For Scuderia Ferrari, the 2024 Formula 1 championship started well, with some encouraging performances and even two race victories in the first eight rounds. And then what happened? The usual problems related to in-season development and updates. We have talked about it in every way possible, and it’s not worth repeating here. Maybe we can say that the tedious refrain of “compared to the recent past we’ve done better” has grated on the nerves a bit. That’s quite honest to recall because the Prancing Horse hasn’t won in about 15 years. That’s quite a lot. For this reason, seeing the glass half full only makes sense up to a point. The Ferrari fans know something about this.
The communication level of the Maranello team unfortunately remains the same. Team principal Frederic Vasseur is following the same line set by Mattia Binotto in the recent past, although, it should be said, the results are undoubtedly better. But a question still arises: is it enough? No. So as Ferrari supporters we are left with nothing but to laugh because we have already cried too much. Ferrari continues to fill our eyes with others’ victories, a phrase already used but that remains always in vogue. What a pain, one could say. Or perhaps even better, we could honor the pain of the Ferrari fans, now boiled like a chicken in broth.
But the factor that disrupts this usual scenario is the following. We summarize it. Red Bull is suffering after having put together a stellar 2023 Formula 1 season. They win less, and when they do it’s mainly due to Max Verstappen’s abilities, as the gaps are minimal. McLaren struggled to score points until a year ago, and now it is considered the car to beat. Mercedes didn’t understand a thing for two years, started the 2024 Formula 1 season poorly, and then racked up triumphs with great merit. All aspects that make Ferrari’s umpteenth fiasco less digestible. A rather annoying context for us.
Frederic Vasseur says that right now there is no need to think about the past. Better to focus on the present, to instill belief in the thinking heads present in Maranello. In general, we can understand his reasoning. It’s not nonsense at all. After all, what has already been done cannot be changed, while tomorrow is being planned today. A clear message from the French manager who, although taking on some “Binotto-like” traits, still knows his stuff. He has shown it and wants to continue doing so.
A few days ago, we reported some news. It was about these blessed aerodynamic updates and the related intention to anticipate some even for the first round after the summer break, the Dutch Grand Prix. Let’s be clear, we are talking about small things but still useful for the cause. A move that could help. Besides this, there is a precise work program moving within the Ferrari sports management. Several technicians have been kindly shown the door, others have preferred to leave the team. The last among them was Italian aerodynamicist, Enrico Cardile, the former technical director, who was a bet by Sergio Marchionne that did not work, according to the data.
Recently, Ferrari made official the role of Loic Serra, one of the “top guys” mentioned at an opportune time by Frederic Vasseur. The Frenchman will take on the role of Head of Chassis Performance Engineering, coordinating the work of various departments including Track Engineering, Aero Development, Aero Operations, and Vehicle Performance. A tough task where responsibilities will be multiple. With him, Diego Tondi, who has effectively taken David Sanchez’s place so far. Then there is Marco Adurno, who is handling the performance of the SF-24 single-seater, and Fabio Montecchi, Chief Project Engineer.
A working group aiming for a comeback. Loic Serra knows his stuff, and it’s worth pointing out one key aspect: on paper he will only start working in Maranello from October. But in reality he has already been doing so for some time, albeit not at full capacity, because, let’s be clear, nowadays it’s quite easy to circumvent gardening leave and contribute early. Having clarified this, a few words about the fifty-two-year-old engineer from France. In Mercedes, the Frenchman demonstrated his great skills in Brackley. He did so by elevating the interaction between aerodynamics and suspension system to stratospheric levels, a key factor even for current wing cars.
We are talking about a fundamental aspect concerning vehicle dynamics, particularly in relation to tire management. According to important information gathered and reported by the editorial team of the Italian website FUnoanalisitecnica, there are a few points worth highlighting. Firstly, Ferrari has recruited several engineers who are not well-known in the media but are specialized in this field, many of whom have worked under Loic Serra’s direction. This is significant because, although the efforts of the teams towards the new 2026 Formula regulations are enormous, it must be remembered that, in addition to the current one, the 2025 world championship still needs to be contested.
The Italian team has been examining the vehicle’s mechanics for some time and plans to implement the first suspension modifications next autumn, based on detailed studies. These interventions should improve the performance of the SF-24 single-seater and expand the car’s setup window. These innovations will form the foundation of the next Ferrari, the SF-25, with the clear goal of fighting for the title. The support of the vehicle dynamics department is evidently crucial, an area that has so far been an uncertain point for Ferrari.
This season, we have seen a first step forward in this regard, as the Italian car no longer wears out tires like its predecessor. However, the tire issue remains critical, as optimizing the use of the tires is still far from being achieved. We have seen this several times during the 2024 Formula 1 championship, as the mechanical ability to find the right suspension setup proves crucial. A glaring example is Mercedes, which had to face considerable difficulties before understanding how to best exploit the suspension system.
It’s no coincidence that as soon as they managed it, the performance of the W15 car has made a significant leap forward, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton able the secure an almost unbelievable three race victories in the last four rounds. The historic Ferrari team is also working to maximize the car’s performance in the transition between fast and slow corners, one of the issues currently slowing down the SF-24’s performance. As mentioned, Loic Serra is already offering his technical contribution, although just in a limited way for now. But within the Ferrari Racing Department, there are people working according to his guidelines. We just have to wait and see what happens in the coming months.
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