Wide gap
Almost eight tenths. This was the gap that the best Mercedes inflicted on the best Ferrari during the FP2 session at Spa in terms of a single lap. A worrying gap, also considering that in the morning Mercedes had disappointed while Ferrari had positioned itself in second and third place, behind Max Verstappen’s Red Bull. But then especially Antonelli made an impressive leap in quality after adjusting the setup of his W17. Ferrari, therefore, has to chase.
Read more McLaren, a Friday of problems and progress. Norris: “We don’t fool ourselves”
All about energy
Speaking to F1TV, the red team principal, Fred Vasseur, indicated energy management as the main cause of this gap: “This morning went quite well. This afternoon was a bit more difficult, but it’s all relative – explained the French manager – we know that fuel is fundamental in terms of competitiveness. It means we cannot compete with the others. It also happened in the last two events. Let’s focus on ourselves. We try to get the most out of what we have and we will see tomorrow afternoon“.
Read more Rally Estonia 2026: schedule and TV times
“There is a lot to do on energy management – Vasseur added – because today we saw there is a huge difference in speed between the cars from one straight to another. It means that after simulations and simulations, now we are in reality. And we also have to think about the race, how to attack and defend. We will see how it goes tomorrow”. Certainly, however, the Ferrari team principal does not want to be discouraged by Friday’s gaps: “The prospects for the weekend? It’s too early. If we look at the last four or five rounds, the Friday standings have not been very representative. It means we have a lot of work to do“, he concluded.
Read more Hyundai IONIQ 5 MY27, range and prices
