Dare. That’s the directive given by Fred Vasseur to the men and women involved in creating the Ferrari F1 for 2024. The car, codenamed 676, for the upcoming Formula 1 season will follow a vastly different philosophy than that of 2023.
According to Fred Vasseur, evolving familiar concepts is too simplistic. Therefore, the Frenchman has urged his technicians to be creative, exploring uncharted territories. The department led by Enrico Cardile will revise 95% of the car with the goal of making it faster and easier to drive.
The SF-23, used by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz this year, revealed its limitations from the pre-season tests in Bahrain. However, in Maranello, it was impossible to make profound changes due to certain structural constraints in the project.
Turning points for 2024:
Two turning points during the season offered hope for the 2024 Formula One season.
The first, coinciding with the Dutch GP, represented a significant leap forward in understanding the dynamic and aerodynamic behavior of the car. After Zandvoort, they chose to sacrifice peak load values in favor of a more stable balance.
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The second occurred in Suzuka with the introduction of the latest version of the car’s underbody, providing a preview of the concepts that will underpin the 2024 car. For the truth, the lower part of the SF-23 was severely limited by the basic architecture, preventing, for example, the adoption of Venturi channel sections larger than the originals.
Innovations for Ferrari’s Project 676:
For the 2024 car, Maranello’s technicians have chosen to follow two directions.
Firstly, aiming to increase the airflow to the rear, they decided to enlarge the section of the channel between the underbody and the side pods. In doing so, they redesigned the chassis in Maranello, placing intrusion elements much lower and repositioning the radiators compared to 2023, with a more advanced arrangement of the electronic control units inside the side pods.
In an attempt to improve aerodynamic efficiency, the gearbox casing has also been completely redesigned. This would gain about 40 millimeters in the central section of the underbody, which will be significantly narrower in the new car. This will free up the airflow exiting the diffuser and that which impacts the lower profile (beam wing) of the rear wing.
Lastly, the suspension geometry has been revised. Not adopting a Red Bull-style scheme but an extreme evolution of what was seen on the SF-23, with a push-rod configuration at the front and a pull-rod at the rear.
Therefore, the upper triangle of the front suspension will have a strong inclination of the arms, accentuating the “anti-dive” effect at the front and reducing longitudinal load transfers. This was one of the limiting factors on the SF-23, prone to significant pitch movements.
Frozen by regulations is the development of the Power Unit. However, the 2024 Ferrari engine will adopt the modes already tested in the second half of 2023. The delivery of the electric component during acceleration will be reduced to prevent tire slip.
Source: f1ingenerale
