Ferrari changes technical approach for F1 race weekends amid results in start of season. F1, Ferrari Modifies and Increases the Importance of Qualifying.

Scuderia Ferrari is tired of losing in Formula 1. To put it bluntly, they are fed up with it. Why? It’s simple. The Prancing Horse has everything it needs to get back to winning ways. They just need to continue down this path and show up at every race at their best. If we look back one year, we “discover” that the gaps were much larger compared to what is currently seen on the track. The work is gradually paying off, and the gap to Red Bull is getting smaller. During the Imola weekend, as always, we detailed everything and more about the performance and the operating mode of the Maranello team.

This is done with data in hand because the necessary information to calculate everything you want is available. You just need to be willing to do it. This means that beyond subjective interpretations, which are more than fair to make, using the right tools, we can understand many things that are often confirmed by those directly involved: drivers, engineers, technicians, and so on. No one is perfect and mistakes can happen of course, but with certain analyses, it’s possible to refine an opinion and present what happens with great precision. This is why we try with great effort every Formula 1 weekend.

In the last Grand Prix, we saw a promising Ferrari but still not up to par in some fundamental aspects. Team principal Fred Vasseur thoroughly explained them at the end of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last Sunday. He informed the media and the journalists, presenting all the useful information about it. These considerations correspond to our analyses and confirm how the Italian side is in a strong phase of progress. It must be noted, however, that at the moment, they are still not on par with Red Bull, and in the last two races, after the highly successful upgrade introduced by McLaren in the Miami Grand Prix, they are also trailing the team led by Andrea Stella. Nevertheless, Ferrari’s progress is evident and should be appreciated.

F1, Ferrari Modifies and Increases the Importance of Qualifying

The disappointment of Imola’s spectators regarding Ferrari’s results is palpable. It’s understandable. After all, the three free practice sessions for the seventh round of the championship showed an updated SF-24 car in great shape, and just before the qualifying session, Ferrari, along with McLaren, seemed to be the favorite in the battle for pole position, which we all know is very important on a track like Imola. But unfortunately we know well how it turned out, with the two Ferrari cars struggling significantly in the first sector, showing a clear limitation in maximizing this section of the beautiful track located on the banks of the Santerno river.

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A phrase that carries an absolute truth in life. However, the world of Formula 1 is truly complicated, and it is precisely through “explaining why one doesn’t win” that things can improve and perhaps succeed the next time. As we know, in the current Formula 1 championship, Ferrari has chosen to prioritize the race pace. They did so based on a clear premise: it is in this competitive context that points are collected. But if the qualifying session is lacking, a lot of problems and complications can arise on Sunday during the race.

Especially if the track does not favor overtaking as was the case in Imola or if the level of the leading teams is very close between them. This scenario played out at Imola two days ago on Sunday. Ferrari’s team principal makes no secret of it. According to Frederic Vasseur, if the two SF-24 cars had started from the front row, the race result could have been very different. In fact, for the French manager, the possibility of a one-two finish was clearly within reach in Italy. Perhaps his prediction was a bit optimistic, as the pace of the Italian cars was slightly inferior to that of Red Bull and McLaren.

At the same time, however, it is true that Oscar Piastri’s MCL38, in the first part of the event, was unable to get past Carlos Sainz’s car on track. This despite having a decidedly better rhythm, access to the drag reduction system system, and the Medium tires not being particularly favorable to Ferrari. So, the always cheerful Fred Vasseur perhaps wasn’t entirely wrong. A small digression confirms a fact: the new version of the SF-24 car generates less drag. We discussed this yesterday because the expected step forward by the Maranello technicians was indeed confirmed.

Reducing drag was one of the main goals of the first aerodynamic package introduced by Ferrari this season, and the proof, as they say in these cases, has arrived. Let’s continue the discussion to reach the focal point of this article. Ferrari is working on the pace and performance of the qualifying session. They are doing so while continuing to prioritize the race but with a different awareness: some setup changes during the free practice sessions are necessary. This measure will modify the weekend’s work program, giving more space to maximizing performance with empty fuel tanks. In short, being better prepared for the flying lap.

An important decision made after analyzing the first third of the 2024 Formula 1 championship. The historic Italian team is no longer at the mercy of events as it was in the recent past. Unlike the period when Mattia Binotto was in charge of the Ferrari Racing Department, they do not require long times to adopt new methods and approaches. For this simple reason, the focus on the qualifying performance will be significantly greater from now on. A setup that will therefore try to take more account of the result on Saturday. The Monaco Grand Prix is coming in just a few days, where the importance of the result in the qualifying session is vital for winning. What better practice?

Source: FUnoanalisitecnica