With the 2023 Formula 1 season coming to an end, it’s time to assess the performance exhibited throughout the year. For Ferrari, the goal was to have a car capable of returning to the fight for the world title, considering the results of 2022. However, reality has proven to be quite different. As the season is winding down, teams are gathering as much data as possible to transfer to the car for the next season. Among them is, of course, Ferrari, which is in the process of finalizing the aerodynamic philosophy of the 2024 car, codenamed 676.
Ferrari faced a challenging technical campaign in 2023, particularly struggling in the area of generated downforce, a key feature of the F1-75. The SF-23 completely lost the ability to generate load from the car’s body, and a lack of interaction between the wind tunnel and the track worsened the situation.
However, Fred Vasseur‘s new management seems to have changed the development paradigm seen up to the 2022 Formula 1 season. Significant development packages arrived in Spain for Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc’s cars to provide them with a more stable platform. The Barcelona race marked a clear shift in aerodynamic philosophy, moving from the basins, a characteristic of the F1-75, to descending sidepods, following the path opened by Red Bull with the RB18.
However, the introduction of the SF-23 in version B reportedly caused some dissatisfaction within Ferrari. This is because initial wind tunnel tests of the new design did not show improvement but rather a negative impact on overall aerodynamic load, as feared by the technicians. Nevertheless, according to reports from Formula1.com, the initiation of this new direction seems to have opened up a broader development path.
Since then, the technicians have worked to optimize the technical package on the SF-23. The main updates came in Austria with the new front wing, new Venturi channel mouths, and in Japan with the new floor. The latter was the most significant development, providing the drivers with a stable and more predictable platform.
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Finally, in Las Vegas, the performance demonstrated by Ferrari indicated that the car has responded to the changes, offering an excellent sign for 2024. The technicians’ task will be to take the positive characteristics of the SF-23 and implement them into the future red car of Maranello.
Among these positive aspects, we can undoubtedly note traction, an element where Ferrari has proven to be at the top of the class. However, we must also acknowledge part of the front suspension, which has demonstrated excellent support capabilities during braking and mechanical grip in the slow sections of recent circuits. An intense winter lies ahead for the team, where the aerodynamic philosophy seems set, but with potential innovations that could make it unique.
Source: f1ingenerale
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