The development of the SF-23 challenger starts in Miami and will continue in the next stages, especially at Imola and Barcelona. A new floor arrives in Florida with significant modifications to the Venturi tunnels inlet section and a refinement of the rear diffuser. At Ferrari, they have worked not only to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the red car but also to continue its path of balancing and reducing sensitivity to external conditions.
Not only aerodynamic efficiency
Aerodynamic development in Formula 1 often focuses on aerodynamic efficiency, aiming to increase downforce at the expense of reduced drag. However, looking at the “medical record” of the SF-23, it makes one think that the Miami floor and the upcoming innovations will also intervene in other areas of performance. The 2023 Ferrari F1 car was designed as a car with high potential, as shown by its good qualifying performances, but with a narrow operating window. Wind, track temperature, road conditions, undulations, and height oscillations are all variables that Ferrari has suffered greatly, especially in the first two championship races.
Normally, teams adjust mechanical setups to the latest aerodynamic updates, but in Ferrari’s case, the process seems to be reversed. Starting from the Melbourne stage, the Prancing Horse pursued a new setup philosophy, slightly shifting the balance to the rear to find more stability and trying to widen the range of conditions in which the SF-23 could express its maximum potential. The new updates to the car follow the direction traced by the new setup, as also anticipated by Frederic Vasseur when he said that the development would correct the balance of the SF-23 car.
The new floor is intended to improve aerodynamic efficiency and balance, without compromising the mechanical behavior with excessively rigid adjustments. Another aspect taken into consideration is the sensitivity of the floor to changes in ground clearance, as well as the possibility of running higher without losing too much load. Both effects reduce the stabilization required for the aerodynamic platform, thus softening the suspension to find mechanical grip in slow corners, where Ferrari defended itself well in Miami.
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Venturi tunnels: reversal of trend
To achieve the objectives, the technical department in Maranello designed a floor that comes closer to the geometries before the famous update of the 2022 French Grand Prix, as explained by Formula 1 tech analyst Carlo Platella for formulapassion.it. The Prancing Horse has significantly reduced the height difference between the inside and outside of the Venturi tunnels inlet section, approaching the most widespread setting on the grid. On the one hand, Ferrari is looking for a better compromise between the quality and quantity of the airflow channeled under the floor, on the other hand, it changes the speed at which the flows are accelerated under the car, with consequences on the pressure distribution and aerodynamic balance.
The outer side edge wing, or floor edge wing, is now slightly lower than before, reducing the flow’s energy losses and repositioning the vortex generated by the upper edge. Other modifications to the floor are hidden from the external eye under the car and continue until the rear diffuser, where the keel has been slightly revised. The pronounced “elbow” in the extractor that distinguishes Ferrari from the competition remains present.
The updates made by Ferrari are not insignificant and deeply change the geometries of the SF-23’s floor, especially at the front. The data collected in Miami will allow the development of other small adjustments to the setup to best exploit the potential of the new floor, which will soon work in synergy with the innovations arriving in Imola and Barcelona. Ferrari is slowly rebuilding its season in an attempt to get closer in the standings to Mercedes and Aston Martin, while Red Bull still appears too far away at the moment.
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