Ferrari SF-23: updates under review and study of optimal working point for Singapore. Ferrari SF-23: updates under review.

Ferrari showed a significant evolution at Monza. The goal for the home Grand Prix was to extract the maximum from the SF-23 in front of the home crowd. To achieve this, a custom setup was studied to highlight the car’s strengths and, at the same time, try to limit the red car’s weaknesses. Nearly a week later, we can once again affirm that the set target has been successfully achieved.

And it doesn’t matter that victory slipped away. Red Bull was and remains too strong for everyone. The RB19 is a solid car, designed to perform perfectly on any layout, thanks to its extensive setup window that consistently allows its drivers to find the optimal working point. This aspect is precisely what the Prancing Horse is tirelessly working on, even though it doesn’t have the winning evidence that characterizes the Austrian cars.

We talked about this a few days ago, anticipating the times and following Frederic Vasseur’s brief remarks on the sidelines of the Italian race: “We understood things better after Zandvoort, and we think we can make progress on other types of tracks as well.” Quietly uttered like the usual diplomatic words, Formula Uno Analisi Tecnica delved deep into the matter and gathered some intriguing details.

The Dutch appointment was filed away with a lot of disappointment in terms of results. However, despite this context creating a normal unease within Ferrari’s sports management, shortly after the weekend, following specific post-weekend tests, a certain awareness began to take hold in the minds at Maranello. The result reads: “The equation governing the balances of Project 675 has found some solutions.”

Ferrari SF-23: The Complex Interaction of Elements Generating Aerodynamic Load
There are several headaches that keep the Italian team awake at night. Enrico Cardile has been working relentlessly to provide greater competitiveness to the capricious SF-23. It’s a disobedient, quirky, and bizarre car in some of its behaviors, often seemingly doing everything to make life harder for its drivers. Pushing the limits of the red car is truly challenging, and when you manage to do so, driving it becomes much more demanding than it seems.

Within this context, the line between maximum performance and error is very thin. This condition has led the Ferrari drivers to make fatal mistakes on more than one occasion. But as mentioned from Monza, something seems to have changed. Firstly, along the curves of the Brianza track, the Italian car showed a more mature attitude, abandoning the usual “whims” related to balance.

Furthermore, it appeared to be much more responsive to changes, a crucial aspect in the pursuit of the ideal setup. What was said is confirmed by the work carried out on Friday morning when, after the first run in FP1, mechanical adjustments at the front corrected and provided the right conceptual path for the “setup.” An aero-mechanical compromise that worked effectively throughout the weekend.

From here, we can link to the technical considerations discussed in detail two days ago. We’re talking about the front suspension of the SF-23, which, unlike the rear suspension, criticized by many and seen as the true scourge of the red car, has not received adequate attention. The interaction between the front suspension layout and the front wing is of crucial importance in these wing cars. We received confirmation of this by discussing with more than one Formula 1 technician behind closed doors.

After all, it’s in this area of the car where the vortex structure that subsequently affects the rest of the monoposto takes shape. Therefore, it’s easy to understand how, from an aerodynamic perspective, making the combination of the floor-diffuser and the beam wing work effectively largely depends on the flow of air that comes from the front.

Ferrari is a front-limited car. And on the SF-23, contrary to what one might think, increasing wing incidence does not change things, but rather, as we clearly noticed through the onboard footage, doing so results in annoying understeer. In such a context, adding downforce means shifting the optimal working point of the car designed for the track. Furthermore, besides not solving the problem, it also increases drag.

The camber recovery of the Ferrari is insufficient, and this is not news. We’ve known it since the pre-season tests in Bahrain. It’s about the ability of the suspension system to maintain stable static wheel inclination. When managed correctly, it provides stability to the front part of the aerodynamic platform, widens the setup window, and allows the use of much more effective ground clearances.

The Ferrari SF-23 is ready for another step up in Singapore
The GES technicians are not novices at all. On the contrary, they are highly skilled and well aware of what doesn’t work in their car. However, it’s clear that in the budget cap era, it’s difficult to overhaul the concepts of a Formula 1 car. Mercedes introduced a new front suspension in Monaco. As a result, according to Toto Wolff’s own admission, the W14 significantly improved its performance at medium-low speeds. This aspect confirms our analysis.

Ferrari is determined to continue its path of updates. The aerodynamics department is producing an additional package of updates to further improve the car’s behavior. Thanks to the “cognitive tools” they’ve developed, they aim to make a significant step forward in the coming weeks. While we wait for the news, considering that some small changes could arrive in Singapore, the Asian race will be a significant test in this regard. It’s a perfect circuit to validate the hypothetical scenario that awaits on the track.

An additional test was conducted through the recent Pirelli test. This will be an advantage in setting up for the upcoming World Championship event, as the data collected at Fiorano used the high-load configuration planned for Marina Bay. It’s easy to see how such a factor can lead to particular benefits as they approach this fifteenth round of the 2023 racing campaign.

As of what has been reported yesterday, the optimism regarding this step forward has been confirmed. However, objective validation will only arrive in about a week. Ferrari intends to make this hypothetical scenario a reality before introducing the new modifications, which seem to add more than just a number to the value of the SF-23. We can only wait and see…

Source: Alessandro Arcari for FUnoanalisitecnica