After Mercedes changed the W14 in Monte Carlo, it is now Ferrari’s turn to give up their concept of sidepods for the Spanish Grand Prix and update the SF-23 with sloping sidepods.
The Scuderia hopes that the new configuration will mitigate a very disappointing start to the 2023 Formula One season, with the red car appearing to be in a battle for the championship against Red Bull but finding itself in fourth place in the Constructors’ standings.
We see the disappearance of the undercut sidepods with the upper cavity that characterized Ferrari’s cars in the last two years, since the introduction of the ground-effect regulations. Just like the black arrow, the prancing horse’s single-seater renounces its own ideas and aligns itself with the concepts of the dominant Red Bull.
Therefore, the sidepods slope down towards the floor with a design that aligns with the downwash effect of the airflow, while the SF-23 was originally conceived with a wash-in concept that was rejected due to its lack of performance.
It should be noted that in order to change the sidepod design, the technicians at the Racing Department had to also work on the cooling system: not so much on the radiators, which remained in the same position inclined forward, but on the routing of the ducts and the placement of some accessories.
Ferrari is thus adapting to the prevailing trend in the hope of offering its two drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, a car that is easier to set up and less challenging to drive. It is not so much the peak performance that is lacking in the SF-23 (in each race, it seems capable of fighting for pole position, although there has been only one pole position in six races…), but rather a stable behavior throughout the race, with sudden performance fluctuations caused by a series of variables that the Ferrari technicians have not been able to control.
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With the removal of the upper elements, the distinctive air outlets of the Ferrari have also disappeared ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. The hot air from the radiators is now expelled on the sides of the engine cover, following a proven pattern seen in other teams that have adopted sloping sidepods.
The profiles on the halo and the fins around the cockpit have also been revised, and the cover that encloses the rearview mirrors has been shortened, leaving them exposed on the outermost part. For now, we have only seen the Ferrari inside the garage, so we haven’t been able to see the new floor that corresponds to the change in aerodynamic philosophy.
The package includes a new front wing, but the rear suspension will not be seen. It seems that it was rejected by Charles Leclerc during the deliberation process. The suspension, which was supposed to be a tool for achieving a lower ride height for the SF-23, has been scrapped prematurely.
In Maranello, they are convinced that the change in aerodynamic philosophy allows the team to embark on a new path that will also be useful in gathering information for the 2024 car, whose development has just begun with a wind tunnel model.
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