The Ferrari SF-23 has problems. Fact. The 2023 Formula 1 campaign kicked off with the Prancing Horse lined up among the disillusioned teams, while next to it there is Mercedes. Two top teams that have been surpassed in terms of performance by the unexpected Aston Martin and therefore for both teams, which are currently in difficulty, there is a huge desire to get back on top.
Mercedes is already working on the “B” version of the W14 while in Maranello, at this moment, the technicians are still studying all possibilities in order to be able to take the correct path regarding updates.
In recent weeks we have explained the problems of the SF-23 following the Bahrain Grand Prix, where balance was mainly lacking. This scenario was created by a clear lack of rear downforce for the Ferrari SF-23. The new monopilon rear wing presented in Jeddah partially solved this issue, but Ferrari has been forced to adopt a more loaded specification than Red Bull.
The reason? To try and recover the performance gap in the race. In Sakhir the tires were overheating. In Jeddah, in addition to overheating, there was even a difficulty in activating the compounds added to the inability to better manage the operating window of the compounds.
From the on-board analysis, through the dashboard of the Ferrari steering wheel, we have repeatedly observed how the tires did not reach the ideal temperature with a clear difference between the axles. A factor that leads us straight to a clear conclusion: in general, as mentioned, we can see the great effort that the Maranello car has to make to use the correct Pirelli working range. An issue which, in addition to limiting performance, produces anomalous consumption of the tyres.
Ferrari: Why can’t the SF-23 manage the tires?
Answering the question is not easy at all as the causes seem to be many. It remains to be seen whether Ferrari has a clear idea of the whole situation. One of the reasons is the inability to make the most of the four compounds at the same time. We know that the Italian car was often unable to adopt the heights from the ground required by the project. We are talking about a minimum variation, millimeters to be clear, which on these cars leads to a significant difference.
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One wonders why the two Ferrari SF-23 cars are unable to turn with the desired ground clearance. In fact, it seems that the porpoising is encountered earlier than expected with the increase in speed, a factor that prevents the correct distance of the single-seater from the reference plane (tarmac). Raising the car, of course, compromises some of the aerodynamics as it allows more of the airflow to trickle in sideways. This explains the introduction of the new floor in Arabia in an attempt to correct the situation, which was later discarded as not considered useful for the cause.
The new floor included provided for a structure in the area located in front of the rear wheels of the car. The goal was to create an area of greater local pressure in an attempt to remove the harmful turbulence generated. Overall this height-related headache seems to have been more present in Saudi Arabia than in Bahrain, where Ferrari used a set-up closer to the intended one.
The diffuser-beam rear-wing system, in ground effect concept, creates the maximum load in a specific configuration, which can undergo only minimal variations. Since the problems encountered mainly concern the race, the focal point of the story could be another. Which is, that the root of the problem during the race is generated by the tires which consequently affects the aerodynamics. To explain this better, if the compounds are colder on Sunday, their structure will be stiffer as there is less thermal deformation.
This difference in stiffness automatically leads to a discrepancy in ground clearance. A gap that could also be around 3/5mm. This scenario would explain the poor performance shown with the white Pirelli tyres, a compound that Ferrari was unable to bring up to temperature at the Jeddah Corniche circuit. Furthermore, a lower temperature also means higher pressure and, consequently, non-optimal tyre – track contact. The “real” problem already suffered by Ferrari in other seasons.
Ferrari SF-23: the rear suspension of SF-23
Furthermore, lately there have been rumors according to which a new rear suspension should arrive for the 2023 Ferrari Formula 1 car: it seems that the Maranello technicians are optimizing it to have a greater recovery of camber and treat the tires better. We cannot be absolutely certain about this fact. However, according to the information collected by the editorial staff of funoanalisitecnica.com, it seems that the rear suspension system will not undergo changes in the short term.
There is a lot of talk about anti-dive, but often things don’t add up. While it is true that the upper triangles (front and rear) are steeply inclined, what really matters is the height difference between the center of pitch and the center of mass. From this context derives the greater “spacing” between these two points seen on Red Bull which produces a minor “anti-dive”.
Undoubtedly better load stability at different heights is one of the strengths of the Austrian car which, however, does not depend on the “anti-dive” and “anti-squat” suspension layout. The blue racing car is less sensitive to bouncing, managing to reduce the “plank-wear”, namely the degradation of the wooden platform under the car. A key factor that allows for a further lowering of the car.
Overall, returning to the Ferrari SF-23, we can say that the problem can be observed from every direction, the reason that emerges is always linked to the setup of the single-seater that has not yet been optimized. When the Maranello team’s car is able to center and maintain the correct operating window of the tyres, the aerodynamic load present will be fully exploited and, at the same time, the management of the compounds will improve.
However, this does not mean that maximizing the set-up will guarantee performance recovery against Red Bull. In fact, to match the RB19, important updates are needed to correct the impact of the flows on the single-seater together with a perfect mechanical reliability.
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