Racing Point perplexed by Ferrari speed fluctuations

Racing Point says Ferrari’s speed differential on varying fuel loads is “very strange” amid their battle in Formula 1’s midfield this season.

Ferrari has had the third-fastest one lap package at two of the last three events, with Charles Leclerc qualifying fifth at Mugello and fourth at the Nurburgring, but has been unable to replicate it in race trim.

Racing Point has only once had the third-fastest package in qualifying across the past five rounds but has performed strongly in race specification to move into third in the Constructors’ Championship.

“There is definitely something to look at in the way that other teams seem to be able to find pace in qualifying on a Saturday afternoon that we don’t seem to have,” said Racing Point technical chief Andrew Green.

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“A good example of that is Ferrari. I don’t know where they get their pace from on a Saturday afternoon. But come Sunday, they’re a good half a second behind us, which is very strange.

“It’s something that we definitely are looking at and I think it’s true. It’s always going to be a lot closer on a Saturday afternoon anyway, just because of the way things are. But we do seem to move forward on a Sunday afternoon.”

Green added that Pirelli’s notoriously capricious rubber is having an influence on its potential but believes the team is “missing something else” in the race that it has not yet unlocked.

“It’s just the way you’re using the tyres,” he said. “I think that’s where we focus on, that we’re getting the best out of our tyres on Sunday afternoon and not abusing one end of the car or the other just to get a good balance for a Saturday afternoon.

“If that balance isn’t right there on a Saturday afternoon, we won’t go chasing it at the expense of ruining our Sunday afternoon.

“I’m sure other teams to do the same, but there seems to be a bit more than that. We’re missing something else on a Sunday afternoon, which is something we’ll have a look at.”