Scuderia Ferrari will try to do its best in the Belgian Grand Prix, the 14th round of the 2024 Formula 1 championship, at the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the last round before the summer break. A track that will certainly not favor the characteristics of the SF-24 single-seater, as it features many high-speed sections where aerodynamic penetration of the cars is crucial. The level of drag on the Ferrari is not optimal. For this reason, as we discussed yesterday, the technical department of the Prancing Horse has produced a new low-drag rear wing. A risky choice because the missing downforce will need to be generated from the floor.
To compensate for the reduced downforce, Ferrari has also made a small reshaping of the front wing. This was necessary to provide handling with maximum balance. It remains to be seen if the latest version of the floor will be able to provide adequate vertical thrust. This is because relying on a stiffer suspension setup to have a more performance-oriented car in fast corners, in turn, limits performance in the handling sections as mechanical grip decreases. Not to mention the bouncing that could limit the use of correct ride heights.
Then there is the weather issue. As we know well, rain is always around the corner in the Ardennes forests. Changing weather conditions could put Ferrari in difficulty, as the activation of the compounds with low temperatures and wet asphalt does not suit the SF-24. This tire warm-up cycle has inhibited part of the performance in the recent past. The ingredients for yet another challenging weekend are present in Belgium for the Maranello team, which will face another important test before the summer break. Without further ado, let’s see how the two Ferrari SF-24 cars hit the Spa-Francorchamps track for the first free practice session for the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix:
At the moment the sky is cloudy with patches of sunshine. Let’s take a look at the weather conditions: air temperature is 22.5 degrees celsius, track surface temperature is 37.2 degrees celsius. Humidity is at 64%, and the wind is blowing from the southwest at 0.6 kilometers per hour. Everything is ready for the start of the session, only the green flag is awaited. Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc hit the track. The SF-24 cars leave the pitlane each with a set of yellow-banded Pirelli tires. The goal is to verify the base setup over several laps. For now, the drag reduction system will not be used to determine the drag value produced by the car. Much work is being done on tire activation before switching to race mode.
The first attempt ends with decent feelings: the steering wheel is fairly stable without corrections. The racing lines are closed without major problems. However, we await further feedback, because at the moment the pace seems rather poor. Bouncing is present in the second sector. After two attempts, a double cool down lap is carried out, with several suggestions arriving over the team radio from the Ferrari race engineers to improve performance in the second sector. Meanwhile, they switch to the hybrid push mode, Soc 1, to better understand the support of the 160 horsepower provided by the motor generators.
In the second run, the decent handling sensations are confirmed, but as mentioned, for now, it is noticeable that the Ferrari drivers are not pushing much in the corners. Another lap to cool the tires, and the last pass will come before returning to the pits. Several changes to the brake balance are made to optimize the entry phase and some adjustments to the differential to fix the car’s rotation. They now switch to Engine 3, a mapping one point more aggressive than what is usually used during the race. The internal combustion engine makes a big difference at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, considering the track characteristics and layout.
Carlos Sainz goes long at the end of the Kemmel, turn 5, and lifts off, using the run-off areas, while Charles Leclerc also backs off due to a mistake and, like his Maranello teammate, makes the last attempt that will effectively mark the end of the first stint. To be even more precise and sum up this first stint, we analyze the last laps where the Ferrari drivers pushed more. These were laps where several limitations come to light. In general, Ferrari loses a lot in the second sector, a sign that mid-corner speeds are not adequate. Aerodynamic bouncing also becomes more prominent between turns 10 and 11.
What surprises is the gap in the third sector compared to Max Verstappen, the session leader, as running with such low downforce, the Ferrari should do much better. The setup shows an apparently balanced SF-24 but extremely slow. A setup that seems anything but adequate when looking at the lap times. A short break and they return to the track. This time, the two Ferrari cars mount a set of Soft tires, which will undoubtedly provide a higher level of grip. Tire activation aside, they return to pushing.
With the red-banded Pirelli tires, things do not change much. The two SF-24 single-seaters continue to show decent handling, with the car’s balance appearing fine. However, the lack of downforce in the second sector is strongly felt, and the supposed advantage in the very high-speed sections, especially in the third sector, does not compensate at all. Additionally, bouncing increases in the second sector. After a final break in the garage, they return to the Belgian track. In this case, the Italian cars are using different tires: Mediums for Charles Leclerc and Softs for Carlos Sainz.
With these tires, they will simulate a mini-session with a high fuel load. Commenting on the high-fuel runs, the balance is not too bad, and tire degradation does not seem to be a problem. Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami confirms this on the radio, informing Carlos Sainz that the tire wear on the SF-24’s softs is absolutely in line with that of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull RB20. A first free practice session for the Belgian Grand Prix that was undoubtedly not easy for Ferrari and partly difficult to decipher.
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