Toto Wolff: « Ascari will probably be just one bend instead of three »
Team managers were asked to react to the track modifications after the first day of testing. The results show that some corners, such as the Ascari chicane, are going faster than before.
The changes to the layout of Monza are causing a lot of talk. For some, they have altered this historic circuit on the calendar. But also for a potential lack of grip. Several drivers, in various categories, have suffered from it, as did Kimi Antonelli during the first free practice session.
But as the laps went by, the track conditions significantly improved, allowing to beat all the previous references. This was made possible thanks in particular to the transformation of the Ascari chicane. This sequence of three corners has become even faster and it is possible to tackle it flat out without lifting the foot.
I think that there are details that matter for a track and I think we have heard feedback that the curbs are an integral part of what Monza represents, and I think this is certainly true because finding the right balance between the curb and the small strip of asphalt that existed was a challenge, and now the curbs have been changed. I haven’t heard any comments from George or Lewis saying that it takes away a lot of fun. What we discussed during the session is that Ascari will probably be reduced to a single corner instead of three. So it will go quite fast, revealed Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, in front of the press.
Pleasure is always present
Ascari is not the only place that has been modified. The drivers are even faster in the Lesmo turns. Helped, it is true by the evolution of their single-seaters since last year.
Beyond performances, the modifications to the Monza layout had been strongly criticized before the Italian race weekend. Comments that, according to Frédéric Vasseur, should fade away in the coming hours.
« I think that at the end of the weekend, nobody will talk about it, that the philosophy of the track has not changed. It’s the fastest track of the season. Of course, some turns change slightly, like Ascari, because it’s probably a bit flatter. But in the end, it’s the same for everyone. We are here to compete and fight, and the curbs are the same for everyone, and I don’t care », estimates the Ferrari boss.
