Ferrari is convinced that it can perform at its best in the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring track, and for this reason, it has been working very hard in the sports management department in recent days. The preparation for the eleventh round of the 2023 Formula One racing campaign includes a possible modification to the rear end. We are talking about a new version of the rear wing to maximize vertical downforce and, at the same time, some aerodynamic adjustments to the front end.
As we reiterated yesterday, in this Formula 1 dominated by Red Bull, there are several contenders for the role of second force. Specifically, we are talking about Mercedes, Aston Martin, and McLaren. The differences are minimal and vary through some parameters: adaptability to the layout, aero-mechanical setup, strategies, updates, and driving skills of the drivers. The Maranello team approaches the Hungaroring with cautious optimism, believing that the combination of the aforementioned factors can benefit the SF-23 single-seater, as explained by F1 expert Alessandro Arcari for FUnoanalisitecnica.
Hungary GP 2023: Ferrari learns from its mistakes
The Hungarian track is very twisty and often, due to its characteristics, is compared to Monaco as a circuit type. In fact, there are several sections where the mechanical grip will be crucial. In general, in Budapest, a less rigid setup at the rear will be favored to improve traction, undoubtedly a crucial requirement for achieving good lap times.
On the aerodynamic side, the aim will be to maximize the grip provided by the tires while minimizing sliding over the course of the long race. Therefore, the compromise between the most significant criteria of the car must be found. It will be necessary to carefully manage how the wheels attack the curbs, balancing the different weight transfers.
Last year, the F1-75 car arrived in the Mogyoród region with high hopes that were not confirmed on the track. Although the traction capability was expected to produce competitiveness, issues related to the front axle management complicated the plans. The front end tended to slide, making it difficult to hit the apex of the corner for a more effective racing line. Additionally, this behavior created a thermal problem, as the front-left tire would “overheat” at the end of the lap.
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Mercedes made a leap forward in qualifying, with George Russell securing pole position. This result was largely dictated by the excellent activation of the tires, thanks to the cooler than average track temperatures. This behavior is also found in the current car from Brackley. On the contrary, the operational window of the F1-75 narrowed significantly between the practice sessions and qualifying, becoming even smaller in the race. This feedback will be very useful for the Prancing Horse to avoid falling into the same scenario.
In terms of configurations, high downforce packages will be adopted. There is no real gain in considering a lower downforce setup. This is because the benefit gained on the main straight would be neutralized in the twisty sections, resulting in further loss of time. Additional downforce points are always beneficial in Hungary.
What can we expect from Ferrari? This is an important question. According to information gathered by the editorial team of FUnoanalisitecnica, the engineers at Ferrari will try to address the issues faced in 2022 by testing a very different setup. We are not talking about a change in terms of installed downforce, but rather a different approach to the mechanical balance.
The weak front end limited the F1-75’s mid-corner performance, which partially affected traction. Compared to Ferrari, pole sitter George Russell was able to get on the throttle earlier in almost every corner, as the rotation of his W13 was better. That’s why the study of the basic mechanical setup has varied several parameters necessary to optimize performance. This significant change awaits confirmation on the track.
Pirelli will bring its softest range of tires to Hungary, where the operating windows of the tires will be more similar between compounds. The longitudinal forces will be quite high, a factor that Ferrari has demonstrated it can handle with relative ease. However, the rear of the red car could easily overheat, as the Budapest track is considered rear-limited.
In this regard, considering the headaches with the front end that Ferrari believes it can resolve, it will be vital to keep all four tire compounds within the correct temperature range throughout the lap, a condition that is always very difficult to achieve. To do this, Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will have to be very skilled at saving the tires in the first sector without losing performance, reaching the maximum temperature threshold only at the last corner of the lap.
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