Ferrari ends updates for SF-24 and shifts focus fully to 2025 F1 car
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In the Brazilian Grand Prix at the 4.309-kilometre Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Brazil, Ferrari managed to limit McLaren’s lead to just a two-point increase. Heading into the final three races, Ferrari trails Andrea Stella's team by 36 points but will look to take advantage of a few favorable circuits, starting with the Las Vegas Strip Circuit in Nevada.
If Ferrari is to close in on McLaren and claim a Constructors' title this season, its first since 2008, the Maranello team must do so with the existing SF-24 aerodynamic package for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as no further factory upgrades will boost performance for this year’s single-seater.
When asked about the possibility of new components for the upcoming races, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur jokingly remarked that there were "plenty of new parts coming this weekend" but then clarified that the Maranello team’s focus had shifted entirely to the 2025 Formula 1 project and that no further updates would be made to the current car. Reflecting on recent performance, Frederic Vasseur observed that the last three races had gone well, with Ferrari earning the most points among teams, an encouraging position heading into the final three races of the 2024 Formula 1 championship. The French manager expressed confidence in Ferrari's chances at Las Vegas, where they expect a performance advantage, and anticipated a close contest among the top four teams through to Abu Dhabi.
After the Brazilian Grand Prix in Sao Paulo, Charles Leclerc also shared insights on the final three races, particularly the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc suggested that, although Las Vegas should theoretically favor the characteristics of the SF-24 car, Ferrari's tire performance could remain a challenge. The Monegasque driver noted that while the team had been strong there last year, their improvements in tire management this season might present difficulties on cooler tracks, as demonstrated in the recent race, a condition expected in Las Vegas as well. Charles Leclerc emphasized the importance of using the next two weeks to prepare, recognizing that the track should play to Ferrari’s strengths but would still require careful tire management. He added that Abu Dhabi, the final round of the season, might also be favorable for the Italian side, while he anticipated that Qatar to be more challenging, likely demanding a more conservative approach.
Ferrari was aware, even before the Brazilian Grand Prix, that the Interlagos circuit would not be favorable for them, given the track’s characteristics which were not suited to the SF-24. It was therefore clear that continuing the positive trend seen in the previous American races in Mexico and the United States would be challenging. The Brazilian race, as a result, became a battle of defense, aiming to limit the damage against rivals McLaren and Red Bull, as the outcome of the three days in São Paulo later confirmed. The South American race did not deliver great results for the Scuderia, with Max Verstappen dominating the event after starting from 16th on the grid, pulling out a significant gap over everyone, including Ferrari.
The result was largely expected, as Ferrari had not shown impressive speed since the first free practice session on Friday, regardless of the track conditions. Charles Leclerc did his best to limit the damage, especially in wet conditions where the SF-24 struggled, finishing in fifth place at the end of Sunday’s race. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz was forced to retire after making a mistake during the heaviest rain on track. As a result, the Scuderia couldn’t leave Brazil with a smile, particularly after qualifying as the second fastest team (thanks mainly to Charles Leclerc’s talent), only to finish the race as the fourth fastest car. While their performance was not flawless, the main issue was with the SF-24 pace, which lost competitiveness, becoming unstable at the rear and struggling with tire management, failing to find the right window to generate grip.
In this scenario, as mentioned, the Italian side was the fourth (if not even the fifth) fastest team, trailing Red Bull, Alpine, and Mercedes, but they managed to hold a slim lead over McLaren, albeit thanks to a few lucky breaks. This helped them save their position in the Constructors’ Championship, where they lost only two points to the Woking team with three races remaining in the season, bringing the gap to just 36 points. As late November approaches, the Maranello team still has a reason to dream and seriously consider scenarios that seemed unimaginable just a few weeks ago, also relying on two tracks that should suit their car (Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi) where they could aim to challenge McLaren and possibly get closer to a remarkable achievement.
However, at Las Vegas, Losail, and Yas Marina, Ferrari will need to charge ahead without any help from home, as no new updates will be brought to the SF-24. The team has already decided to halt the development of the 2024 car in Maranello. This was a logical and necessary decision to fully commit all energy, personnel, and resources to the 2025 car, which is expected to be very different from the current one and will carry greater responsibility, given both the legacy of the previous car and the caliber of the driver who will be behind the wheel.
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