Scuderia Ferrari has chosen to change its strategy. If it’s true that the technicians have found the path to the development of the SF-23, then it’s time to exert maximum effort to enhance the car’s performance and see what can be achieved with this red car that has so far brought more disappointments than joys to the Tifosi.
Fred Vasseur had mentioned in Canada that there would be technical innovations coming race after race, spread out over the summer until Monza. However, after the debriefing in Maranello, the request was made to the Sports Management to compress the timeline and spend the remaining development budget within the break following the Belgian Grand Prix.
The positive indications from Montreal, more than the final result (a modest fourth place with Charles Leclerc and a fifth place with Carlos Sainz), suggest that Maranello may have finally found the key to make the SF-23 work. They have managed to extend the window of tire usage without experiencing the usual degradation issues that have plagued the red cars in previous races.
Certainly, the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit, like Melbourne and Baku before it, is not a track that puts tires under significant stress, so Ferrari performed admirably there. However, the North American outing confirmed that the positive trend observed during the Pirelli tests in Barcelona is providing valuable insights, following the disastrous debut of the Evo version at the Spanish Grand Prix in Montmelo.
In fact, seeing that certain aerodynamic solutions that appeared on the Aston Martin AMR23 in Canada follow a similar development trend to the new Ferrari has further reinforced the feeling that the engineers led by Enrico Cardile are on the right track. Therefore, everything that is ready in advance will be implemented.
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In Austria, for example, there is talk of a new floor that has been designed to reduce the detrimental effect of porpoising with a more complex three-dimensional design of the underfloor. There are also advancements in certain engine strategies for the hybrid system, which should allow for a smoother management of electric power during acceleration and a different distribution of power to ensure adequate thrust even at the end of the straights. These changes align with the methodologies that have made Red Bull unbeatable in the latter part of the straights.
Maranello is making a bold choice as Spielberg will host the sprint race format, which means there will only be one practice session before Friday’s qualifying, and the Maranello team needs to be confident that the modifications they bring to the track will work.
The memory of Charles Leclerc’s last victory at the Red Bull Ring last year is another factor driving the Scuderia to seek redemption on the home turf of the “energy drink” team. What are the objectives? No one dares to speak of victory, of course, but the hope is to compete with Aston Martin and Mercedes, aiming to climb up from the fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, which hurts a team that started the 2023 season believing they could rival Max Verstappen.
While Fred Vasseur is working on the technical market, Scuderia Ferrari wants to regain a more fitting position according to its legacy after a first part of the championship marked by mistakes and struggles. Anticipating developments should have two effects: first, immediately improve the performance of the SF-23; second, transfer the data to the 676 project to raise the bar for next year’s red car.
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