Ferrari confident it has found ideal balance for SF-24 | 2024 F1 Mexico GP preview
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Scuderia Ferrari dominated in the United States, a Formula 1 Grand Prix in which it "kicked some stars and stripes" to the rest of the competitors. Yes… the first sentence of this article perfectly captures the collective "climax" that involved millions of people in ecstasy late on a Sunday evening all over the world. A "culmination" that reached its peak on lap 56, after more than one and a half hours of anxiety, shaped by the fear of not making it due to some technical problem, or only God knows what, with the final act seeing the two red cars cross the finish line ahead of everyone under a waving checkered flag at the 5.513-kilometre Circuit of The Americas in Austin.
Sporting nightmare, two words that make you reflect when thinking about the performance of the Prancing Horse after the wins racked up in this 2024 Formula 1 season. Races where a clear flop followed. A sort of habit slightly altered in Baku after the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit, which still confirms a fact: following a triumph in the current competitive campaign, the Maranello team has been unable to repeat the result even if they have the car to do so. Will this be the time to break this annoying pattern? Who knows. Theoretically, all the necessary elements seem to be in place. We will wait for the weekend to confirm it.
The the 4.304-kilometre Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez located in Mexico City presents an interesting challenge for Ferrari, which already last year showed it could adapt very well to this type of track. In 2023, the Italian car proved to be very competitive, finding a good setup compromise. This allowed Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to make the most of the tires during a flying lap. In qualifying, in fact, the SF-24 stood out for its ability to make the tires work properly, achieving significant performances. We will remember the all-red front row from last season’s campaign.
In the race, however, difficulties emerged in managing tire degradation and keeping the tire temperatures under control. A problem that penalized overall performance over the 300 kilometer distance, no doubt. The Italian team adopted an unusual setup for the characteristics of the SF-23 single-seater, trying to correct the oversteer during the transition phase between corner entry and apex. This work yielded excellent results in the first sector, where the red car managed to develop high top speeds, also thanks to slightly less aerodynamic drag compared to other teams.
In the middle sector, characterized by banked corners requiring more vertical downforce, the Maranello team’s car managed to hold its own against Max Verstappen‘s Red Bull RB19, showing good competitiveness and achieving a great balance. However, the last sector proved more complicated, as the car struggled significantly to adapt to the slower layout, despite the fact that it still managed to stay close to the Red Bull in S3. This is the summary of the performance of the SF-24’s predecessor, a Formula 1 car that did not have the current level of performance.
F1, Ferrari is fully intent on hitting the gas and fighting for victory in Mexico.
The recent F1 weekend in Texas showed that the updates introduced by Ferrari are working very well. The new floor, installed on the car at Monza, is a deeply revised version compared to the specification introduced at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, which, as we know, did not deliver the expected results. This major component marked a clear step forward. Let’s remember that the front flow deflectors were redesigned to reduce energy losses downstream, improving their attachment to the car and overall control. Additionally, the keel and tunnel expansion have been optimized.
This move aimed to integrate with the aforementioned modifications, focusing efforts on the aerodynamic load efficiency along the floor’s edge, particularly in the area known as the “edge-wing.” We also know that the so-called aerodynamic bouncing has been completely contained. In the early stages of the 2024 Formula 1 championship, Ferrari showed good behavior in wide-radius and banked corners. Now, they have also improved the handling of fast corners in succession, like those in the first sector of the Austin circuit. There is still work to be done on the so-called handling over bumps.
This is an aspect that requires not only suspension adjustments but also proper management of tire pressures and ride height. Moving to the Mexico City Grand Prix, the 20th round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, we can say that the SF-24 should adapt well to the high-speed corners of the second sector. After all, as McLaren demonstrated in 2023, when the floor is made to work effectively, great potential can be unlocked. The first sector of the track named after the Rodríguez brothers is characterized by a very long straight.
This year, Ferrari has often opted for rear downforce that was, on average, below the optimal load level. The goal was clear: to maximize top speeds at the end of the straights. A choice that does not seem to negatively affect the overall balance, as it still manages to offer good stability. Apart from some initial adaptation problems due to excessive rotation in the early driving phases, the Maranello team manages to find a good compromise to balance the car, also thanks to the volume of load generated by the car’s floor.
In the final section of the circuit, where average speeds decrease and mechanical grip and traction become much more important, Ferrari seems to be able to present itself with a competitive aerodynamic package once again. With a well-calibrated setup, no particular issues should emerge for the Italian cars in these technical sections, allowing the team to achieve solid performance in this part of the track. Predicting the performance of a Formula 1 car before it hits the track is always complicated, but in terms of potential, the SF-24 should fear no other team.
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