Ferrari cautiously optimistic amid feedback for SF-23 upgrades tested at Fiorano

Fiorano is not the Red Bull Ring circuit, that’s clear. So, it is not advisable to get too carried away with the indications that emerged from yesterday’s Filming Day. Scuderia Ferrari took advantage of the 100 km allocated for commercial filming to also test the outfit with which the SF-23 will appear at Spielberg this weekend.

The home circuit of the Prancing Horse, with its low speed, is not significant for a comparison with the fast venue of the Austrian Grand Prix. However, the opportunity was useful for seeking a correlation of data between the standard Evo red car (seen in the Spanish Grand Prix and in the Canadian Grand Prix) and the car equipped with the new aerodynamic package, among other things. But it is evident that demo tires were used, so it is not appropriate to speak about performance, but only about information gathering.

We mentioned that the Scuderia adopted an aggressive strategy, deciding to bring forward solutions that were supposed to be introduced gradually until the Italian Grand Prix in Monza: Fred Vasseur and the technicians led by Enrico Cardile have devised an action plan that aims to use all the development resources before the summer break to see if this car can extract the potential that has remained hidden so far.

The French team principal, in an interesting interview with Corriere della Sera, explained: “The simulations had underestimated some negative aspects of the car’s behavior. So we were forced to find a compromise between performance and drivability. Now the sensations are good because I’m starting to see progress. Winning must be the goal.”

And on the home track, little by little throughout the day, the SF-23 introduced the updates that were then sent to Austria: engine cover, front wing, and floor. The analysis at Fiorano is positive, but the data must be taken with caution: the numbers indicate an improvement in the package, but confirmation from the Red Bull Ring is needed to be certain that we have finally taken the right path in understanding a car that has proven to be more challenging than expected…

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Fred Vasseur confirmed the hiring of a top technician for 2025 but did not want to reveal any names, reiterating his full trust in Enrico Cardile in the meantime: “I trust him, but let’s remember that reinforcements are needed in every department. I’m pushing to bring people from outside the Ferrari world who can bring knowledge from elsewhere.”

Enrico Cardile, therefore, remains the technical director even for the 2024 car: there will be continuity in a project that is constantly evolving. “We need to grow faster than the others. It’s time to accelerate, and that’s why we hire and invest in the future.”

The Frenchman looks ahead, admitting that the most challenging part has been “shifting personnel from one role to another to reorganize the structure.” But the team principal does not want to waste time; he has ambitious goals right away: “If we had started in front in Montreal, it would have been possible to fight for victory. Let’s see if we can do it in Austria.” – he pointed out.

The aerodynamic package seen at the Fiorano track, along with the different management of hybrid power, are developments that bring a smile to Maranello. In Styria, there will be the second scheduled appointment with the Sprint race, and there will be only one practice session before qualifying.

Some observers have described the attitude of the Prancing Horse as pushing the limits of the spirit of the regulations regarding the use of the updates during the Filming Day. Ferrari did not circumvent any written rules (there was an FIA observer at Fiorano who would have intervened otherwise), but it is fair for the Maranello team to take advantage of every opportunity granted to make a comeback. It was already evident during the tire tests in Barcelona that a run on the track is worth more than many simulations.