The Baku City Circuit is ready to host the 17th round of the 2024 Formula 1 championship. Unlike Ferrari, Mercedes arrives in Azerbaijan with an aerodynamic configuration identical to the one used for the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit, a clear sign of a strategy aimed at optimizing performance on the long straights of the street circuit. The main plane is the same as used in the previous round of the season, as is the second element, which features rounded wing tips. This is a rather aggressive choice, without a doubt, compared to the version used in Spa-Francorchamps, where this aerodynamic setup worked perfectly.
In Belgium, the wing tips were much sharper. This change in the geometry of the second element, in theory, should allow the two Mercedes cars to reach the optimal level of aerodynamic load, carefully calculated through advanced software, to best balance the needs of speed and cornering stability. With the W15, the German team aims to maximize top speeds on the very long high-speed sections while also managing the slower parts of the circuit, which are the car’s strengths.
In terms of top speed, considering the feedback gathered over the last two months of the current racing campaign, the two silver and black-trimmed Formula 1 cars have shown the ability to directly compete with Ferrari in terms of top speeds. This is thanks to the aerodynamic configuration designed to reduce drag, without excessively sacrificing the load needed in slower corners. Without a doubt, the second-to-last version of the floor has helped a lot in this case, providing a good level of downforce to optimize performance.
Ferrari arrives at the Baku City Circuit with the medium-load wing already used in Belgium. This version was chosen for its ability to provide the right balance between rear aerodynamic load, necessary for handling the more technical sections of the circuit, and maintaining excellent top speeds on the long straights of the Azerbaijan track. This is a well-known configuration to the Maranello team, as it has been one of the most used throughout the 2024 Formula 1 season, proving to be the most versatile and ensuring the SF-24 has a very good overall balance. However, the slower corners remain a challenge for the red car.
Even in Monza, the red car struggled to find an optimal setup for these sections, highlighting a design weakness in the car. The problem, in general, lies in the lack of performance in the slower sectors, where the SF-24 suffers from a mechanical grip deficit compared to rival cars. This factor makes it difficult for the Italian team to fully exploit the potential of the car in tighter corners, where good traction and grip are essential to be competitive. The Maranello engineers will therefore need to work carefully on the setup.
In this case, the goal remains the same: to minimize these shortcomings that will cause time losses on the lap, while simultaneously trying to compensate for performance with solutions that can improve the stability and grip of the car. All of this must be done with the understanding that the chosen setup must not compromise top speeds. It is therefore about finding a crucial balance on a very complex track like Baku. The challenge for Ferrari is a tough one, and only maximum effort will ensure the team achieves the right performance.
McLaren, unlike the other top teams, seems to have opted for a different approach in Baku, as evidenced by the choice of the rear wing, specifically one that echoes the version used during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. This configuration is notable for its high level of aerodynamic efficiency, but at the same time, it is also capable of generating a significant amount of downforce. McLaren is therefore one of the cars with the most loaded setup this weekend. The design of the main plane is particularly interesting.
Examining the specifics thanks to images taken from the Baku pitlane and posted on social media by various reporters, while the central area of the wing is heavily loaded to maximize grip in the most demanding corners, the tips are unloaded to reduce induced drag, thus improving overall efficiency. However, the level of vertical force generated is not exactly the same as seen at Silverstone, as the rear wing offers different adjustments, especially regarding the incidence of the second element. This flexibility offers some advantages.
McLaren’s engineers will be able to adapt the wing to the specific demands of the Baku circuit, balancing the need for downforce in the more technical sections with the need to maintain good top speeds on the straights. The challenge for the historic Woking team will be to find the right compromise between these contrasting needs, trying to capitalize on the aerodynamic setup to gain a competitive advantage. All of this, of course, while trying to keep aerodynamic drag as much under control as possible.
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