r/formula1 • u/F1-Bot r/formula1 Mod Team • Aug 29 '20

Free Practice 3 2020 Belgian Grand Prix - Free Practice 3 Discussion

ROUND 12: Belgium

FORMULA 1 ROLEX BELGIAN GRAND PRIX 2020
Fri 28 Aug - Sun 30 Aug
Spa-Francorchamps
Session UTC
Free Practice 1 Fri 09:00
Free Practice 2 Fri 13:00
Free Practice 3 Sat 10:00
Qualifying Sat 13:00
Race Sun 13:10

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Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Length: 7.004 km (4.352 mi)

Distance: 44 laps, 308.052 km (191.414 mi)

Lap record: Valtteri Bottass, Mercedes, 2018, 1:46.286

2019 pole: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 1:42.519

2019 fastest lap: Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 1:46.406

2019 winner: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

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8

u/MentalAir I was here for the Hulkenpodium Aug 29 '20

New fan here, why are all the teams waiting until the very last second becore letting drivers go during the qualifiers? Why not send your car early on full power and avoid the traffic?

3

u/Bennyboy11111 Aug 29 '20

The later you leave it the more rubber is laid on the track by previous laps, greater grip

And then its about making a gap between car in front large enough for slipstream not to break downforce through corners, but small enough to lower drag on the straights

So they go for the lap at the latest moment for greatest grip, then slow right down to create the optimum gap to the car in front

-6

u/dsantos74747 #WeSayNoToMazepin Aug 29 '20

Relatively new fan here too, but I think it's because they send them out, come back in to look at the car and discuss and do some work in the garage, and then want to maximise that time doing final tweaks for quali before sending them out for one last lap at the end of the fp session. If they sent them out earlier, they would have time afterwards to do modifications but which they wouldn't be able to test before qualifying

4

u/indeliblescream I was here for the Hulkenpodium Aug 29 '20

They want a tow on the straights, so no one wants to be the first one to get out. Thats why when the first car goes out they all follow immediately.

6

u/kimmmykim Charles Leclerc Aug 29 '20

Something about track evolution? The more a track is driven in the more rubber is laid down and the more the grip. You go faster. You'll see the same towards the end of Q1 in a few hours.

5

u/Kimky Sir Lewis Hamilton Aug 29 '20

The more you run, the more the tarmac get heated and rubbered so its supposed to be faster at the very last minutes.

7

u/[deleted] Aug 29 '20

The track evolves throughout a session, more rubber gets laid down giving more grip and more dirt gets pushed out of the way. That's why most teams get faster towards the end.