After four races in the 2024 Formula 1 season, the competitive landscape is clearly defined, with Red Bull being chased by Scuderia Ferrari. The performance leap shown by the SF-24 is significant and unexpected by other teams, especially Mercedes and McLaren who were very competitive last year. However, the new car from Maranello has outclassed its rivals, setting its sights on catching up to the RB20, a goal that is not too far off. In our technical preview, we explore what should be the ideal setup to see the Ferrari SF-24 excel at the China Grand Prix.
The Shanghai track, as explained yesterday in this article, is somewhat new for the teams. Indeed, the world’s fastest cars return to China after a 5-year hiatus. New cars, different tires, and especially a brand-new format. The technical aspect and preparation of the cars will be crucial in a weekend that features only one practice session before entering the official sessions. Despite qualifying right after Free Practice, teams will have the chance to slightly modify the setup with a dual closed-park regime.
Along with the Red Bull RB20, a technical benchmark in this generation of cars, Scuderia Ferrari is expected to be very competitive, just like in Australia. This is because the Shanghai track, like Albert Park, has elements that make it both front and rear limited, given the presence of numerous types of corners.
After the significant improvement shown in Suzuka, Ferrari arrives in China with a car close to its first set of updates, therefore nearing the optimal understanding of the SF-24 1.0. For this reason, Ferrari’s technicians and mechanics will have the task of refining the setup prepared in the simulator.
As in Australia, a track similar to Shanghai, there are several long corners, where the front axle and the entire suspension are under stress for a long time. Like at Albert Park and partly in Suzuka, the Ferrari SF-24 has shown that it can maintain excellent balance. This is because it has managed to find the perfect compromise between the stiffness and softness of anti-roll bars, torsion, and the third mechanical element. A configuration that agrees with both incisiveness in slow corners and progression in fast ones.
The rear will be crucial, where Ferrari has invested heavily in the new rear suspension to achieve results in mechanical and aerodynamic terms. The progressive tuning of the traction spring and torsion bars will be crucial to prevent skidding at the rear in the few fast corners present. Special attention from the technicians will be directed at navigating curves 12-13, a double right with a slight banking that will require a specific ground clearance.
Ultimately, it will be interesting to discover the path Ferrari chooses, with a track that will rubber in and gain more grip throughout the weekend. Fine-tuning at the rear will be key, with a slightly more aggressive setup in anticipation of a weekend that will see increasingly more rubber on the track, unless it rains.
Source: f1ingenerale
Leave a Reply