F1, Ferrari: Miami weekend to be testbed for SF-24 Imola upgrades. Franco Nugnes and Giorgio Piola share their thoughts on Ferrari's plans for SF-24 updates.

The start of the 2024 Formula 1 season has been in line with the expectations of Scuderia Ferrari based on the evaluations made over the winter. The main goal remains to be the second force in the Championship, considering the significant advantage that Red Bull has gained over the months. However, there is always the desire to bridge that gap and seek more opportunities to fight for race victories, which means there is the need for continuous development of the SF-24 single-seater. The most substantial aerodynamic package will arrive at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, although something will be brought forward, albeit reluctantly, in the next round of the season, which will take place at the Miami International Autodrome in Florida, USA. Indeed, the Sprint weekends do not allow for the usual comparisons, meaning that the new parts cannot be given to one driver first and then to the other, with their sensations and results compared at the end of Friday.

“In Japan, Ferrari’s technicians repeatedly told us that developments would only come at Imola; in theory, they wanted to bring an early upgrade to Suzuka, but they couldn’t prepare a third spare component and abandoned the idea. Then, after the lackluster performance in China, they started saying there would be an early upgrade in Miami,” commented Italian journalist and Formula 1 expert Franco Nugnes on the Motorsport Italia podcast.

Giorgio Piola, a well-known technical expert, also shared his thoughts on the Maranello team’s plans for the upcoming updates: “At Ferrari, they would have wanted to bring the new parts to Imola to make a proper comparison, especially since Miami will have ‘the little race’. It’s logical now to seek a compromise because it’s not ideal to introduce upgrades with the Sprint, and we also need to understand what secondary additions they will bring, the ones that aren’t visible. The goal is to arrive at Imola with clearer ideas and introduce a significant package, which won’t just involve the floor.” – Giorgio Piola pointed out.