Ferrari SF-24 balanced but struggles to find grip with Soft tires at Marina Bay | Singapore GP FP3
Today at 08:05 AM
Scuderia Ferrari has done a lot of work on the simulator. In Formula 1, every detail counts to make a difference, especially on a technical track like the 4.94-kilometre Marina Bay Street Circuit. The first setup correction made yesterday worked. The lack of rotation disappeared, giving way to slight oversteer on the exit. Charles Leclerc showed skill in managing the SF-24, while his Maranello teammate struggled more. A small brake issue, which only occurred in the second half of FP2, also mentally blocked the Spaniard, affecting his confidence.
Can the Marina Bay version of Ferrari fight for pole position and consequently for the win? It’s not easy to answer. We can say that the chances are there because the potential to beat the super McLaren seems present. Moreover, on the narrow streets of the Asian circuit, the drivers’ talent can clearly increase the success rate. The best drivers will be able to exploit every inch of the track to go faster, brushing the walls. The balance of the Ferrari is very good but still needs to make the final step.
Ferrari decided to make some tweaks to the suspension system. According to simulations, this move should provide more performance to both cars, giving Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz a concrete chance to fight at the top. However, it will be important to avoid taking a misleading path with the setup. We say this because it wouldn’t be the first time it happens, a scenario that would make the car lose its correct working point, forcing a return to the previous setup without improving compared to yesterday. The Maranello team, it seems, is confident in what they are doing.
For now, let’s take a detailed look at how events unfolded for the two Ferrari drivers in the final free practice session for the Singapore Grand Prix, in conditions that were very different from those which teams and drivers will encounter in the qualifying session later today.
The usual checks on the Italian cars have just been completed: power unit, braking system, hybrid system, and transmission. Everything seems to be working perfectly. The new front wing has been approved and will again be showcased today on the winding Marina Bay circuit. Before we begin, let's take a look at the weather: air temperature at 30.5°C, track temperature at 37.2°C. Humidity is 77%, with a wind speed of 0.5 km/h from the northwest. Everything is ready for the track session. The Ferrari drivers are aboard their SF-24 cars, waiting for the green flag.
The mechanics signal the Ferrari drivers to leave the pit lane. For this first run of the third free practice session, both SF-24 cars are fitted with a set of yellow-banded Pirelli tires. It should be noted that last night's heavy downpour made the track green again. Ferrari race engineers Riccardo Adami and Bryan Bozzi remind the drivers of the FP2 references with the Medium tires, which are important for understanding the track conditions at this moment. The tires are warmed up, and then they switch to push mode for the first flying lap, testing the track without pushing too hard.
During the cooling lap for the tires, the usual advice comes in to optimize handling. After the single, very slow cool-down lap, it’s back to business. Carlos Sainz is forced to correct the car in sector 2 and nearly crashes into the wall. Fortunately, the Spaniard managed to control the SF-24 in the middle of the corner when the rear stepped out. In contrast, Charles Leclerc completed the lap without too many issues. After two laps to test the car, they now switch to Engine Mode 1 for a more accurate assessment of the Italian car.
We're waiting for this attempt to talk about balance. Carlos Sainz manages to find a balanced lap with no corrections on the steering wheel. A clean lap, in short. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc, perhaps because he tried to push too hard, decided to lift in the second sector. He did this because his driving wasn't clean. We can say the Ferrari’s balance is excellent. Carlos Sainz returns to the pits while his Maranello teammate stays on track for another push lap, taking the top spot on the leaderboard.
To add more details, it seems the setup tweaks have further balanced the Italian cars. Good news, then. Charles Leclerc is quite satisfied, as you can tell from the tone of his radio communications. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, still needs to gain confidence with the SF-24. In fact, the Spaniard passed through the pits for a setup adjustment, convinced he could improve things. And indeed, his performance improved, following closely behind his teammate, still using the worn yellow-banded tires. He stays on track for another two laps.
Riccardo Adami asks him to complete a lap with maximum power from the internal combustion engine, without using the DRS system. The purpose is clear: to test the Ferrari’s performance without the aid of the rear wing to assess the car’s aerodynamic efficiency. An interesting data-gathering exercise to understand the SF-24's drag value. Meanwhile, Charles is back on the track, still with the yellow-banded Pirellis. The setup refinement work continues before switching to the Soft tires for extra grip.
During the last 15 minutes of the third free practice session for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, the historic Ferrari team was ready to test the SF-24’s capabilities on the red-banded Pirelli tires. The goal was to achieve a perfect warm-up cycle in order to access the maximum grip these tires can offer. The tire warm-up process was handled carefully, using various settings and specific racing lines to inject energy into the tire carcass. Then, before the last corner, they switched to push mode before going full throttle.
Carlos Sainz managed a fairly clean lap, though he encountered a lot of traffic during his attempt. The Spaniard wasn't happy with his performance, convinced he could have done much better. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc lifted in Turn 1 as he exceeded track limits. The Monegasque driver launched another lap afterward but encountered traffic in sector 1, which disturbed him slightly. Carlos Sainz returned to the pits, followed by his teammate. On the in-lap, the Monegasque reported a general lack of grip. There wasn't enough time for another adjustment, so after a quick pit stop, it was back on track.
There was a lot of chatter on the radio between the engineers and drivers, trying to understand what wasn't working. It seems the issue was mainly related to tire activation, which didn't work as expected. In the second attempt, things didn't improve. There was a general lack of grip across the entire track. Not a good sign just hours before qualifying, where grip will be essential for the fight at the top. Ferrari needs to figure out how to improve the performance on the Soft tires and generate the right amount of energy into the tire. The collected data will be useful for this.
— see video above —
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