With just two Grands Prix left in the season, it’s safe to say that the 2023 season has been a challenging and complicated one for Scuderia Ferrari, both in terms of results and performance. Despite some occasional flashes, the team from Maranello has had a tough time extracting the full potential of the SF-23. Despite being an evolution of the 2022 car, it has proven to be uncompetitive and “honest,” according to the engineers. As of now, the car has pushed the Prancing Horse down to third place in the constructors’ championship.
It’s clear that, at least from what emerges from the Gestione Sportiva (Ferrari’s racing division), the car’s development has been hindered, both by the effects of TD039 (Technical Directive) and the adaptations to the floor mandated by regulations to counter porpoising. Additionally, the car design concept has plateaued and no longer provides room for growth. As a result, the 2024 car, which is in an advanced development stage and nearly in production, will be entirely different in terms of design from the current one.
To understand the key concepts of the 2024 car, it’s worthwhile to pay attention to the analysis by Giorgio Piola on Motorsport Italy, which confirms that next year’s car will represent a clear departure from the SF-23.
“The technical director of the chassis department, Enrico Cardile, has admitted that the 676 project will be a clean break from the SF-23.”
Aerodynamically, the 2024 car will be a “break” from the current one. However, it will maintain continuity in the suspension department. Enrico Cardile’s team will keep the push-rod suspension at the front and the pull-rod at the rear, while implementing appropriate adjustments (such as inclined arms to create anti-dive and anti-squat effects to keep the car flat).
“Ferrari will not change the suspension layouts in 2024, remaining faithful to the front push rod and rear pull rod. However, the kinematics will be completely redesigned. It is necessary to adapt the systems to the requirements of a ground-effect car that aims to keep the underfloor as close to the ground as possible and the ‘box’ as stable as possible to avoid load variations. Therefore, brace yourselves for highly inclined arms to favor front anti-dive and rear anti-squat effects, but no revolutions.”
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The major innovations will be in the aerodynamics department, made possible by a new chassis with lowered intrusion cones to create a broad undertray in the sidepod area. The front section of the monocoque will have a “triangular” shape to reduce the frontal area and, consequently, drag.
“In Gestione Sportiva, work is underway on a completely new chassis, following some key concepts that made the RB19 (Red Bull) an unbeatable car. The position of the lower intrusion cone that currently interferes with the aerodynamic shape will be revised, causing a blockage where others have managed to create a deep undertray, useful for directing the flow onto the sidewalk. But innovations will also be visible in the front part of the chassis, which will no longer have a square section. Following the line of research exaggerated by Adrian Newey at Red Bull, the Prancing Horse will also try to assume the appearance of a keel on the lower side, with the clear intention of reducing the frontal section and, therefore, resistance.”
Lastly, the latest updates could affect the cockpit, which may be moved backward to reduce the negative effects of turbulence from the front wheels.
“It is not excluded that the car layout may change with the intention of moving the cockpit slightly backward, so that the sidepods are not affected by the harmful turbulence from the front wheels, consequently shortening the transmission casing slightly.”
