It was suspected in Australia, and confirmed at the Miami International Autodrome in Florida, USA. The main problem with the SF-23 is its consistency in performance. On the track around the Hard Rock Stadium, the performances of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were clearly inconsistent: fast with the mediums, slow with the hards, struggling with a full fuel load, and competitive at the end of the race.
Such variable performance is generally due to an ineffective overall balance of the car rather than a lack of downforce. For this reason, the development package introduced in Miami, which intervened exclusively at the aerodynamic level, would hardly have been able to affect this factor.
However, it is different in view of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Imola circuit. The sporting management in Maranello is working on a revised rear suspension that will make its debut at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit. This specification, in particular, should prove effective with regard to the balance of the SF-23 car.
Ferrari is not in a hurry: the data is right
But why not anticipate this update in Miami? The answer comes directly from Frederic Vasseur who, before the American GP, had explained that Scuderia Ferrari’s goal was to understand the effectiveness of each new development step by step without forcing the development.
At Imola, Maranello’s technicians will be able to understand the impact of the mechanical changes based on an aerodynamic configuration already deliberated in Florida.
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It is certainly a long and somewhat painful process. At the same time, it is the only viable way to fully understand the limits of the SF-23 single-seater.
The data shows that, despite the negative results, the direction taken is the right one. At Imola and Barcelona, they will intervene to optimize consistency of performance. Once this aspect is improved, they will try to (re)find performance.
