The 2023 Formula One season for Ferrari has not met the anticipated expectations. Numerous questions surround the SF-23, as the red car has often operated outside the optimal operational window, which has proven to be quite narrow. Typically, when such factors arise in a significant percentage, the issue is attributable to tire-related concerns. On several occasions, the Italian car has struggled to optimize tire performance, resulting in a decline in overall performance.
Looking ahead to the future, let’s discuss the changes planned for the upcoming year. Project 676 has been in progress for several months, with known issues to be addressed by the Maranello team since the pre-season tests in Bahrain last February. Primarily, the focus is on the front end, which has been perceived as too “weak” compared to other teams, prompting a revision of the suspension kinematics. In comparison to 2022, the position of the steering arm was altered, shifting from a high attachment point below the first arm of the upper triangle to a lower one near the first arm of the lower triangle.
This adjustment aimed to lower the car’s center of gravity, redistributing the weight downward. However, concerns about this approach were raised by the editorial team of FUnoanalisitecnica at the time. To achieve effective dynamic control of the suspension, the tie rods must be adequately spaced. Additionally, the chassis attachments should have staggered positions to reduce the migration of the roll center during motion (roll center = virtual point around which the suspension rotates).
In this way, the goal is to simplify the vehicle’s dynamic framework as much as possible. However, an analysis of the SF-23’s front suspension reveals a considerably reduced stagger compared to other cars, such as Mercedes and Red Bull. As the season progressed, the technicians in Brackley decided to align themselves with the rest of the teams, completely overhauling the original design.
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Ferrari SF-23: Mechanical and Aerodynamic Significance of the Front Suspension
Examining the following comparison, we observe a significant difference, with Ferrari opting for a noticeably different path for the upper triangle’s attachment point. The difference is clear, spanning several millimeters. The W14, for instance, shows a greater spacing between the two triangles, resulting in a larger distortion of the front quadrilateral (visible from the front by connecting the arms and wheel and chassis attachments).
This aspect led to greater camber recovery during the movement of the German car. In the case of the SF-23, however, the incidence of the lower and upper triangles is undoubtedly lower by several degrees. To maintain the stable static wheel inclination in corners, the engineers at Ferrari sought to increase the inclination of the lower triangle, which has a higher attachment point on the wheel side compared to the chassis side.
When a kinematics system suffers from insufficient camber recovery, attempts are made to compensate for this issue at a static level. It’s worth noting that current cars have a static camber angle (negative) around 3 degrees. Increasing it, even by just 0.25-0.50 degrees, imposes higher stress on the tire (especially its shoulder) during motion, causing temperatures to rise more quickly.
Conversely, by having camber gain, the required static value will be lower, and as a result, tire temperature management will be more factual. For this reason, many teams aim to achieve greater camber recovery by increasing the length of the upper triangle by a few millimeters compared to the lower one. Mercedes, for example, drew inspiration from the solution adopted on the Red Bull RB19.
With such an arrangement, the roll center will be closer, in height, to the car’s center of gravity. Consequently, a stiffer kinematics system is obtained, and the adjustment of anti-roll bars can be “more permissive.” This technical context aligns well with aerodynamic goals. A higher triangle has a lesser impact on the outwash flow from the front wing. The W14, after the suspension update, completely revised the front wing geometry to maximize the interaction between these two elements.
When an F1 team designs a suspension, there’s always a certain compromise sought between various technical aspects. It is quite evident that in 2023, the front suspension of the Ferrari SF-23 did not perform its job well. Moreover, in the attempt to maximize the performance of the underfloor, there was often an effort to stiffen the front suspension layout. This aspect significantly reduced front grip, unbalancing the entire car (a clear example occurred during the Dutch Grand Prix).
The main trend that seems to work on many cars follows the model initially studied and proposed by Red Bull. A geometry with a basic kinematics that generates fewer excursions during vehicle motion, with its stiffness tuning relying more on torsion and roll bars. In such cases, these elements can be softened, providing an advantage in terms of front grip.
Source: Alessandro Arcari and Niccolò Arnerich for FUnoanalisitecnica
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