Ferrari, Project 676: analyzing huge potential of 2024 car and Leclerc

F1 2024 Campaign: A season in which Ferrari, with Project 676, nurtures ambitious dreams of glory. After all, with the Prancing Horse printed on the chassis, the goal is always the same; it could not be otherwise. Despite the just-concluded year being rich in disappointments, the Maranello team has worked extensively on the new car. A “different” single-seater, as defined by Enrico Cardile. The team principal of the Scuderia spoke clearly, while Enrico Cardile asserted that the next Italian aero-mechanical engineering work stems from the mistakes made on the SF-23.

During 2023, on-track tests in every session, including races, provided rich know-how to technicians and engineers, helping them produce a car firstly without defects and, secondly, one that might compete at the top with the hyper-uranic Red Bull team. The target is set. Many innovations will be part of the new setup. On the purely mechanical side, several adjustments to the suspension schemes will arrive. Maintaining excellent traction while providing solidity to the front axle at the same time.

On the aerodynamic level, major innovations will arrive. The impact structure of the SF-23 had been designed to glean various benefits. However, the estimated advantages were not sufficient, and changing mid-season was not possible within the spending cap. It was much wiser to increase the technical understanding of the current regulatory framework. From the study conducted, the position of the anti-intrusion cones was limiting. Therefore, they will be repositioned downward, and different components will find different spaces. The aim is to produce smaller and tapered side pods.

The measure will create a broader pressure field that can generate a greater outwash effect, ensuring a clean flow to the rear of the car that can generate the correct amount of vertical downforce. Furthermore, work has been done on what we can call “aerodynamic uniformity,” necessary to manage the turbulence caused by tire rolling and, consequently, offer the Project 676 stability in cornering at medium to high speeds.

Ferrari, Project 676: Sainz Believes in the Potential, but Leclerc Remains a Tough Obstacle to Contain

The brief technical summary was necessary to introduce Carlos Sainz’s analysis. The Spaniard, although he has certainly not had an easy season, has effectively been the only driver to defeat the dominance of the RB19. A victory in Singapore that made headlines worldwide for its thrilling conclusion during the final laps. The Iberian does not hide the special taste experienced and expresses the desire to savor it several times in the near future until the realization of the dream: becoming the Formula 1 world champion with Ferrari.

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According to the Spaniard, there is no better place to do it. Racing with the red car beneath you is a race for an entire nation. Until you hold the steering wheel of a Ferrari, you cannot understand it. That’s why he gives his best every day. The desire is to finish his career with the Italian team. Carlos has recently tested the Project 676 at the simulator, mentioning its high potential. He is convinced that the aforementioned changes can make a significant competitive step for the team to approach the top.

It’s worth mentioning another aspect highlighted by Carlos Sainz. It concerns the relationship with his teammate. The duo formed by the Ferrari drivers is the perfect symbiosis that a pair of drivers must offer in F1, according to his thoughts. The performance closeness that the Spaniard describes enhances the “healthy competition,” which, logically, can only push the team upwards. Carlos’s opinion in itself is respectable, and undoubtedly, he is partly right.

Nevertheless, there have been several situations where personal goals have clouded his mind, a condition that could recur if the 2024 car is genuinely competitive, as the Iberian claims. In this regard, linking the discussion to the reasoning expressed earlier, it is worth making an additional conjecture within this article. The Spaniard has a lot of self-esteem and confidence. We know that, and he himself never misses an opportunity to demonstrate it. He feels and wants to be on par with Charles Leclerc. Always and in any case. Unfortunately for him, however, the talent is not the same.

So, it will be very interesting to see what happens next year, keeping in mind that one of the prerogatives of Project 676 will be to maximize the role of the Monegasque, a true man on whom Ferrari is spending a lot of money and time, hoping to produce a winning future together and, once and for all, stop losing. Carlos is aware of the facts. It remains to be seen if he can offer the best version of himself on the track and prove to be worth at least as much as his more illustrious teammate.