Scuderia Ferrari’s promising begin to the 2024 Components 1 season was marred by the event of the SF-24, which was removed from excellent. After introducing a major aerodynamic improve package deal at Imola, which allowed the SF-24 to take a step ahead, the updates delivered to the Spanish Grand Prix on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, on which the Maranello workforce positioned nice hopes to catch McLaren and Purple Bull, who nonetheless held a major benefit, didn’t ship as anticipated. Nevertheless, from Spain onwards, the detrimental part of this 2024 F1 season started for Frédéric Vasseur’s workforce, compounded by a double zero factors end within the Canadian Grand Prix, which closely penalized Ferrari. These advanced vehicles, nevertheless, supply vital features when absolutely understood, and that is exactly what allowed the Maranello workforce to overturn its state of affairs, reaching the tip of the season with an opportunity to nonetheless compete for the Constructors’ Championship with McLaren.
Step one occurred earlier than the summer time break.
The event package deal launched at Barcelona brought on the SF-24 to take a step again as a result of return of bouncing in high-speed corners and considerably worsened drivability in comparison with the two.0 model launched at Imola. It’s now extensively recognized that bouncing is detrimental to efficiency because it impacts tire administration however, above all, undermines the drivers’ confidence. Frédéric Vasseur’s workforce needed to make the tough choice to sacrifice virtually three race weekends to be able to perceive the character of the problems, which had been clearly tied as soon as once more to the same old track-factory correlation, and to work on options. At first, the Ferrari technicians and engineers struggled to just accept their issues, however ultimately needed to take a step again to progress, because the French Workforce Principal lately admitted. Thus started an intense improvement program at Maranello, with the primary novelty being the introduction of a check ground on the Hungaroring circuit in Hungary, which Frederic Vasseur referred to as “advanced.” This was developed solely via Computational Fluid Dynamics, with out utilizing wind tunnel hours.
This answer proved helpful for Ferrari to know whether or not the trail taken to handle the issues of the aerodynamic Barcelona package deal was the correct one, saving cash and improvement time on the manufacturing facility. As soon as it was clear that the modifications made had been a primary step in the correct course, work started on a improvement package deal initially deliberate for the US Grand Prix on the Austin circuit. The workforce, led by Diego Tondi and Frédéric Vasseur following the departure of Italian aerodynamicist and former Ferrari technical director Enrico Cardile, centered on a wholly new ground that was supposed to revive stability to the SF-24 and supply a extra secure aerodynamic platform. Whereas wind tunnel work continued at Maranello, one other necessary intervention was made on the SF-24 that we now see on the observe and which we had anticipated earlier than the summer time break. Certainly, on the Belgian GP, new anti-roll bars had been launched on the rear suspension of the Italian automotive. Though no fast benefits had been obvious, this innovation considerably flew below the radar as enhancements to the SF-24 grew to become evident, significantly in the course of the Dutch Grand Prix, the place the automotive outperformed with vital and sudden tire administration.
Not solely the brand new ground and entrance wing, but in addition the research on carbon fiber flexibility was essential.
It’s clear that from the Italian Grand Prix onwards, there was a extra evident turning level. By accelerating the event of the SF-24 single-seater, the Maranello workforce managed to deliver the “Austin package deal” to Monza, an all-in technical effort that included a very redesigned ground, modified sidepods, and the customary low-downforce package deal for the ultra-fast Monza circuit. This instantly restored stability to the SF-24, rising the downforce generated by the complete automotive physique, returning to the efficiency ranges seen in Barcelona, and increasing the setup window. Nevertheless, the developments didn’t cease there. In Singapore, new Ferrari head of aerodynamics Diego Tondi authorized the primary model of a newly conceived entrance wing, initially scheduled for introduction on the following race, as defined by F1 skilled Paolo D’Alessandro for formu1a.uno.
Frédéric Vasseur has repeatedly emphasised that not all developments are formally disclosed. Within the FIA doc, solely aerodynamic modifications that contain modifications to the shapes of particular components are listed, the French engineer confirmed just a few weeks in the past. The implication is that there could also be modifications that groups aren’t required to declare, significantly mechanical ones, similar to these delivered to the observe by Ferrari in Spa or updates to the Energy Unit. The latter consists of the one software program replace allowed by the FIA, which the Italian workforce launched on the Monza circuit.
However there’s extra. Following prolonged controversies with Purple Bull and discussions with the FIA concerning the flexibleness of McLaren and Mercedes’ entrance wings, Ferrari additionally tailored and started focusing extra on the flexibleness of this factor, choosing a selected improvement path. On the Marina Bay road circuit in Singapore, the Italian facet determined to first research the aerodynamic philosophy of the brand new wing. Then, in a transfer that was not significantly cost-effective below funds cap constraints, they introduced a extra excessive model to Austin. This model integrated materials ideas that may also characterize the entrance wing seen on subsequent yr’s automotive. Successfully, in two occasions, Ferrari launched two visually similar entrance wings that had been essentially completely different, aligning with Fred Vasseur’s feedback on “invisible” updates.
In conclusion, after the errors made with the “Spain aerodynamic package deal,” Ferrari spent vital sources and time to place a aggressive SF-24 again on observe. Nevertheless, these errors had been understood, and now the Italian automotive can contend for necessary milestones, together with the Constructors’ Championship, one thing that was unimaginable in the course of the late spring and early summer time months. Not all points have been resolved, nevertheless. Work on the chassis and mechanical elements will likely be obligatory, a spotlight already set for the 2025 Components 1 challenge. Within the meantime, after weeks of disaster, Frédéric Vasseur’s workforce has recovered and is again in rivalry, aiming for the Constructors’ title. With three races remaining, Ferrari trails McLaren by simply 36 factors, with 140 factors nonetheless up for grabs and excessive expectations for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
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