Scuderia Ferrari needs to recover from the disastrous Formula 1 weekend spent in the previous round of the season at the 4.361-kilometre Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. In a competitive environment where the Maranello team made every mistake possible, a double zero points finish hurts and is somewhat frightening. A lot of criticism has been directed at the Maranello team’s competitiveness, as some believe it wasn’t the tires or an erroneous setup that caused the underperformance in the Canadian Grand Prix. According to our analysis, 80% of the problem was related to the tire warm-up procedure, while the remaining 20% was due to a suboptimal setup under cold and wet track conditions.
The opportunity for redemption comes this weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya in the Spanish Grand Prix, a Formula 1 track that has always been considered a testing ground for every car. It’s no coincidence that many teams have always brought substantial aerodynamic update packages here. The layout has undergone changes in recent years, and average speeds have increased. The last section has changed in the line of turn 1: the last chicane has been removed and replaced with a medium-high speed right-hand corner. These modifications impact the setup construction, as the mechanical compromise is simpler to achieve, not having to optimize between a fast and a much slower section.
The first sector consists of a chicane where the high curbs are barely touched, combined with a wide-radius, supportive corner 3. Ferrari will should be strong in this section of the track, as it is very stable throughout the corner entry phase, thanks to a solid front end. This helps to carry higher speeds at the entrance and apex. On paper, these types of corners benefit the SF-24 single-seater, which enjoys stable vertical load at high speeds. Corner 3, where understeer can occur, should not be a problem for the Italian car. In these types of turns, a “forward-balance” setup is desired.
This refers to a solid front end that stabilizes the car towards the apex, allowing for higher speeds. Ferrari will be able to count on this characteristic. The central section of the Catalan F1 track opens with a second bend that is very long, followed by corner 5, the slowest of the track. The SF-24 car will use the rear wing specification chosen for the Imola circuit and tested at Fiorano for the first time. This is an evolution of the version previously used in every race up to the Italian event. The load level will then be adjusted thanks to the beam-wing.
F1, Ferrari focuses on upgrades to widen the setup window
At Montmeló, updates to the Ferrari’s rear end are expected, which should increase the available load on the rear axle. Various driver-in-the-loop tests have been conducted throughout the week in order to build the setup around the ‘ideal’ value. The target is to optimize the load based on the updated characteristics of the car. In corner 5, traction must be maximized. This is not an easy task, as the mechanical setup is oriented towards stabilizing the aerodynamic platform, with the adoption of moderately stiffer elements. The SF-24 is awaiting improvement in this aspect.
Returning to the track, we arrive at the fast chicane, 7-8, combined with a very challenging right-hand turn. It is tackled almost flat out and load is fundamental. While a mechanical balance more focused on the front end is needed to favor direction changes, the mechanical compromise is easier to achieve, so we shouldn’t see excessive difficulties. Corner 9, which is very fast, will highlight the best car for this type of section. Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull will compete based on the setup “construction.”
A short straight leads to the third sector which begins with corner 10, a medium-speed section. Here, Ferrari can always make use of a very solid entry. Then in traction, it should try not to correct the racing line too much. In turn 11, it is crucial to attack the curb and carry more speed into the next section, an area where the SF-24 can perform well. Then comes corner 12, a medium-speed section with a slight outward slope, where finding the perfect balance for Formula 1 cars is quite complex.
Rear stability is severely tested at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. This is because the rear axle tends to lose grip, as much of the grip is spent countering high lateral forces, leaving little for acceleration, which poses a challenge. Here too, Ferrari will need to find a good balance with the rear to expand the “traction circle”, namely the maximum available grip of the rear tires. The track ends with two medium-fast corners in succession, corners 13 and 14. Another key aspect for the Spanish Grand Prix weekend will be the Pirelli tires.
Corners 3 and 4 impose a lot of lateral stress on the tire structure, which contributes to rising temperatures. The layout of the Formula 1 track pushes the compounds to the upper limit of the window. It already does so between the first and the second sector. Therefore, teams will need to develop proper warm-up strategies in order to “keep the four tires alive” throughout the flying lap. At the braking point of corner 10, a front-focused brake balance will be sought to engage the rear less and preserve it for the last part of the Circuit de Catalunya.
In the race, the speeds in the long, wide turns will be reduced to input less energy into the tires. This element benefits Ferrari when considering the setup choice, which generally uses a slightly less loaded wing than the competition, specifically for the race pace. During the Spanish Grand Prix, by reducing the minimum speeds in the more challenging corners, the required load will be less. The reduced downforce will favor top speeds, which the SF-24 single-seater is still working on.
Source: FUnoanalisitecnica
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