The people of Ferrari daydream.
The two 'reds' of Maranello, on the Friday that introduces the highly anticipated Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit, shine, foreshadowing positive scenarios.
We will have to wait 48 hours to understand if Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz really have a concrete chance of success in the race that matters most for the Modenese team.
On the first day of testing, Monza like the rest of the world - and not just sports - wanted to pay homage to Queen Elizabeth II: a minute of silence today on the track, which will be repeated on Sunday before the race.
Then, everyone struggling with the first session of free practice.
Using the medium compound, Leclerc was the fastest with a time of 1'22 "410, ahead of his teammate from Spain. In the second session, he set the best time, with 1'21". 664, and this time with Leclerc third.
However, Red Bull and Ferrari essentially equaled each other in terms of performance.
The performance, in any case, must be evaluated with the benefit of inventory, since neither the fuel load nor the mapping of the 'power unit' are known.
of the single single-seaters on the track today.
In the qualifying simulation, Ferrari's competitiveness increased and, in the single lap, the difference with the Red Bulls was noticed, to the point that Sainz was the protagonist of the fastest lap, trailing 143 thousandths from Verstappen and 193 Leclerc.
The two Mercedes are far away, remaining with fifth and seventh place, overtaken by the McLaren of the British Lando Norris.
In the second session, which was always staged on a dry track (no showers are expected in Brianza over the weekend, after those of the past few days, and this can be considered good news for Ferrari), confirmations arrived from the Reds.
The hope of the people of the Prancing Horse is that they will also materialize tomorrow and Sunday.
The penalties will end up having a fatal impact on the economy of the race and on the strategies (it is not the first time, nor will it be the last): they arrived in bunches before the eve of the Italian GP, 16th round of the Formula One World Championship 1 of 2022.
Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz are the three big hitters: on Sunday they will start from the rear of the grid.
The reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, was also impressed.
The Dutchman, in fact, due to the installation of a new internal combustion engine will have to start with five penalty positions in the starting grid.
The Dutchman has accustomed everyone to sensational comebacks, but Leclerc has some more reason to smile.
The Monegasque will have to try to qualify with the best position, start well and then maybe go on the break, in order to manage the advantage, then hope that, this time, no further setbacks will occur.
The desire to hit the encore of 2019 in Monza is great, but Verstappen remains a bugbear: he has already shown that he can win even starting from the rear.
It will take the perfect race at Ferrari, and not just on the part of the drivers.
