Barcelona Testing 2019 (Circuit de Catalunya)

Ferrari: Vettel's crash due to a problem with the construction of the front suspension

The bad exit of Sebastian track at Curve 3 could be due to a defect in gluing the skins of a suspension arm. The SF90 has been rebuilt, and after the clean-up of the parts, it is back on track with Leclerc that tomorrow will drive all day.

Seeing Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari crashing into the barriers of the dreaded Curva 3 in Barcelona, he immediately recalled the incident that saw Michael Schumacher in the Silverstone circuit in 1999, when the German champion fractured tibia and fibula of his right leg after finishing straight to Stowe for the non-tightening of a bleeding screw in the braking circuit.

Since that crash, which probably cost the first title with Ferrari since seven times world champion, twenty years have passed and the F1 has since made incredible steps forward in terms of safety: Vettel today came out unharmed by the bang and the The body of the SF90 was not damaged, so much so that Charles Leclerc managed to run an installation lap eight minutes before the checkered flag put an end to the second day of testing at Montmelò, the last session before the Australian GP.

Active and passive safety systems have done their part, but the crash against the barriers has been violent, although the signs of braking in the escape route indicate that Sebastian has tried in every way to reduce the speed of impact in a curve where it proceeds in full at over 270 km / h, with a lateral force of 5.5g.

If in the case of Michael Schumacher it was a human error, for the accident of Sebastian Vettel we must speak of a mechanical failure, immediately admitted by the communication of the team of the Cavallino.

"I was approaching Turn 3 - explained Vettel - and I suddenly had the feeling of a problem at the front left side, and from that moment I became a passenger, there was nothing I could do to avoid the impact. We are trying to understand, of course we have an idea, but it would have been easier to get to the origin of the problem if there had not been a collision, because the analysis is complicated by the very damaged car. Fortunately I did not do anything and at the end of the day, thanks to the great work of the mechanics, we even managed to put the car back on track. "

The impact occurred at over 20 g, that is to say a force that turns on the blue light of the FIA sensor mounted in the passenger compartment that signals to the rescuers that the pilot must be transferred to the Medical Center even if he leaves the cockpit with his means. Seb, after the appropriate checks, returned in perfect shape to Ferrari hospitality before allowing himself to journalists.

Meanwhile, the Cavallino technicians, on track as in Maranello, have been looking for the cause that led to the Ferrari track exit # 5. From the data of the telemetry it must not have been difficult to identify that to yield was a detail of the left front suspension. More complicated was understanding why an arm broke, bearing in mind that all the elements mounted on the Rossa are subjected to long approval cycles.

It is likely that there was a problem of construction, perhaps in a phase of bonding of carbon skins: the engineers of the Scuderia, therefore, had to clean up all the arms in order not to meet other surprises and, after having carried out the necessary checks , they were able to put Charles Leclerc back on track in full safety.


Sebastian's bang has complicated the work plans of Ferrari: Vettel beat at 11.11 when he had covered 48 laps. To that loot of (few) kilometers was added the lap of Leclerc at the end of the day. Too little in comparison with the Mercedes that has added a quadruple distance with Lewis Hamilton (102 laps) and Valtter Bottas (74 laps) for a total of 176 laps equal to 2.66 GP.

If in the first Catalan session the Red had rivaled with the silver arrow in terms of kilometers, in this second round she was forced to succumb because yesterday Charles Leclerc saw the work of the morning vanish for a loss of water from the plant engine cooling.

The tests are just to bring out the problems of youth of a car that seems well born: Ferrari has so far turned with the C3 tires, and did just a taste with the red C4 without looking for performance because the Red has never turned with the empty tank.

If the Mercedes hides, continuing the usual approach to the world of recent years, the Scuderia remains cautious, aware of the potential of the SF90, leaving McLaren and Racing Point to climb the lead time table with Vettel third, capable of 1 '18 "195 with the yellow before the bang, while Sainz and Perez have resorted to the red C4 tires.

Behind the Rossa diligently, the customers, Alfa Romeo and Haas, were able to stand both in front of Red Bull of Max Verstappen (who had trouble with the gearbox), a sign that the 064 power unit knows its stuff.

Mattia Binotto will make the spells: there are only two days of testing before sending the material to Melbourne. Ferrari needs to finish the tests by being able to deepen the knowledge of the SF90 with new work plans. Charles Leclerc will drive all day tomorrow, while Sebastian Vettel will close on Friday.

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Mercedes reveals that they have suffered graining on the front wheels in their race simulation, and that can be a trend in 2019.

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After today's issues, Scuderia Ferrari have decided to run a single drive per day for the remainder of the test:

Leclerc - Tomorrow

Vettel - Friday

 

Pit crew taking the covered car.....somewhere???

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Test 2 day 6 total lap count and mileage

MERC: 876 laps = 4077.78km
FERi: 749 = 3486.595
RBR: 739 = 3440.045
REN: 720 = 3351,6
Racing Point: 418 = 1945.79
McLaren: 655 = 3049.025
Alfa Romeo: 719 = 3346.945
Toro Rosso: 686 = 3193.33
Haas: 598 = 2783.69
Williams: 337 = 1568.735

Total lap count and mileage by MANUFACTURER

Ferrari: 2067 laps = 9611.55km
Mercedes: 1604 laps =7466.62km
Honda: 1425 laps = 6633.375km
Renault: 1375 laps = 6400.625


Test 2 day 6 drivers lap count, times & compound

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Teams mileage on day 6 only

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Engine Manufacturers on day 6 only

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New parts have arrived for Ferrari

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