In the round-up: Valtteri Bottas says Bahrain revealed Ferrari’s true performance advantage lies on the straights.
What they say
We’ve seen the areas we do need to improve and straight-line speed is one of them, clearly. It’s more like the picture we saw in winter testing now in terms of the pace difference.
We thought we were behind and today we were so we know the facts we need to improve if we want to be fighting for the pole. Let’s see the race pace first but we have work to do.
Quotes: Dieter Rencken
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Social media
Notable posts from Twitter, Instagram and more:
“This pole is for my dad, for Jules and for Charlie.” @Charles_Leclerc shines bright today ✨ #SF90 #essereFerrari #BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/g1ZUTuQavh
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 30, 2019
It was a good day until…
What to say…no much. We will have a good day tomorrow— Romain Grosjean (@RGrosjean) March 30, 2019
Six drivers set their three fastest sector times on their best laps in qualifying:@Max33Verstappen@Carlossainz55@rgrosjean@LandoNorris@Anto_Giovinazzi@GeorgeRussell63 #F1 #BahrainGP
— RaceFans (@racefansdotnet) March 30, 2019
On @SkySportsF1 just now @MBrundleF1 said @HaasF1Team don't warn their drivers when they have rivals catching them in qualifying. Here's @RGrosjean being warned about Stroll catching him in Melbourne: https://t.co/s9ey8epm0E #F1 #BahrainGP
— Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) March 30, 2019
- Find more official F1 accounts to follow in the F1 Twitter Directory
Links
More motor racing links of interest:
Sergio Perez: "I had some issues with my car in Q2 because I lost bits of my bodywork – around the barge board, which didn’t help. I hope we can recover some performance once we fix it."
"It was a very difficult qualifying for us. We have struggled on the C3 tyre all weekend which both drivers found tough to manage in qualifying."
"It was a very difficult session, for whatever reason the car wasn’t handling anywhere near as great as it was yesterday in FP2. My laps were really messy and far from the potential of the car, which is a shame."
"To be sixth, and only a few thousands of a second from the fastest Red Bull is pretty good, and maybe a little unexpected."
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Comment of the day
Leclerc didn’t just impress with his driving yesterday:
It amazes me how calm Charles is.
He just got his first pole ever and he didn’t even celebrate in the radio. His first words were something like “points are being given tomorrow, let’s get the job done”. As if he knows that when the car is there, it’s simple to take pole!
Vettel is going to have a tough time with that one, for sure!
Iosif (@Afonic)
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On this day in F1
- 25 years ago today Jean Alesi suffered a heavy testing crash at Mugello and injured his neck, which ruled him out of competing in the upcoming Pacific Grand Prix
Phylyp (@phylyp)
31st March 2019, 0:29
Very nice tweet about Haas warning their drivers.
Brundle mentioned that it was other teams’ senior staff who mentioned this to him, so it looks like they have an interest in casting aspersions on Haas.
Sundar Srinivas Harish (@sundark)
31st March 2019, 4:10
I found it hard to believe that Haas had a policy of not mentioning traffic to their drivers. I think Brundle just pulled that comment out of a hat and attributed it to “a senior member of another team” after realizing that the statement bypassed his mental filters.
Jon (@johns23)
31st March 2019, 0:51
The Ferrari looks so good. Mercedes will be worried if they find a Ferrari behind them. Actually i fully expect Ferrari to steam ahead for a 1-2 so Mercedes need not worry.
Ajaxn
31st March 2019, 15:00
I actually think this strong qualification by Ferrari will favour Lewis and in the long term Mercedes.
It says the cars are too close for Mercedes to waste points man managing their drivers, they should let their drivers race on their merits, or Ferrari will beat them for the championship.
Of course the results of the race will determine any change in strategy, but it will be interesting to see if Ferrari lets Leclerc keep his advantage and allow him the win, as Mercedes did Bottas.
Eathan Haywood
31st March 2019, 3:57
If you’d have told me in 2016 that in 2-3 years Mercedes would consider their straight line speed a weakness, I’d have laughed at you. Crazy how the tide has turned. That being said, I hope they catch up with Ferrari and give them a proper fight.
Sundar Srinivas Harish (@sundark)
31st March 2019, 4:12
I think this year is going to be similar to last year, with one car having a clear advantage in each track.
RP (@slotopen)
31st March 2019, 4:33
Party mode has been downgraded to order-a-pizza mode.
Dave
31st March 2019, 11:18
Merc don’t consider straight line speed a weakness, though. They said they think their setup here may concede too much in that regard, not that there’s a fundamental difference.
Jere (@jerejj)
31st March 2019, 7:07
I agree with the COTD.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
31st March 2019, 7:13
Leclerc often mentions Bianchi, given their history of racing. I sometimes wonder if JB’s family still follow F1, and wonder what might have been.
PaulK (@paulk)
31st March 2019, 8:39
@phylyp, a Bianchi-Leclerc Ferrari team?
Makes me sad just to think about it.
Mickyb
31st March 2019, 12:34
Me too. Both of of those guys have/had a certain likeability about them. Kind of like the F1 drivers of old. Not arrogant, fast and fearless behind the wheel. Unlike max I might add! That guy just grinds my gears for some reason. With his attitude and arrogance, unless red bull can produce another championship contender, I can’t see him ending up with a drive at Merc or Ferrari. He doesn’t come across as an automotive brand ambassador. Which is why he’s more suited to Red Bull in my opinion.
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
31st March 2019, 10:38
Charles calmness had been proven before. When Jules, his best friend died, he only getting better. When his dad passed away, he crushed the championship literally in the next day.
He politely asked to passed Vettel, but when he’s been told to stay behind Vettel he didn’t complain in the radio nor in every after race interviews. Knowing that it will benefit him later when he was the fastest one.
I could say a he’s in real life baby face assassin.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
31st March 2019, 11:53
“Beware the fury of a patient man” ;)
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
31st March 2019, 11:58
I raved a little bit (rare for me) about LeClerc last season. I am delighted he justifying my dream of another new WDC in waiting besides Max.
These two could provide us with some thrilling battles in the near future I think.
I’m still concerned about Gasly :(