Focusing on the fight for third place in the Constructors’ standings, Scuderia Ferrari and McLaren expected an almost opposite Italian Grand Prix, with the English team very convinced that the technical characteristics of Monza would be favourable for the MCL35M, vice versa for Ferrari.
However, both teams performed above their expectations, with McLaren delivering a masterful overall performance, not just in the race, but throughout the weekend, and Ferrari finishing in second place based on the total number of points won by each team at the end of the Italian Grand Prix.
With the double at Monza Mclaren returned to third place in the constructors’ standings with eight races to go, effectively managing to maximize the result in a race which represented their only chance of victory for the 2021 Formula 1 season.
ITALIAN GP FOR FERRARI
If it was a great celebration at Mclaren in Monza, the same cannot be said for Scuderia Ferrari.
However, the Maranello team was aware of the difficulties that would arise on the Brianza track, the post-weekend statements by the two drivers, as well as those of TP Mattia Binotto, were clear.
The red team arrived in Monza with the knowledge that it could not give great joy to the Tifosi, but with the certainty of not repeating last year’s horrible performance of the SF1000.
The SF21 is a car that compared to last season is a clear step forward.
We have often stressed that, despite the various limitations deriving from the freezing of the macro components, the work done by the Maranello technicians was excellent.
Since the SF21 was a close relative of the SF1000, there were many limits to be corrected: power unit, front axle and rear instability. The latter was also chosen because that macro area of the car was the most limited by the 2021 regulatory changes and where Ferrari thought and hoped to make the most profits.
The Monza track, on paper, did not suit the SF21 characteristics due to a matter mainly related to the Power Unit: the 065/6 Evo proved to be a clear step forward compared to 2020, however it still lacks 25 HP from the most powerful power unit (Mercedes) and 15 HP as compared to Honda.
Some problems in terms of reliability were seen on Friday in Charles Leclerc’s car, with the Monegasque having to use the old unit (the number one). Monza is a very demanding track for engines, where you are full throttle for almost 80% of the lap time.
The updates regarding the hybrid part are eagerly awaited on the Ferrari, ready to be implemented in Turkey, if all goes well. In fact, on the current 065/6 there are still some hybrid components from the past season.
Mattia Binotto spoke of a “change in technology on the hybrid side” since the voltage of the electrical part will be significantly increased on the red car, as anticipated by Michael Schmidt of AMuS, approaching the 1000 V threshold, a value with which Mercedes reached already for a couple of seasons.
In general, the greater the voltage, the greater the efficiency of the entire system. This will also reduce the size of the components.
Hence the words of the Italian-Swiss Team Principal regarding “hazardous materials” for which “formal approvals and certifications are needed”. Also to be simply transported.
If it weren’t for the Power Unit aspect, Ferrari could have had a better performance at Monza without a doubt. It remains to be emphasized that overall the weekend was anything but a disaster.
The Brianza circuit has characteristics which were not that bad for the SF21 car, beyond the long straights. Ferrari has always behaved discreetly in rear limited circuits, ie those tracks where it is important to have great traction at corner exit, and to generate grip mainly on the rear axle.
Compared to Mclaren, in terms of set-up, Ferrari did not present a car with a very low aerodynamic setup, on the contrary the rear aerodynamic configuration chosen by Ferrari is practically identical to that used in Belgium and Azerbaijan.
As indicated by formu1a.uno specifically, the rear wing of Monza featured a main plane with little wing angle, but with a movable flap with moderate incidence. The only change with respect to Spa concerned the removal of the nolder, to reduce part of the drag.
An aerodynamic configuration like this allowed the red car to still be fast with DRS open, but it was different when there was a need to defend oneself on the straights with the mobile flap closed.
The fact that Ferrari did not choose a very low setup was not to penalize the front axle too much, which we know is and will remain the weak point of the SF21 at the end of the season. After the problems encountered in Belgium, a more conservative set-up was opted for, which would guarantee better tire management.
Due to a slightly heavier set-up, the SF21 showed excellent times in the central sector, where the two Lesmo curves are present.
In terms of actual updates, a new front wing was used on the Ferrari.
The new wing specification features ‘cut’ flaps in the innermost part to balance the lower rear load, while eliminating aerodynamic drag.
If it couldn’t have been more than that at Monza, the bitterness of the occasions that vanished at Silverstone and especially in Monte Carlo remains. Ferrari has had its own chances of victory, but has never managed to achieve anything concrete unlike Alpine and McLaren.
In the fight for third place, with eight races remaining, the battle remains close. McLaren certainly took advantage of his own chance of victory, maximizing the result with a brace.
From now until the end of the season we should no longer see major changes on the cars and the values on the field will be conditioned mainly by the adaptation that the cars will have in the various circuits. It will therefore be essential from now on not to waste opportunities, being ready should Mercedes and Red Bull make any other mistakes.
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