Going into Sunday Race there are many improvements across the grid even though Season 2023 is almost with most of the teams focus on season 2024, for example Red Bull just mention that they have done close to none development since the season restart and Ferrari is also focus on their 2024 car but then there are teams like Aston Martin who still have plenty of time and resources to keep developing through out the year, now with cost cap time on the wind tunnel is currency and they have plenty.
Quali ended with a nasty weather, since Thursday it was been said that they were expecting rain for the weekend, it was not optional so it was just a matter of when, it almost repeats a similar story to last year when HAAS took Pole with Kevin Magnussen due to weather and drivers not putting a lap in the bank but this time Red Bull and Ferrari took the initiative and step up to the track the moment they had a chance to close the deal since they were expecting bad weather and potentially the track would be close, red flag.
Most of the time I watch replays, I'm not the guy who wakes up at 3 a.m to watch the race when its on EU an usually I don't know the exact time of the race so I got the notification on my phone when people start posting on other platforms about how bad the weather was, I made a thread on Inleo , the roof on the stands went off, people were still at the track, it all happen so fast but lucky no one was hurt.
I did not put Lando Norris on the cover of post for nothing, yes Verstappen and Leclerc put two banker laps on the bag before rain came in, through the entire Quali wind was very nasty making drivers slide and going off the track, Formula 1 cars are very light and are easy affected by cross wind pushing drivers out of track of at times making them spin, basically it was the same condition for everyone. Verstappen did Pole with a 1.10.727 but lets say this was not his best effort although it was Q3 already meaning its when drivers put their best times and the track ramps up.
If we ask who made had the fastest lap on Quali this weekend the answer is very simple, Lando Norris with a 1:10:021 going +0.141 faster than Verstappen, this was Q2, wind was starting to impact some drivers but it was the same conditions for everyone, Lando was one of the drivers who could not put in a fast lap as Verstappen and Leclerc did so he ends P7 on Q3 going into Sunday race with Hamilton and Russel in front, this is going to be a great battle between the three British drivers specially since Hamilton had great results on the last two race means this is going to be very competitive, at the moment of me writing this post the Sprint Shootout is OVER!! so I do not know the results yet but it would not be strange we see Lando taking revenge on the Sprint, his Quali was pure bad luck, you can't control the weather and that's just how racing is.
Aston Martin seem to be bouncing or at least taking a small breath from their terrible streak of races since the season restart, people have been making fun of them because of all the "upgrades" more like DOWNGRADES they have brought for the cars, Aston Martin is in a position where they have many things in their favor
- Resources, Aston Martin is very well funded compare to other teams
- Driver, they have Fernando Alonso two time World Champion still driving at his best
- Tech, new facilities, competitive staff
but for some unknown reason they have been stuck since the season restart, probably same as it happen to Mercedes, last year Hamilton was no where to be seen while Russel was beating his ass so bad every race, many argue this is because Russel was use to driver a Williams, and do not compare Williams 2023 with the one Russel drive, right now Albon is driving a five times better car, when Russel was at Williams the car was a shit box and was all over the place every weekend, for a driver like Hamilton who is use to driver a World Class car every weekend is hard to adapt and wont adapt, he will push engineering to fix the car, Aston Martin could be on that spot so they are mixing parts, experimenting with two cars for two different drivers, basically trying to get out of the hole before 2024, if everything goes right on Sunday Alonso could have a very good race after he sling shot from Lance and then keep a good race pace.
Conlusion: It's the Interlagos magic in the air, we are in for a banger of a race, if we look drivers fastest laps for the entire Quali makes me think WHA THE FUCK IS FERRARI going to do, they got Mercedes on their ass if not already pass them, Norris putting a hell of a weekend but it was just bad luck towards the end of the session, Red Bull with Verstappen always ahead of the game, on Q3 he pass Hamilton on his way out of the pits like bro get the fuck out rain is coming so its show time, puts a great banker lap and there is one thing I got me thinking about Red Bull, was Checo waiting for rain and put on the wets because the team should have send him with Verstappen, his fastest lap was very good so the car has the pace, even though Checo has not been the smartest driver of the grid latetly I still like his driving and want him to do good this weekend, I hope he learn that its better a podium than going for the kill on the first corner besides he needs it to stay ahead of Hamilton for the second place of the season.
