Ferrari engineers confident new front wing recovers performance lost to new FIA regulations. Ferrari introduces a revised front wing in Barcelona.

Charles Leclerc’s second place in the Monaco GP was a godsend for the Scuderia: the Monegasque, who played a big part in that result, brought in crucial points for the Constructors’ Championship, which add up to those of Lewis Hamilton, who finished fifth in the Principality. Ferrari is still stuck in fourth place in the team standings, but the gap to Red Bull has narrowed to just one point, and the distance to Mercedes, currently second, is only five points.

A season that started disastrously compared to the Maranello team’s title ambitions could still be turned around, with Ferrari aiming to slot in just behind the uncatchable McLaren. This weekend marks the third race of the second triple-header of the season: at the ninth round, the FIA will implement the technical directive that changes static testing procedures for front wing flexion.

The Maranello team is confident it can make a step forward, as voices from within the Racing Department suggest that the aerodynamicists have fully recovered the performance that should have been lost due to the stricter regulations.

In recent weeks, Fred Vasseur had launched a sort of media campaign, claiming that Ferrari could regain competitiveness against McLaren, assuming the Woking-based team would be most affected by the directive.

However, in his statements ahead of Montmeló, the French team principal has somewhat toned it down:
“The Spanish Grand Prix marks the start of the second third of the season, and Barcelona is a circuit well known to teams and drivers. We come from two positive races, and in Monaco, we also made progress in qualifying. The goal for the weekend is to continue along this path. In Barcelona, the stricter static tests on front wing flexibility will also debut, and that will be another aspect to consider.”

The head of the Gestione Sportiva is right to avoid making predictions, also because the more significant technical updates won’t be seen in Catalunya but are scheduled for later: the new floor could arrive in Canada or Austria, and the revised rear suspension in Silverstone. There’s a sense that Ferrari’s response times are slower than those of other top teams, and there are some who have reportedly called for acceleration, putting the department led by Loic Serra under pressure.