Scuderia Ferrari is continuing to improve in Formula 1 and we’re not just referring to the SF-24 car alone. The whole team has shown evidence of the competitive step taken in recent times. A journey that takes shape from the 2023 Formula 1 season, when the “Frederic Vasseur method” has started to radically change the mindset of the men in red. First and foremost, a crucial factor in these cases, the Ferrari Racing Division has abandoned the ranks of a disillusioned team. Yes, because while it’s true that the gap to recover against Red Bull was significant and there is still work to be done to close it, without the correct spirit and the belief that it can be done, every effort would have been in vain.
Technically, the “modus operandi” has changed. A decidedly more factual condition has invested sporting management to create a profitable scenario in all forms. On the other hand, beyond the competitiveness not up to par, there were too many errors made, squandering opportunities that arose during various race weekends even when faster cars encountered unexpected difficulties. To put together this effective approach, Fred Vasseur has overturned things, changing the set of choices and behaviors aimed at planning and carrying out the various actions necessary to optimize all the available resources.
In Formula 1, there are no secondary aspects. Some undoubtedly “weigh” more than others, okay, we agree. However, even the subordinate elements still make a big difference, and, as the same team principal of the Maranello team recently recalled, the performance delta suffered towards the Milton Keynes team is just a combination of several small aspects. For this reason, the desire and necessity not to give up the fight by offering the maximum contribution in every minor matter stand as a true and indispensable “must.” This is the real great advantage over the old management that the Prancing Horse is fervently pursuing.
F1, Suzuka: Ferrari SF-24’s technical approach to optimizing the result
Scuderia Ferrari therefore continues to push. It does so aware of its own strength and that of its opponents. There’s no lack of knowledge, in short. Yet, although the fourth appointment of the 2024 Formula 1 racing campaign is one of those quite testing, the Italian side doesn’t show fear and indecision. On the contrary, the percentage of “planned risk” will be present because the desire to repeat the remarkable performance in the Australian Grand Prix at high competitive levels is clear. But feet on the ground, obviously. Because Red Bull remains the team to beat in the Japanese Grand Prix and the bad chapter full of problems experienced at Albert Park is unlikely to repeat itself at the 5.807-kilometre Suzuka International Racing Course next weekend.
In the first three races, we saw how the SF-24 car presented the same rear wing, although the layouts rather had different characteristics. We have been saying it for a while now: the beam wing, a true extension of the diffuser, although a “small” aerodynamic element, is capable of making a significant difference in the rear-end load. For this reason, the Italian side plays a lot with this element and the results regarding the level of downforce obtained in 2024 confirm the effectiveness in managing this component. However, Suzuka is a tough track, one of the old-school ones.
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The Italian team knows it, and precisely for this reason, it is preparing with extreme precision. The series of testing sessions in the simulation field implemented these days back in Maranello is truly extensive. We are talking about static and dynamic tools that have provided a first basis for setting up the SF-24 single-seater, which, subsequently, just before the race weekend, will undergo an initial screening to “bring” to Japan a couple of setups to work on during the first two free practice sessions. The target aims to get as close as possible to the ideal setting of the car, bearing in mind that the distinctive features of the Italian car must adapt as best as possible to the splendid layout of the Asian circuit.
We know that Ferrari has identified certain areas where, by failing to perform well, it could penalize the overall performance at the Suzuka circuit, considering these track sections crucial for how the SF-24 car intends to build its performance in terms of lap time. Obviously, we’re not exclusively talking about the push lap, as a setup must also take into consideration the performance with a high amount of fuel on board, especially on a circuit like Suzuka, which presents high asphalt abrasiveness and a type of corners that tend to put a lot of strain on the Pirelli tires. As we know by now, simulating degradation is not simple at all.
The power and reliability of computers help but do not certify 100% what needs to be done. The goal in this case is always the same: to achieve on-track performance at mid-corner estimated at the simulation level with a certain load installed. As mentioned, the Japanese Grand Prix is a race with a red mark concerning the tires. For this reason, within this study, a factor must be taken into account: the value of tire management necessary during the race. This aspect aims for the correct performance of the SF-24 car in the various race stints, having to coincide with the performances studied behind closed doors in recent days regarding the vertical force installed on the car.
Ferrari has studied the available Pirelli compounds: C1 (Hard), C2 (Medium), and C3 (Soft), the three hardest compounds in the lineup. In doing so, the Italian technicians have understood that during the Grand Prix, they will have to operate below the car’s limit at certain moments of the long runs to manage the tire wear and ensure the maximum performance achievable without destroying the tires. For this reason, it is not excluded that the team may consider a lower amount of downforce, precisely considering that the cornering speeds during the race will be lower than those actually achievable. This choice could help significantly in maximizing the top speeds, which between Turn 3 and the main straight in Turn 1 offer considerable advantages in terms of lap time.
On the other hand, as we highlighted earlier, a more loaded setup is being considered simultaneously to reduce sliding phases on the severe Japanese reference plane, namely the track surface. In both cases, it is always very challenging to find the correct downforce before testing the car in unofficial sessions, and this is why different options are presented in the first free practice session. Ferrari has hypothesized various levels of grip derived from scans conducted inside the factory, which will be tested by the drivers to understand the behavior of the SF-24.
In this context, the factual approach of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will be decisive, as the Ferrari drivers will need to understand the mere managerial capacity of the different configurations, both during flying laps and during race stints with plenty of fuel onboard. A modern F1 driver must be able to adapt to the most efficient configuration of the car and not vice versa. This factor was emphasized by Max Verstappen himself at the beginning of the 2024 Formula 1 championship. This is the difference between a good driver like Sergio Perez and a champion like Max Verstappen capable of optimizing their driving style by prioritizing the car.
According to the first indications for Japan, Scuderia Ferrari generally expects a higher level of difficulty compared to Melbourne. However, this consideration does not stem from the distinctive features of the SF-24 car, which is less suitable for this track, but rather from the characteristics of the circuit. The pool of technicians led by the excellent Enrico Cardile believes they can still secure very good results at the Suzuka circuit if the correct working point of the Italian car is reached. This is the target that the Prancing Horse estimates it can reach to continue putting pressure on Red Bull, the benchmark of this ground-effect Formula 1.
Source: Alessandro Arcari for FUnoanalisitecnica
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