The 2024 car that Ferrari is currently working on, known for now as Project 676, will bring many innovations compared to the car that raced this season. Firstly, the new chassis will allow for a different arrangement of impact structures and radiating masses. The rear end is also expected to be completely revised. The primary goal is to have a car with a wider usage window and that performs better with the tires. Naturally, this is not an easy task, but 2023 has highlighted some areas where Ferrari is likely to intervene.
Crucial to have a less sensitive platform
The first crucial requirement for next year’s car is a more stable platform. The SF-23 was not a completely flawed car, as evidenced by all the pole positions it achieved, but it was too sensitive to ride height.
The car’s behavior changed entirely depending on the amount of fuel and aerodynamic load. This is because both factors affect the distance between the bottom of the car and the asphalt. With a lighter car, it is possible to carry more speed through corners and generate more downforce that presses the car down. The Ferrari’s bottom worked best at low ride heights, leading to excellent qualifying performances. The opposite was true with a full tank.
To avoid the same problem in 2024, it is plausible that Project Ferrari 676 will revise the bottom to be less sensitive to height variations. We will likely see a specification with slope variations along the longitudinal direction and less deep channels, somewhat similar to what was seen on the RB19.
Ferrari 2024: Will Project 676 have a major suspension modification?
Another area where significant changes are likely is the suspension. Certainly, something different will be done at the rear, and probably also at the front. The SF-23 was a car that was too harsh on the tires. Tire management has certainly improved during the season, but there is still a step to be taken to reach the level of the best.
At this point, it is reasonable to expect a suspension scheme more similar to that of Red Bull. Currently, Ferrari uses a Push Rod at the front against the Pull Rod of the RB19 (green arrow in the image below). The Pull Rod scheme, also used by McLaren, is more difficult to set up but allows for more margin of work and improvement. It also helps lower the car’s center of gravity since the third element is positioned lower. Finally, the Pull Rod, working in traction, can be designed differently and therefore be lighter than the Push Rod solution, which works in compression.
However, if the Push Rod solution were to remain, we should still see a scheme with a more aggressive anti-dive. When a car brakes, there is a forward weight shift, causing the car to “dive” forward. An anti-dive suspension is designed to limit this movement, ensuring that the entire platform remains more stable, and there are no variations in ride height, and thus load, during braking. The opposite phenomenon occurs during acceleration, and in that case, an anti-squat scheme is sought.
The difference between the Red Bull and Ferrari suspension is evident in the image above. Observing the yellow arrows, it is clear that the upper triangle of the RB19 is much more inclined than that of the SF-23, precisely to achieve this anti-dive effect. The attachment points to the frame are also positioned very differently. The Prancing Horse car uses a much more traditional scheme. Therefore, changes in this area of the car are very likely. The goal is to stabilize the platform of the new car and make the aerodynamic map as constant as possible to avoid abnormal load variations in different driving phases.
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The new chassis can unlock performance for Ferrari
The Project Ferrari 676 racing in F1 in 2024 is based on a completely new chassis. This allows for the relocation of impact structures, including the anti-intrusion cone. The updates to the sidepods made this year could not provide all the expected benefits due to the impossibility of moving the anti-intrusion cone, which remained clearly visible.
The 2024 car will, therefore, have a different arrangement of structural elements and probably also radiating masses. All this to free up space and have a larger underframe. This way, a greater air flow would be ensured to feed the bottom and, therefore, greater aerodynamic load.
Also, it seems that a choice has already been made on the aerodynamic philosophy in the wind tunnel. The sidepods will create a downwash effect to direct air towards the rear of the bottom, a choice now shared by the entire grid. This solution generates less load than the characteristic “basins” of Ferrari, but it allows for more room for maneuver. Less peak load, therefore, but more stability and more room for evolution.
In short, they are certainly working hard in Maranello to try to make the Ferrari 2024, currently known only as Project 676, a winning car. President Elkann has full confidence in Vasseur. Furthermore, the excellent end of the season could give Ferrari an additional boost.
The new car will absolutely not be a copy of Red Bull but a mix of concepts seen in 2022 and new ideas. There will certainly be some resemblance to the RB19, but it will not be a total copy-paste. The hope in Maranello is to compete for victory again and perhaps, who knows, for the world title.
Source: f1ingenerale
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