Scuderia Ferrari was expected to bring a major upgrade package for the Italian Grand Prix, and the technicians of the Maranello team have delivered. The list presented to the FIA before the start of the first free practice session also includes two elements specifically designed for the Monza circuit, featuring wings that meet the high-efficiency demands of the track.
Ferrari always puts significant effort into preparing for their home Grand Prix and has historically been well-prepared for Monza. Charles Leclerc even mentioned that recently, for some reason, the SF-24 single-seater has always adapted well to low downforce packages. However, these are not the most important updates. As anticipated, the new floor, an evolution of the problematic specification introduced by the Italian side at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, makes its debut here, and it should allow Ferrari to take a step forward in performance. The focus will be on resolving the issues that have recently held the team back, aiming for a strong finish to the 2024 Formula 1 championship.
The aerodynamic update package doesn’t only include the new floor, though it is undoubtedly the most important and visible modification, but also several other changes throughout the car. These are fine-tuning adjustments that complement the main component. As McLaren did, for example, in Zandvoort, one modification leads to others to optimize the overall performance of the car. Among the various aerodynamic refinements, there is a repositioning of the camera, now located on the nose to create a cleaner airflow towards the front wing and the front suspension. As is well known, the suspension arms are not only functional mechanical elements but are also designed aerodynamically through their fairings. The Monza package also includes a small modification to the horizontal support that attaches the mirror to the chassis. These are small changes to better clean and manage the airflow.
We already had the opportunity yesterday to analyze the new low-drag rear wing, which will be paired with a single-element beam wing, already declared and used in previous events. Regarding wings, at the front, the specific version introduced in Belgium is back, featuring reduced-chord spoilers, but due to adverse weather conditions, it was previously discarded in favor of the higher downforce version. On Thursday, the new floor was briefly seen inside the garage, mounted on Carlos Sainz’s SF-24 for checks. According to what has been learned from formu1a.uno, Ferrari will not conduct any comparison work but will go straight to the track with both cars equipped with the new floor. This is an important sign that Maranello is convinced this innovation represents a significant step forward, expected to improve performance and address the problems encountered in Barcelona.
The updates don’t stop there. The significant modification to the diffuser is also present and confirmed. This is a very delicate area of the car, where Ferrari had made adjustments in Hungary, using Computational Fluid Dynamics fine-tuning, to reduce severe bouncing. The aerodynamics department, led by Diego Tondi, specifically intervened in that area to continue the work on modifying the floor, which is new in almost all areas for Monza. It will be crucial to verify the new changes and ensure that they deliver the expected results. As usual, a modification to the floor also corresponds to changes to the sidepods. Ferrari is not abandoning the philosophy introduced at Imola but is further developing it. The Monza updates do not break with the past but represent a direct and natural evolution that began with the 2.0 version of the SF-24 single-seater in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola. The new sidepods are nothing more than an “adaptation,” with an even more pronounced undercut. This area of the car is very crucial and sensitive and works in combination with the new floor.
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