WHATS WRONG WITH FERRARI?Why struggling?

[DimitraF1]

Struggling to get a good balance in free practise...
Or they are playing games wih loads of fuel onboard?...
remember they test here last week...maybe the qualifying setup was already known and just testing race pace in free practise..who knows we will find out
in a few hours..

[blakebeatty]

They seemed fine until MS showed up....

(hehe)

[Valve Bounce]

I think these tyres are very susceptible to changing track and temperature conditions. It could also be that Ferrari are not showing their hand with light loads during practice. But don't write the red cars off just yet.

[andreag]

I live here, and I was on the circuit for last tests, and I was there yesterday too (I'll be back for Qualifying). The air temperature was over 10 degrees higher yesterday than 11 days ago (track temperature was more than 15 degrees higher); humidity is now more than 20% lower, and pressure has arise a lot too.

Ferrari could get a perfect setup during last tests from the beginning, and McLaren only "catch it" the last day. Now things are the opposite; Ferrari setups didn't work with this weather conditions, and McLaren simply tried what they had ready for last tests (what didn't work on colder days), and that was the right setup.

In fact, Ferrari did yesterday more laps than in any other precedent GP.

[odykas]

They seemed fine until MS showed up....

(hehe)

[trumperZ06]

Hhmmmm... we will know more in a couple of hours... after qualifying !!!

I'm guessing that... McLaren was running on lower fuel levels than Ferrari yesterday.

I hope Andreag will give us her findings after todays qualifying. Weather conditions will effect the tires...

The PCM's allow the engines to adjust to changes in the weather... easily.

[savage86]

I vote sandbagging

[ioan]

Maybe some teams are going for light car in qualifying. According to Alonso they may want to start at the front because that is an advantage even if it gives a more difficult race strategy:

"But knowing that is very important to start from the front, sometimes you have to find a good compromise between a good starting position and a good strategy."

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/58711

[airshifter]

It's always a guessing game of fuel loads either way.

Just when you think one team had the perfect setup due to a strong qually, you find out they pit at 11 laps.


Ferrari seems to work more on race pace and consistency in the last few seasons. It wouldn't be the first year they start at less than the top but manage to have a strong year.

[Ian McC]

Good lap from Massa, still looked like he was fighting the car though.