In Formula 1, winning is everything, and Scuderia Ferrari’s overall result in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend was rather disappointing after a solid performance in the qualifying session. The Prancing Horse seemed poised to break the spell that has prevented it from winning at the 6.003-kilometre Baku City Circuit, but once again, its dreams of glory were put away. It was Ferrari’s own fault for not properly assessing the technical characteristics of the SF-24 car, but at the same time credit goes to Oscar Piastri’s superb performance, as he managed to fend off Charles Leclerc, who shadowed him like an eagle until car number 16 suffered a performance drop with the white-banded Pirelli tires and eventually found himself in the position to defend second place against the attacks of Sergio Perez, before the collision between the Red Bull driver and Carlos Sainz.
At the Monza circuit, the Maranello team introduced a very important aerodynamic update package, and after the home win, the goal was to verify the effectiveness of the developments on another track. To be honest, it’s still unclear how significant the step provided by the update introduced during the victorious weekend in the Italian Grand Prix really was for two reasons. The Monza track is unique, and the success of car number 16 was favored by a strategic gamble that, for once, paid off for the historic Maranello team.
As for Baku, it is a track where Charles Leclerc has always managed to shine, even with cars that were far from capable of winning. A week later, Ferrari has all the right cards to confirm its excellent form, with the clear goal of replicating last season’s success on the Singapore street circuit. A year later, the team led by Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur is fully aware that it has all the conditions to aim for victory. Last season, Carlos Sainz’s triumph was the only highlight for the Italian side.
The foundation was laid in the qualifying session with two cars in the top three positions. The skillful management of drag reduction system in the final stages, carried out by Carlos Sainz with the “support” of his friend and former teammate Lando Norris, allowed the Spanish driver to withstand the final assault from the Mercedes pair. Just like in Azerbaijan and Monza, Pirelli will supply the softest compounds in the range. On the “old” F1 layout used until 2022, the race almost always approached the two-hour time limit, forcing drivers to maintain a very slow pace during the first stint.
A scenario that could very well repeat itself in the 2024 Formula 1 edition. This is despite the fact that the circuit’s layout is less twisty and consequently faster, with an additional DRS zone. Moreover, the new pitlane speed limit, reduced to 60 km/h, will make pit stops more penalizing. For this reason, the various F1 teams will try in every way to make the fewest possible stops for tire changes. In short, there are many ingredients that will make the upcoming weekend at Marina Bay as interesting as ever.
For the historic Italian team, yet another back-to-back race in the season allows them to quickly shake off the “remnants” of the disappointing weekend in Azerbaijan and focus on the next F1 round at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore. A highly anticipated event due to its enchanting nighttime setting, a place of both satisfaction and crushing disappointment for the Maranello team. The Prancing Horse’s drivers have shown a liking for the Asian track, boasting excellent performances on the challenging layout in past editions.
An F1 circuit that, like Baku, you either love or hate deeply, but that has always rewarded drivers who make surgical precision behind the wheel their strength. In short, it’s a track that, despite the changes from last season, offers no room for error, and any mistake can be very costly. The Scuderia Ferrari team principal does not hide the high expectations for the weekend. The French manager admitted that the result of the last race was not what was hoped for, although he emphasized that the level of performance was very encouraging.
According to the head of the Ferrari Racing Department, the goal is to continue expressing the level of competitiveness shown in Baku at the Marina Bay circuit, another very challenging street track. One week after the last Formula 1 round, the same tire compounds used in Azerbaijan will be deployed, which Frederic Vasseur sees as an important opportunity to confirm the team’s recent progress. In this regard, referring to the races after the summer break, the Ferrari team boss highlighted how crucial the management of Pirelli tires has been to achieving results.
Among Ferrari’s objectives for the upcoming Singapore weekend is the desire to improve their understanding of tire use, keeping in mind that the 4.94-kilometre Marina Bay Street Circuit offers a track with very different surface and layout characteristics compared to the previous Formula 1 rounds. Frederic Vasseur isn’t beating around the bush and wants a victory. He hopes that in Singapore, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz can confirm the current form of the SF-24 with a dominant performance, trying to keep alive the hope of fighting for the 2024 Formula 1 constructors’ championship against McLaren and Red Bull until the end of the season.
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