Simply if you thought Ferrari couldn’t presumably produce one other nightmare technique blunder, they pull one thing out of the hat.
Charles Leclerc had the higher hand on Max Verstappen within the early phases of the season, having gained two of the opening three races.
The world title race seemed set to be one for the ages in 2022, however Purple Bull asserted their dominance and Ferrari frequently butchered their very own possibilities.
On Saturday in Brazil their nightmare choice making struck once more.
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Because the third and remaining session of qualifying was about to get underway, the clouds over the Interlagos Circuit continued to darken as the specter of rain sat on the brink.
Regardless of the looming menace, 9 of the ten automobiles in qualifying lined up on the pit lane exit with a set of sentimental tyres on.
Just one automobile sat within the queue with a distinct set of tyres – Leclerc’s Ferrari being despatched out on a set of intermediates. A tyre fitted to moist situations.
The difficulty for Leclerc, the monitor was dry.
Sky Sports activities’ Ted Kravitz was the primary to focus on the weird tyre selection, noting the rain hadn’t come from the clouds but.
“What’s he doing on inters?” Kravitz contemplated.
F1 icon Martin Brundle was baffled by the decision from Ferrari.
“It’s hero zero stuff isn’t it, however properly noticed Ted. That’s rolling the cube although isn’t it, that’s taking such an opportunity that it rains rapidly sufficient,” Brundle mentioned.
Leclerc, second toe exit the pits requested the group if he was the one driver on the intermediate tyres to which Ferrari instructed him he was.
“It’s like turning as much as a black-tie dinner and also you haven’t learn the gown code,” Brundle mentioned because the session acquired underway.
Because the Monegasque driver went across the monitor, he had simply handed the pit entry to begin a timed lap when over the radio he was instructed to pit.
The radio name got here too late and Leclerc tried to set a time across the fast Brazil monitor to no avail, he aborted the lap and dived into the pits to rapidly try to throw on a set of softs.
Sadly catastrophe struck as Mercedes’ George Russell beached his automobile within the sand and the session was pink flagged as marshalls set about clearing his automobile away.
That’s when issues went from unhealthy to even worse for Ferrari because the heavens opened and the rain got here pouring down in Brazil.
As the ultimate minutes ticked down after the pink flags cleared, Leclerc was stranded in tenth spot on the timesheets and Ferrari in the end opted to not hassle sending him again out.
Leclerc spoke concerning the newest nightmare scenario to slap him down in what has been a turbulent 2022 season
“We had been anticipating some rain, which by no means got here. I’ll communicate with the group and try to perceive what we will do higher in these situations. However I’m extraordinarily disillusioned,” he mentioned.
“There was [a big opportunity for us today]. We nonetheless have the automobile. However now we have to get on it and do every part good for the remainder of the weekend.”
Ferrari have conjured up a protracted listing of horror choices in 2022 with the qualifying session in Brazil the newest hit.
Through the Hungarian Grand Prix Leclerc held a commanding lead earlier than one other tyre technique blunder value him dearly and handed victory to Verstappen.
At his residence race in Monaco the group fumbled communications by calling each drivers into the pits on the identical time, it resulted in Leclerc dropping from first mid-race to ending fourth.
One other tyre technique nightmare got here throughout the British Grand Prix when Ferrari opted to not pit Leclerc from the race lead behind a security automobile, he was simple pickings on older tyres for his rivals as soon as the race acquired underway.
BRAZIL GRAND PRIX SPRINT RACE STARTING GRID
1) Kevin Magnussen – 2) Max Verstappen
3) George Russell – 4) Lando Norris
5) Carlos Sainz – 6) Esteban Ocon
7) Fernando Alonso – 8) Lewis Hamilton
9) Sergio Perez – 10) Charles Leclerc
11) Alex Albon – 12) Pierre Gasly
13) Sebastian Vettel – 14) Daniel Ricciardo
15) Lance Stroll – 16) Nicholas Latifi
17) Zhou Guanyu – 18) Valtteri Bottas
19) Yuki Tsunoda – 20) Mick Schumacher
