A long break to forget a horrible start to the 2023 Formula One season. A long break to work on SF-23 and make it competitive. Ferrari is approaching the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with various innovations in store regarding aerodynamics, suspension updates and power unit mappings. This was reported by today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport in an article written by Paolo Filisetti.
Towards the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Ferrari’s plan
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, on the basis of the work done on the simulator, Ferrari has found eight different combinations of set-ups. “Basically – reads the online edition of the newspaper – three set-ups have been mixed in terms of suspensions (front and rear), with as many variations in terms of aerodynamic configuration both in terms of rear wing profile and incidence and flap conformation of the front one, all combined with two ways of using the Power Unit”.
The work done in Maranello would seem to have provided encouraging indications. Suffice it to say that – again according to what was reported by the Italian newspaper – in Baku the SF-23 should prove to be one second and two tenths faster than last year’s F1-75. If confirmed by the track, this would constitute “a much better figure than what emerged in the first three rounds with the SF-23 which had shown a performance increase of only seven tenths over the flying lap compared to the F1-75”.
Furthermore: “The parameters modified during the simulations, in terms of suspension stiffness and above all of their dynamic response to load variations, have provided the crucial indications for determining the basic set-up with which the SF-23 will take to the track on Friday. Since, as is known, the first Sprint Race of the season will be held in Baku, it will actually be an almost definitive setup, so it has assumed a clearly significant meaning to be able to refine the settings with which the single-seater will go on Baku track already on the simulator. In this sense, the differences in driving and the preferences of the two drivers were also considered”.
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In Azerbaijan there should be all the conditions for the Ferrari power unit to express its full potential on the long straights, “while the optimization of the aerodynamic configuration, in terms of ground clearance and control of vertical oscillations, seems to have allowed the achievement of speed performance higher than 2022. In addition to having proved useful for managing tire degradation”, says F1 journalist Paolo Filisetti.
He then underlines: “It is correct to reiterate that the development elements that will be adopted on the SF-23 in Baku will simply consist of necessary functional modifications to adapt the car to the characteristics of this track. Developments that were already planned a few months before the “recovery plan” was defined due to the gap seen in the first three races. This will be implemented between Imola and Barcelona, even if a partial anticipation in Miami is possible” – La Gazzetta dello Sport concluded.
