Ferrari: Barcelona tests highlight improved tire degradation and hybrid management. Ferrari tried different hybrid system management settings during the Barcelona tests.

During the two days of Pirelli testing at Montmelo, not only was the SF-23 made available for the tire supplier’s development of the 2025 slicks, but there was also an F1-75 on which Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz took turns. The occasion was to train the regular drivers for the 2024 Formula 1 season, but the engineers also took the opportunity to try out different hybrid system management approaches. Even on the older car, a lower tire consumption was observed, giving hope for the SF-24.

Formula 1 seems to have already entered the 2025 Formula 1 season, while the cards for the 2024 F1 season are yet to be revealed. The news of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has sparked interest in the Grand Prix beyond the circle of motorsport enthusiasts and has overshadowed what may become a transitional championship while waiting for the dream team at the Prancing Horse, with the seven-time world champion alongside Charles Leclerc.

For Charles Leclerc, 2024 will be crucial: Charles Leclerc has signed a long contract extension and has been appointed as the lead driver, as Carlos Sainz was left to his fate without much ado. He had been promised a two-year contract, ready to sign before the Bahrain GP, but then fell into a deafening silence. While Hamilton’s arrival was unfolding, the Spaniard became a sort of ghost.

The Monegasque driver must use 2024 to solidify his position at Ferrari, awaiting the arrival of Lewis: the Englishman will have the effect of a tsunami in the Scuderia’s Sporting Management, and Carlos Sainz will become a thorn in the side of the Monegasque to prove he still deserves a competitive car and was worthy, very worthy, of staying in red.

The two found themselves in Barcelona for the tests desired by Pirelli: two days initially intended for rain tire development, transformed into slick tests for 2025 due to the drought that hit the Iberian Peninsula, as the Catalan authorities rightly prohibited watering the Montmelo track with tankers.

Available to the Milanese team was an SF-23, but on the track, an old F1-75, the red one from 2022, was also seen, not used for tire development. The Scuderia chose to add a car to train the two drivers, opting for a more challenging track than Fiorano, the home circuit where Ferrari has had its drivers practice in recent years to reacclimate them to being in the car.

The F1-75 was used with demo tires and in a configuration as raced. In reality, the engineers at the Prancing Horse seized the opportunity to work on the management of the hybrid system. Last year, Ferrari made an undeniable leap forward mid-season when the arrival of engineer David George from Red Bull allowed for better utilization of energy from the MGU-K. Less brutal torque at the exit of corners and greater power availability to unload on straights, reducing clipping before braking.

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The result was also a lower tire degradation that allowed more consistent performance over a race stint. The software has been further developed (work had been ongoing in Milton Keynes for a couple of years), and the drivers felt the effects even on a power unit that was not the latest generation. The learning process is certainly not complete, but one aspect of SF-24’s growth will be seen in this delicate area.

Ferrari does not aspire to beat Red Bull and Max Verstappen in the fight for the championship but aims to be considerably closer to the RB20, trying to beat them whenever the opportunity arises. One of the goals of the team led by Enrico Cardile was to make the new red car easier to drive than the challenging SF-23.

We will find out if the targets have been achieved the day after the presentation scheduled for February 13, when the SF-24 will run at Fiorano for a 200 km test. The first filming day will have little drama (commercial footage will also be taken), as the expressions on the drivers’ faces at the end of the day will reveal whether the Scuderia can look to the near future with optimism or if we are condemned to yet another transitional championship. After all, as we’ve already mentioned, general attention has already shifted to 2025, and everyone in Maranello already has a good excuse to say that this year will be a prelude to Lewis Hamilton’s arrival.