THOUGHTS FROM BAKU
Written by Gianluca Medeot.
Baku, April 29, 2018: A Grand Prix full of emotions and twists that has perhaps covered an interesting technical picture but at the same time very difficult to interpret.
Let's see then, what has emerged from qualifying (will be taken in analyzing the ten pilots entered in Q3)
It is essential to outline the characteristics of the circuit.
The first sector is generally an engine sector, in fact it demands power in the various extensions that follow one another, but a lot of handling and traction too to exit the best from the 90 degree corners which reign in this intermediate.
The second sector is instead driven, with the section between Turn 8 and 12, which is extremely technical and difficult.
There are many features necessary to deal with it at best, but mainly we can say that it is an area in which load and excellent traction efforts are needed
In the third sector on the countrary only efficiency in the straight line is needed (Cx and power of PU).
In general we can say that the word EFFICIENCY (aerodynamic) is more important than ever in this track.
I also emphasize that this is a very unusual track, which fits into the category of street circuits, whose characteristics do not allow in depth data analysis because of the many variables that can have them conditioned. First of all the difference that the pilots's abilities can make in bringing their cars to the limit even when the walls are just a few centimeters from the tires.
The graphs with percentages detachment from pole position show a good recovery for several teams that is Red Bull, Renault and Force India. Very negative performance for Haas and Mclaren, while Toro Rosso remains on its standards.
The graph with the comparison with the real time marked in Q3 and the "ideal time" as the sum of the best sectors ,confirms the difficulty of the track.
Of the 10 drivers entered the Q3, Vettel only managed to score his fastest lap in the crucial moment. To explain these discrepancies from the "ideal lap", in addition to the street circuit variables, we must considerate the problem of maintaining heat into the tires during the journey of the long initial straight (as if the team does not find quite difficult to keep them in the window operating under standard conditions). This factor has mostly penalized the Red Bulls, as we shall see later, that suffered from a malicious understeer in the first intermediate.
It is very important to stress that Raikkonen could have been on pole (with a lead of 85 thousandths over teammate) if he had not stumbled upon an incredible oversteer in turn 16, early in the third sector.
A first interesting element of analysis turns out to be the comparison between the detected maximum speed to the speed trap and the qualifying position. We immediately note a general alignment of the measured data, with a peak for Ocon who chose an extremely exhaust trim.
It is surprising to see the Ferraris so lingered over their opponents, thinking about what we have seen in previous appointments.
Ferrari chose to get on track with a darker trim than their rivals, a strong signal that the Red could now afford to do what Mercedes has done in recent years.
Clearly the negative effects of this set up choice have been felt in the third sector where it was even slower than the Red Bull.
In particular, it is interesting to analyze the gap in the first sector. Despite this intermediate, however, requires a good flowability in a straight line, Ferrari was the fastest. Everything confirms the excellent traction of the Red, with an electrical system that seems to be more marked to give acceleration to the car, rather than sacrificing the straight-line extension. All that is confirmed by the speed in the first and in the second sector, detections placed in short straights, where the red is the fastest despite the bigger frontal section.
Nothing special to say about the Mercedes who led a maybe a little anonymous but overall more positive week end than in previous gps. Accomplice the green light to more aggressive engine maps that had not been used due to problems after the race in Melbourne. In particular, the maps can be used now for 25-30 km, a fundamental element to make the most of any race variable.
The problems related to the operating windows of the tires do not seem to have been felt much but surely they still exist and they probably force the team to find mechanical and aerodynamic compromises to go along with them. It is clear in this weekend that the aerodynamic efficiency of the silver arrows was not optimal.
Very well for the Red Bull, although it has presented himself on track with a front section that you usually see only in circuits like Monza, has managed to be super competitive in the more driven sector, confirming the quality of the frame. In the first sector, on the other hand, he has lost so much because of the tires in no perfect temperature that have generated a malicious understeer. Its expect an evolutionary step by Renault in the Grand Prix of Canada, which should allow a great leap forward for Milton Kneys' team. There are rumors of maximum power gap around 20/25 horses, which in a circuit like that of Baku are approximately 5/10! 
It is therefore clear that both the hidden potential of this car, which on my opinion,is the favourite in Montecarlo.
Also important to mention Force India has fully exploited the new engine maps Mercedes, matching them to a set up extremely drain (look at the third sector Ocon), which eventually paid a lot (in the race if they ate all the straight) .
Good but not very well ,Renault continues his streak of good results despite being a far second behind the Red Bull with the same engine.
Here we represent the graph with the compounds and their temperature range; very important data useful to a better understanding the tires speech in the field of race and qualifying.
RACE'S GRAPHICS (Edited by Niccolò Arnerich)
FRIDAY'S PRACTICE
During the usual Friday practice, hampered by traffic and drivers errors, it has again highlighted the unreliability of the US Rubber. The purple rubber, according to the tire models of many teams, struggled to make good times and degradation was greater than the other two compounds. During the simulations it has shown no graining, which has instead covertly seen in the race because of the lower temperatures.
The team then decided to qualify in Q2 with the SS, and starting with this compound, thus putting himself in a position to make a stop just going to Soft around lap 25.
The US-S strategy, which was that of Raikkonen, due to his mistake in Q2, was not much slower than the SS-S, but the compound UltraSoft did not guarantee the same safety of the SS and could aggravate the work of S in the second stint. Moreover, the performance of the US was still worse than the SS.
But it was not ruled out the option of mounting the US instead of S after the race with a much lighter vehicle.
This chart outlines the pace that you can hold with various strategies during the race and highlights the fastest.
These were the choices during the race in terms of strategy and timing. All simulations are byF1blogtech and can be found on our socials during Saturday of race weekends.
RACE STRATEGY
CONDITIONS OF TRACK
It 's very important to consider the track conditions as regards the temperatures because the cars are very sensitive, even to variations of a few degrees. The asphalt (17 °) and the air temperature (27 ° C) were colder than the free practice.
THE START
Very good Vettel's start that does not spin the tires and can immediately put a gap between himself and Hamilton, who also had a good start from the dirty side of the track. Behind Bottas held the position on RedBull, both on the SS. Raikkonen on the US, with which it had to have its own advantage at the start, maintains its position.
THE SAFETY CAR IN THE FIRST STINT
On the first lap touching Raikkonen and Ocon in curve 4 causing the entry of the Safety Car. Mercedes brings out their men's pit stop looking for the reaction of the Ferrari wall, and orient them on a two-stop strategy, but the Italian team did not react and obviously held off Vettel.
Raikkonen stops to change the snout. And the smartest thing to do was to put the S going as long as possible, knowing, however, having to face painting over the last part of the race, but maybe the US by mounting it in the closing laps, with little fuel, could offer a good performance .
To underline the perfect counter attack by Vettel SC post which used all the space available to it, starting right at the limit of the first SC line, which is the entrance to the pit lane.
FIRST STOP
Crucial time for the first stop as the Mercedes strategists had two drivers who could attack Vettel and therefore had the chance to try both undercut the overcut.
Hamilton tried to get closer to Vettel, at the time of the stop, in order to try to undercut hitherto unlikely because of the more than 3s gap. From English on-board you could see on the front right a bit 'graining. The times are not worsened due to the use of extreme mappings that have bridged the problem. The Mercedes driver then made a crucial mistake that made up the gap to well 8,4s, finally neutralizing the attempt to overtake the pits.
The first to stop, on lap 21, is Hamilton (forced to painting over because of the large flat-spot), which mounts the S till the bottom. For him this was the only possible option as it would not have fit the US, which was becoming an increasingly concrete, because of too many turns that were missing at the finish line.
Vettel tried to go down in order to fit the US and go to the end, but he did not strike a very competitive time, not at Bottas' levels, who with the same tire was on time even under 36. Bottas does not resulted in any case a direct rival for Vettel because it was far away. At the end of the SS stint, Vettel has had a more marked decline than the Finn, who most likely was even using the most performance mappings.
At lap 31 Vettel stops to mount the S tire perhaps too conservative . The Ferrari pit-wall could prove the US option, but at that moment they only sought to play it safe by marking rightly Hamilton, who was in the second virtual location.
During the race, it was noticed that the SS used tire was averagely more competitive compared to the new S. This is because the soft tire, a high working range, could not immediately go in temperature. From this point of view, the SF71H has proved to be very good, being able to put the tire temperature in a few laps.
Ricciardo's Red Bull in the first to mount the US on the 38th lap trying to go to the end. Until then the Red Bulls have led a rather dull race especially because of some problems to the battery pack.
A lap later, the 39th, Verstappen stopped too who came out and found himself in front of his teammate. This is due to the little delta between the rubber used SS and the new S tire that we put a lot of laps before you get into the right operating window.
Bottas continues to maintain a good rhythm and stay out hoping even in an event that would allow him to put the US making a free-stop under the SC or VSC regime.
Above the evolution graph of the lap times, with the effect of weight calculation, during the second stint. Note how the first three have been pretty stuck in this stint while Red Bull has kept a higher pace especially in the initial phase.
In this race, Bottas has proved to be very competitive with the rubber Low Working Range SS, unlike what it has been seen up until now. You can not define exactly Rubber teams use better because everything is in bringing the tire in the right temperature window and the procedure for doing this varies every Grand Prix. In China, the tire that best worked on Mercedes was the HWR while in Baku it seemed the other way even with Hamilton who has worked hard to find the right window of Soft rubber, a high working range.
Here you will also find a graphical display of the evolution of degradation during the stint. Here the deterioration of the rubber is not well seen due to the Hamilton blur out since he has carried out during the down lap which is not counted in the analysis because not representative.
THE SECOND SAFETY CAR
On lap 40 the two RB14 collide on the main straight causing the Safety Car entry.
This appears to be the opportunity for Bottas, who then has the opportunity to make his stop for the US and thus lose much less time than during a normal stop (about the half)
Both Vettel and Hamilton are called to the box to make a free stop and mount the US and putting themself in position to win. In fact, even if Vettel was left out, and he managed to stay ahead of Bottas, would have a rubber S, with little grip compared to the Ultras, which would not allow him to defend himself from attacks Mercedes at the restart.
However, if Vettel had mounted the US at the first stop, the race would have taken a different turn since he could stay out without making a pit to change tire and he would have had the same Bottas rubber.
At the restart of the Safety Car, Vettel found himself in a very difficult situation. Attacked by Hamilton, the German decides to grope the attack on Bottas in curve 1, but it blocks the internal front ruining his race. Because of a marked flat spot, Vettel was attacked by Hamilton and then also by the Force India of Perez, thus concluding his race in fourth position.
Above the graph of race pace with the calculation of the Fuel Weight Effect relative to the second, but also the third stint, that of Vettel and Hamilton. Bottas has withdrawn almost immediately due to debris left on the track while Verstappen, as mentioned, has touched with his teammate.
Speaking of RedBull, apparently theyshould privilege HWR tires and their problem regarding the tire factor,is to stay inside the window without going over and then losing performance.
This graph, showing the evolution of the degradation, highlights Vettel's degradation mainly due to the rubber blurt out immediately after his restart in curve 01.
The table summarizes in numbers the rhythm of the various pilots in the various stint and during the whole race.
Above you will find the classical chart with the race pace without taking in consideration the weight effect.
This is the graph of the race pace with the correction weight relative to the entire race. This chart is very useful to see riders' true pace.
This table shows some riders' strategies. It highlights the fact that not everyone started with the SS. This is because the tire models, or models that the team will make a specific tire during Friday, were quite different.
THE MEDIA TEAM STANDINGS
Here also for smaller teams the chart of the race pace with the calculation of the weight effect
In evidence Charles Leclerc' race who gets an excellent sixth place after having started with the SS and passed to the S to around 34. Then, as the top teams, he mounted the US to finish the race. Good race also for Alonso and Sainz, especially the latter who had an accident on the first lap. The Renault Sainz was the first to switch to S. A premature pit stop which denotes a greater degradation than the other team. Sainz then moved to the US after the SC partly saving his race, but if he had to go all the way with S he could have had some problems.
Finally you can also observe the evolution graph of degradation during the race of small teams. The polynomial trend lines show the actual degradation throughout the competition period.
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