Ferrari focuses on traction by loading the SF-24 rear-end | Singapore GP technical preview. Ferrari arrives in Singapore with a high-downforce configuration.

Scuderia Ferrari arrives in Singapore with high hopes. In Formula 1, confidence in one’s abilities is essential, and after the summer break, it seems that the Maranello team has made significant progress in this area. This is backed up by the technical updates introduced in the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit, which have increased the car’s potential. In addition to the aerodynamic package specific to the Italian track, Ferrari presented a revised version of the floor, deeply modified in all its parts. From what can be seen, this new component is working as expected.

At the Marina Bay street circuit, we will have a clearer picture, although, considering the nature of the street circuit, it will be crucial to wait until Austin for a definitive validation of the updates. Ferrari has a clear goal for this weekend: to fight for the race victory. It won’t be easy, but historically, Ferrari has often performed well at the 4.94-kilometre Marina Bay Street Circuit. The main rival remains McLaren, a team that, despite having wasted valuable points in the championship, has a technically very competitive car.

The MCL38 single-seater will try to showcase its excellent traction and ability to perform well in low-speed corners. But let’s not forget Red Bull, which wants to redeem itself after some disappointing performances. The team from Milton Keynes has worked intensively on the simulator to arrive in top form for the 18th round of 2024 Formula 1 championship. Last season’s mistakes provided important lessons, and although they are starting somewhat quietly, they fully intend to compete for the win. Max Verstappen’s talent will be a decisive factor in this battle.

Finally, we come to Mercedes: Toto Wolff’s team arrives in Singapore after a trio of races in which it failed to maximize the performance of its cars, as the recent W15 floor update has caused some difficulties for the technical team led by James Allison. While awaiting further updates, strongly requested by Lewis Hamilton, the German team’s approach is clear: to make the most of mechanical grip and its strong performance in high-speed sections. This is an equation Mercedes has worked on for a long time and feels ready to face the challenges of the Marina Bay circuit.

Ferrari arrives in Singapore with a high-downforce configuration, already successfully used earlier this season at the Monaco and Hungarian Grands Prix. With this aerodynamic setup, the Italian team has consistently managed to find a good overall balance. The SF-24 has evolved significantly in recent races, becoming more complete and better balanced, thanks also to the introduction of the new Monza floor, which has made an additional contribution, particularly by improving the stability of the airflow under the car.

In Singapore, traction is crucial. Despite the fact that Ferrari is not the best in this area, it compensates with excellent front-end responsiveness. This allows the Maranello team to effectively shift the balance towards the rear without excessively compromising front-end performance. Even with the overall balance shifted back, the front-end continues to work well, without suffering too much. In recent races, the SF-24 has shown a slight tendency to understeer during Friday’s free practice sessions, a problem that was promptly resolved over the weekend.

In general, the SF-24 single-seater maintains a slight tendency toward oversteer, but this characteristic has been mitigated and doesn’t seem to cause particular difficulties for the drivers. It seems that Ferrari may debut a new front wing, with some changes to the shape of the last additional flap, in order to better balance the load with the rear axle. McLaren has also decided to adopt the aerodynamic configuration already seen in Monaco and Hungary, as widely expected, without introducing substantial novelties for the Singapore Grand Prix.

This choice aligns with the characteristics of the Marina Bay street circuit, which requires high downforce and excellent traction in slow corners. The rear wing that the MCL38 is using has a main plane very similar to Ferrari’s. This was a component under investigation in Baku, particularly the second element of the rear wing, which had attracted a lot of attention. One of McLaren’s strengths is its performance during acceleration phases. The papaya-colored car is probably the best in terms of mechanical grip in slow corners and restarts.

This is a crucial advantage on a street circuit like Singapore, where the ability to exit tight corners with good acceleration can make a difference in lap times. Thanks to this traction strength, McLaren can focus much of its setup work on improving front axle balance. It is essential that the car’s front end guarantees the right precision and responsiveness in direction changes, which are indispensable for effectively tackling the numerous slow corners on the track.

Red Bull has chosen to use the rear wing already seen on previous high-downforce tracks, circuits that highlighted some difficulties for the RB20, which struggled to realize its full potential. We are referring to Monaco and Hungary, tracks characterized by slow and technical corners, with high demands for mechanical traction and grip, areas where the Austrian car does not excel. This weekend, therefore, presents an interesting challenge for the engineers in Milton Keynes, who will need to work carefully to improve performance on an equally complex track.

The biggest difficulty lies in managing the balance, a critical element that already emerged last year on this track. The choice of the rear wing implies a rearward shift of the aerodynamic center of pressure, which tends to destabilize the overall balance of the car. This rearward shift leads to a sort of “disconnect” between the axles, with the front and rear not working in perfect synergy, making the RB20 harder to drive, especially in the more technical sections. In this context, finding a setup that ensures an effective compromise becomes crucial.

The challenge is to find a setup that doesn’t compromise front axle grip, which is essential to guarantee the necessary responsiveness in direction changes and slow corners that characterize Singapore. However, the main problem for Red Bull is that the adjustment window to achieve the right balance now seems extremely limited. This has been the conclusion over the past two months. Small variations in the setup could cause a significant drop in performance, making the search for an optimal setup even more complex.

Finally, we come to Mercedes, which is adopting a high-downforce solution at the rear. At first glance, this setup seems to produce slightly less aerodynamic load compared to the main competitors, falling just below the estimated optimal load level for the twisty Marina Bay circuit. In recent races, the German F1 team has lost some overall balance. Singapore is a fairly well-defined circuit in terms of corner types and with fewer compromises. Therefore, building the setup should be less complex.