Austin GP: Ferrari verdict is positive amid front wing, invisible updates, and a "magic touch"

Ferrari returns to dominate in America after 18 years, and the SF-24 proved dominant in Texas. A clear verdict for the Ferrari we saw in Austin, which, with invisible updates and a front wing, aims for a major breakthrough.

Ferrari wins and impresses on Texan soil, achieving a historic one-two, the first in 18 years since Indianapolis. The Ferrari’s hunting ground was anything but simple, given the numerous “unfriendly” characteristics of the pre-Monza SF-24. Despite this, the final verdict from Austin is overwhelmingly positive for Ferrari, which was perfect thanks to invisible updates to the front wing and beyond.

Psychological and technical dominance
A flawless execution from the first lap to the last corner by the team, which, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, found itself in the perfect position to manage the race. From Carlos Sainz’s first pit stop, which put pressure on Verstappen, to Leclerc’s tire management during the second stint. However, the gap accumulated by Carlos Sainz in the final stages of the race did not go unnoticed, likely due to an issue in the early laps. In fact, examining the telemetry from the last laps, it seems that car #55 suffered a fuel loss. This forced the Spaniard to do a lot of lift-and-coast to preserve fuel levels.

Technically, the SF-24 demonstrated near-perfect stability in all types of corners present in Texas. Optimal performance was also seen in the snake, where the sequence of direction changes troubled the SF-24 until Monza. The introduction of the new floor “transformed” the performance of the red car, enabling a significant performance leap. Completing the package was the front wing, introduced in Singapore, which perfected the work. Important progress was confirmed in America with an evolved specification, thanks to increased flexion at high speeds.

Although one might think this intervention was the key to Ferrari’s perfect Sunday, the reality is different. The entire post-Monza SF-24 package was the driving force behind the result, along with underlying interventions that enabled this achievement. As we speculated in Singapore, the SF-24 benefited from a mechanical intervention that also proved crucial in Austin. Frederic Vasseur himself confirmed the presence of updates not exclusively related to aerodynamics. This area will be the focus of study and solutions by the new technical director, Loic Serra, who has already put his touch on the SF-24, while awaiting further improvements to the 677.

The mechanical side currently seems to represent the SF-24’s limit. This was evident in qualifying, where both SF-24s had to partially throttle back to avoid losing grip. A symptom of imperfect stability around the longitudinal axis, but one that was excellent in the race. The “magic touch” of the French technician may have allowed the SF-24 to find the perfect compromise between roll and stability.

While the mechanical side is slightly lacking and not at its peak, the aerodynamics have reached extremely interesting levels. Transitioning from perfectly smooth circuits to rough ones, aerodynamic balance becomes crucial. Arriving in Texas, on a circuit known for its bumps, could have put Ferrari’s setup at risk. In fact, to avoid compromising plank wear and facing disqualification, everyone had to raise the car by a few millimeters.

Here is the extremely encouraging fact: the floor introduced at Monza seems capable of operating even at a higher ride height. Indeed, driving higher from the ground reduces ground effect, decreasing peak downforce. Despite this, the SF-24 lost less performance and downforce than others, but, most importantly, did not trigger dangerous lateral sliding. A new floor concept allowed the SF-24 to “fly” higher without encountering the annoying bouncing seen until Zandvoort.