Tsunoda down in P20.
Whereas Ricciardo famous a number of the positives from the session, he acknowledged the challenges forward of VCARB within the group’s post-practice media report.
“It was good to drive right here immediately in dry situations; they resurfaced a part of the monitor, and a number of corners have extra grip which feels good,” stated Ricciardo. “In the present day was a correct take a look at day for us, we tried a number of issues, and I used to be happier in FP2 in comparison with this morning. We nonetheless want to seek out a number of extra tenths for tomorrow however it could rain, and if quali is the one moist session, we received’t have a lot time to determine it out and discover the grip. This might be a problem for all of us. Sunday seems to be dry although, so at the very least we’re snug, given what we realized immediately.”
With Tsunoda going through a begin behind the grid, Friday was all about studying.
“We tried a number of issues immediately and know some areas we need to take a look at and enhance tomorrow. I’ve a grid penalty on Sunday for taking new energy unit parts, so it’ll be about maximising as a lot as doable this weekend,” stated Tsunoda. “The monitor has a brand new floor in locations which is good and clean, and I used to be capable of finding extra grip. It’s a pleasant modification and now we have a superb alternative to be taught extra tomorrow and discover essentially the most optimum arrange. Often, we carry out fairly nicely within the rain, and with the situations trying combined this weekend it throws one other factor into the combo.”
With VCARB putting in a completely new energy unit on Tsunoda’s RB01 — and all six elements exceeding the allotment beneath the foundations for a single season, carrying a ten-place grid drop because of this — Tsunoda is going through a technical 60-place grid penalty. Meaning irrespective of how his qualifying session goes on Saturday, he might be behind the grid on Sunday.
VCARB Racing Director Alan Permane summed up the day this manner:
A troublesome day on our aspect, now we have Yuki ranging from the again of the grid on Sunday as a consequence of his PU penalty, so he’s been focusing just a little bit extra on race preparation,” stated Permane. “We’ve received some work to do to seek out some extra rear grip, so we’ll be working within the simulator in a single day with a number of set-up gadgets to check out, with a view to attempting these on the automobile in FP3. On a constructive observe, Daniel’s long term tempo was not solely fast, however had very low degradation. We’ve far more confidence in our long term tempo than our brief run tempo and we’ll be aiming to enhance that for tomorrow.”
