Max Verstappen spared no one, not even in on the streets of Monte Carlo in Monaco. After the sixth race of the 2023 Formula One season, the Dutch champion has an astronomical average of 24 points per race. Despite Sergio Perez’s zero points in the Principality, Red Bull already has more than double the points of Aston Martin, the closest pursuer mainly thanks to Fernando Alonso’s consistency, with Mercedes and Ferrari still far behind.
Technically, now we go from one extreme to the other. Monaco has only confirmed the current hierarchy, with an RB19 without weak points. Only the rain put some pressure on Max, who was spared by the choice to put medium tires on Fernando Alonso instead of waiting for one more lap for intermediates. Obviously, it is impossible to determine the hypothetical out lap of Fernando on wet tires, but according to the data, it would have been a closely fought battle. His car has a lot of downforce at low speeds and seemed to make better use of the early laps. The Spaniard gave his all and after making an extra pit stop, he was 19.6 seconds behind Verstappen when the time lost in the pit stop was estimated to be around 19/20 seconds.
On dry track, a closer fight between the top two was expected, we will see in Barcelona.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has always been a benchmark for engineers, especially now that the old fast layout has been restored. According to estimates, the new configuration should be about 7.5 seconds faster than the previous version with the chicane. The new (old) configuration of the Circuit de Catalunya is a relief for the eyes and for the balance of these cars, which are inherently very stiff. It will have a significant impact on the setup, which will become more neutral rather than rear limited.
Some engineers confirm that the aerodynamic configuration for qualifying is not entirely clear. Ferrari will bring both rear wings seen so far, namely the spoon-shaped wing and the high-downforce wing used in Monaco. It should also be noted that the new Pirelli 2024 tires will be tested, making their debut at Silverstone.
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Waiting for updates from the Prancing Horse
Frederic Vasseur has confirmed that there will not be a new front suspension, but the first significant package has long been planned for Spain.
The SF-23 will have a completely revised floor, and the modifications to the bodywork will essentially reflect the current trend, so it will be something visible. As for the rear suspension, reportedly, there will be an interesting modification that will not affect the geometry, also for budget reasons.
The Team Principal from Maranello himself has just admitted that the upgrades aim to achieve not only more downforce from the car but also more consistency. He added, “Next year’s car is already in the wind tunnel. Introducing a too different car at this point in the season is something quite critical.” – the French manager pointed out.
For both Ferrari and Mercedes – here’s the analysis of the new suspension – it is clear that Barcelona will provide important data to be discussed in future technical office meetings. And it will certainly determine the definitive guidelines for 2024, as confirmed by Formula 1 expert Giuliano Duchessa for formu1a.uno.
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