F1, Ferrari: batteries and bio-fuel are two strategic areas to develop
10/04/2024 05:47 AM
Loic Serra and Jerome D'Ambrosio are now active at Maranello: the former as technical director and the latter as deputy team principal. The management and organizational structure of Ferrari took shape on October 1st according to the plan built by Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur, who, despite choosing French-speaking figures to work alongside him, bets on the continuity of the work being done by the group of “Italians.”
The entry of the two new key figures was very soft, without much fanfare, following the understated style set by Frederic Vasseur himself, who prefers the approach of a low profile and avoids excessive limelight. The Ferrari racing department is busy finalizing the solutions that will make up the aerodynamic upgrade package for the United States Grand Prix, following positive indications that have emerged from simulation data.
At the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas in Austin, we will not only see the more flexible front wing flap, but there will also be other interventions aimed at improving the balance of the SF-24 single-seater. Ferrari is going through a strategic moment for defining its future: the Maranello team is confident it can aim to catch Red Bull for second place in the Constructors’ Championship and hopes to exploit the latest updates to make progress just enough to be McLaren's primary challenger in the last quarter of a very spectacular and competitive Formula 1 season.
The Maranello technicians and engineers are completing the development of Project 677, the car for the 2025 Formula 1 campaign, which will be the final year of ground-effect cars. For Ferrari, there is the clear ambition to close the regulatory cycle that began in 2022 with high aims, despite the fact that Ferrari is aware the Woking-based team has gained an advantage during the current season, which will most likely be kept in start of the upcoming championship.
However, the 2025 Ferrari car will not be a derivative of the SF-24 but will represent a clean break, with the driver moved further back in the cockpit and a pull-rod front suspension following the trends of McLaren and Red Bull. The gearbox casing will also be shorter due to the redesigned chassis by Fabio Montecchi‘s working group.
Loic Serra's focus, therefore, beyond supervising project 677, as the wind tunnel work is in full development, while the mechanics are already well advanced, will shift to the preparations for the new generation of single-seaters which will be introduced in the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.
The Frenchman will not make changes to the newly defined structure, but the technical staff at Ferrari will need to be strengthened in some strategic aspects of the new project. With the power unit generating 50% of its power from the hybrid system and 50% from the internal combustion engine, it will be extremely important to implement research areas with ultra-specialized figures.
The technical regulations for agile cars leave significant room for research in the fields of batteries and fuels. So far, Ferrari has relied on capable and reliable partners, but now it is necessary to introduce new figures who can guide the suppliers according to the emerging project needs.
Shell is the petroleum company studying the fully sustainable biofuel that does not use fossil sources in its production. Formula 1 is opening an innovative path that could extend the life of combustion engines, offering an alternative to full-electric mobility. The 2026 regulations allow the use of bio-fuel and e-fuel: Shell, unlike Aramco, which is focusing on the latter solution, is investing in the former.
Making the right choice, given the rejection of the proposal to use a single fuel, will become very important because the “right” fuel could create a significant performance difference. The role of the “chemist,” therefore, becomes key in leading this delicate process from Maranello. The same applies to batteries: it is possible that the freedom of action granted by the FIA regulations will allow an evolution of the systems, which is currently governed by the Chinese, that could be very useful not only for racing but also for the broader mass-production market.
Before the 2025 Formula 1 season begins, several specialists will join Loic Serra’s staff and will be tasked with finding solutions in an innovative field, enhancing research value to achieve competitiveness. These roles and figures will find their place in the Scuderia's lineup, strengthening a group that today might not have all the answers to the new challenges.
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