F1: Ferrari updates 2024 operational deadline to put pressure on McLaren
11/09/2024 08:17 AM
Scuderia Ferrari has decided not to give up in the 2024 Formula 1 championship. We previously discussed at the end of September that the Maranello team had set a deadline around the Mexico City Grand Prix. Specifically, it was suggested that, based on Ferrari’s position in the Driver and Constructors’ Championships and its competitiveness up to the race held at the circuit dedicated to the Rodriguez brothers, a decision would be made regarding the plan for the final part of the 2024 Formula 1 season. Since that date, Ferrari has achieved two consecutive victories.
The first came in the United States Grand Prix at the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas in Austin. It was a convincing race, where the Italian side delivered a historic one-two finish with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz overwhelming the competition. This unexpected show of strength brought courage and boosted confidence in their abilities. Then, a week later, in the beautiful Mexican setting, Ferrari nearly repeated the feat, delivering another strong result that confirmed the high performance of the Italian car and the Maranello team’s ability to maximize results. Despite McLaren having the strongest overall package, the outcome of the Mexico City Grand Prix led Ferrari to continue putting forth its best effort for the 2024 Formula 1 championship.
However, this does not mean that the Maranello technicians an engineers are not already thinking about the coming season. In fact, the 2025 car or Project 677 as it is known internally, is derived directly from the current model. Thus, continuing to work along the development curve of the SF-24 single-seater will be valuable groundwork for a significant championship, not just a transitional one, where Ferrari has the highest aim, namely to contend for and possibly win both Formula 1 world titles. This effort will be supported by a stellar driver lineup, with Charles Leclerc joined by seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton.
For now three Grands Prix remain in the current season, two of which could favor Ferrari. These include the upcoming event the 6.2-kilometre Las Vegas Strip Circuit in Nevada, USA, and the final round at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi. On the other hand, as Ferrari representatives have acknowledged in Brazil, the race in Qatar will be more challenging, considering the fact that it will be more difficult to adapt the characteristics of the SF-24 car to the Arabic layout. In that race, Ferrari will focus on damage control, as McLaren is expected to have the advantage.
But Ferrari is determined to put pressure on McLaren by providing full support to the SF-24. McLaren, as we were saying, is the F1 team that has shown the highest technical level over the 2024 Formula 1 campaign. However, the historic British team has struggled to fully capitalize on its potential. Too many races have seen the team lose valuable points due to strategic misjudgments and suboptimal setups, not to mention the various errors made by the two drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. This has allowed Max Verstappen to retain his lead in the drivers’ championship without any real challenge, despite the fact that the Red Bull RB20 car has been less dominant in the second part of the season. In fact, the gap between him and Lando Norris has even increased after the Brazilian Grand Prix and the Dutchman has therefore secured his fourth Formula 1 title.
In the constructors’ championship, however, things are different, with McLaren holding the lead in the standings for those who build the cars. Yet, the gap to their closest pursuer is not insurmountable. Only 36 points separate the Woking team from Ferrari. This difference is certainly recoverable in the three remaining races and a Sprint Race, especially if the British team continues with the underperformance that it has been experiencing for too long. Ferrari is applying pressure in this regard, confident that it can still catch up and therefore determined to keep pushing until the end.
Barring any major and unexpected new downturn for Red Bull, Max Verstappen already has the drivers’ championship within reach. Lando Norris is out of the running, and although both drivers in papaya colors must fight for the constructors’ title, the finishing order between them will no longer be as crucial. Oscar Piastri may therefore feel entitled to push hard against his teammate, and given that there have already been clashes between the two, it is likely that we could see this scenario repeat itself. Ferrari is aware of this and aims to take advantage of any opportunity that may arise, provided the Maranello team can perform at its best in the remaining rounds of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Even Benedetto Vigna, the chief executive officer of Ferrari, speaks up occasionally. Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has previously asked John Elkann to remove Ferrari's CEO from sports-related communications due to some of Benedetto Benedetto's comments that stirred up controversy. Nonetheless, Benedetto Vigna, responding to media during a call with financial analysts discussing the third-quarter report, commented on the team's performance over the course of the season. The Ferrari chief executive officer spoke about the team's current goals in this final stretch of the championship.
The Italian physicist and businessman praised the team and celebrated the recent victories in the United States Grand Prix and Mexico City Grand Prix, at a time when, as we have previously noted, a deadline had been set. These results have secured the opportunity to continue pushing in the constructors’ battle through to the end of the season. Focus remains high, and until the very last corner of the 58 laps in Abu Dhabi, Ferrari will continue to give its all towards an important target, which, in the best-case scenario, could once again crown the Prancing Horse at the top of the world.
— see video above —
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