Leclerc v Verstappen: Speed, Braking, and Traction Analysis
As they approach Turn 1, Max Verstappen reaches 341 km/h, while Charles Leclerc arrives at 332 km/h before lifting off the throttle and braking. The Dutchman is the first to slow down, while the Ferrari driver delays his braking, entering the corner in fourth gear, unlike the Red Bull champion, who takes Turn 1 in third gear.
Sector 1: RB19 vs. SF23 Performance
In the entry phase, the RB19 carries more speed and starts gaining an advantage. However, Leclerc slightly closes the gap on the straight by accelerating earlier. At full throttle, Verstappen is at 159 km/h, while Leclerc reaches 170 km/h, an 11 km/h difference. They end the straight leading to Turn 2 at the same speed: 252 km/h.
This time, Leclerc is the one who brakes earlier to optimize traction on the exit, allowing him to shift to fourth gear first. However, he does not achieve a better EOSS (Engine Output Speed Strategy)—by the end of the straight, Verstappen has a 6 km/h advantage over the Ferrari driver.
In the remaining corners of Sector 1, Leclerc focuses on traction at the expense of entry speed. A curious detail: during the exit phase, he briefly taps the brakes, possibly to control oversteer.
Sector 2: The Chicane and Speed Optimization
As they enter Turn 5, the second sector begins with a chicane (Turn 5 and Turn 6). Again, Leclerc prioritizes exit speed over entry speed.
This strategy remains consistent through Turns 8-12, allowing Leclerc to reduce the gap to Verstappen and eventually build a small lead. Notably, in this sequence of corners, Leclerc never keeps the throttle at 100%, affecting both his entry and exit speeds until he reaches Turn 12.
At this point, the Monegasque driver brakes in a similar spot to Verstappen but does so earlier, momentarily lifting off the throttle before gradually reaching 100% acceleration—much sooner than Verstappen. This gives the impression that Turn 12 almost disappears from Leclerc’s telemetry.
At the entry of Turn 12, Leclerc records 118 km/h, while Verstappen is at 108 km/h, an impressive 10 km/h difference. By the time both drivers are back to full throttle, Leclerc is at 154 km/h, while Verstappen is at 142 km/h, a 12 km/h advantage.
Sector 3: Final Braking and the Finish Line
After a series of corners leading into a fast section, they arrive at the heavy braking zone for Turn 15.
Here, Leclerc enters the corner with more speed, gaining a few milliseconds. Verstappen, however, recovers slightly at the apex, but once again, Leclerc gets a better launch, increasing the gap on the straight leading to Turn 16.
Leclerc lifts off the throttle later than Verstappen, as seen in the delayed downshift from sixth to fourth gear. However, despite exiting faster than the Dutchman, he does not gain a clear advantage in either speed or gap.
They cross the finish line with the following speeds:
- Max Verstappen: 340 km/h
- Charles Leclerc: 334 km/h
Ferrari’s Approach: Traction Over EOSS
Ferrari’s EOSS strategy was not fully optimized, as the team prioritized exit speed over entry performance. This approach proved effective over a dry lap, aligning with Ferrari’s tendency this season to favor traction over raw EOSS performance.
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