Ferrari SF-24 aero update: wing-tips aligned with flow, excellent balance and high level of grip | 2024 Emilia Romagna GP. A detailed look at how things unfolded for the Ferrari drivers in FP1.

Ferrari is climbing the ranks in Formula 1. An ambitious project that, little by little, seems to be working. The Prancing Horse has entrusted team principal Frederic Vasseur, despite the fact that, initially, the Frenchman was seen as a “temporary man” in this role. There were a lot of people who considered him to be just a non-technical figure meant to bridge the gap until a true team principal could be found. But that has not been the case. The top management placed a lot of trust in the French manager, and he has repaid them, quietly, without making proclamations, but with many small actions that, a year and four months later, are evident to most.

The Ferrari SF-24 is a car designed in a solid manner. The work done within the sporting management must certainly be deemed effective, as we refer to a car that immediately convinced from the pre-season testing session at the Bahrain International circuit. The handling was easy to manage for the drivers, who can push the cars without too much fear of spinning out as they did last year. At the Imola circuit, which hosts the next round of this 2024 Formula 1 season, the updated version of the car has arrived. Ferrari holds many hopes for the SF-24, as Charles Leclerc himself declared in the usual Thursday interviews, stating that winning is now possible.

Of course, to achieve this, everything must be perfect. It involves optimizing the weekend by nailing the setup, not making mistakes, implementing appropriate strategies, and generally showing a certain aggressiveness, necessary though risky, because only by getting as close as possible to the limit can the desired results be achieved. Imola will therefore be a crucial moment for the Maranello team and the first free practice session gave the first feedback on the car, but first let’s analyze a couple of interesting technical solutions. A focus to better understand the intentions of the Maranello technicians.

The recent update Ferrari has made to the SF-24 on the rear wing specification takes inspiration from a Red Bull concept, also shared by other F1 teams. We have already thoroughly analyzed what the modification entails: we are talking about a slight tweak in the outer part, the wing tips, while maintaining the overall shape of the wing relatively constant, at least for this first part of the 2024 Formula 1 season. This is to avoid losing stability in the interaction with the floor-diffuser group and, as a result, to optimize the downforce around this solution.

By looking at a direct comparison with the Red Bull RB20 we see that the wing-tip is essentially curved, as if it develops around a vertical axis. Previously, the older version featured a more rounded connection to the main plane. In other words, the curvature took shape around a horizontal axis, to simplify the concept. This solution is very interesting because it manages to maximize the downforce generated by this type of rear wing, which, in compliance with regulations, cannot have end-plates.

As shown in the box at the bottom right, the velocity field tends to deform at the ends of the wing. Thus, in the wing-tip area, the fluid naturally turns outward, as it tends to move towards the low-pressure area below the wing. Curving the edge of the second flap in this manner aligns the aerodynamic profile with the local fluid flow direction, optimizing the downforce generated. This results in a small increase in vertical force for Ferrari, with minimal expense in aerodynamic efficiency.

Additionally, the incidence of the wing profile is lower in the outermost area. Slightly alleviating the pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces helps reduce the intensity of the wingtip vortices that inevitably form. This aspect in Formula 1 leads to an increase in component efficiency. A gurney flap, the profile on the trailing edge, is preferred to recover some downforce points. However, it is more internally located on the wing, and thus, does not constitute a significant aerodynamic block.

Another micro-aerodynamic modification appeared on the SF-24 EVO compared to the Fiorano tests last Friday. Examining the upper portion of the car’s engine cover, we notice a small slot added by the historic Italian team’s technicians. The solution Ferrari has chosen aims to make the boundary layer, the portion of fluid in direct contact with the car’s surface, even more turbulent to increase the Reynolds number, a dimensionless value used in fluid dynamics proportional to the ratio between inertial and viscous forces.

By doing this, the goal is to delay the detrimental separation of the fluid layer on the upper part of the sidepods. Analyzing the new version of the Ferrari in Computational Fluid Dynamics, the technicians likely realized that in that area of the car, the fluid mass was losing energy, creating a critical zone. With this small adjustment, the fluid remains more easily attached to the surface, mitigating the problem.

Now let’s take a detailed look at how things unfolded for the Ferrari drivers in the first free practice session for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, as the SF-24 EVO aims to confirm its potential directly on the track, where it will gather concrete data on the effectiveness of the work done. These updates, which produced significant numbers in the hypothetical simulations conducted within the sporting management, are being met with cautious optimism by Leclerc, who is also very curious about their potential. The expected improvement is substantial. Fred Vasseur is rallying his team to aggressively challenge their competitors, confident that it is possible to beat both Red Bull and McLaren.

To achieve this, no mistakes are allowed. The key is to optimize the weekend, as only by being perfect can the opportunity to win materialize. The Ferrari drivers are tasked with a crucial session where data collection will be far more important than lap times. We await to see how the Ferrari performs, because if the upgrades do not alter the good baseline balance of the all-red F1 car, it will already be a significant achievement. Inside the garage, everything is ready. Let’s remember the debut of Bryan Bozzi as Charles Leclerc’s new race engineer.

This pairing potentially enhances the overall package. The ingredients for a top F1 weekend are there. What remains to be seen is whether Ferrari can execute its plan flawlessly. Currently, weather conditions do not seem terrible. At the start of FP1, the air temperature is 23.6°C, the asphalt temperature is 43.7°C, humidity is at 35%, and the wind is blowing from the northwest at 4.4 kilometers per hour. The Ferrari drivers are in their cars after completing the usual checks: power unit, braking system, transmission, and hybrid system.

For the first official outing of the Ferrari SF-24 EVO, the two Italian cars leave the pit lane with a set of white-banded Pirelli tires. They proceed with various aerodynamic tests, with the gearbox set to GX3. A side note: if it feels strange for us to hear a different voice from Xavi, we can imagine how Charles feels, although he seems very comfortable, greeting the audience during the out-lap. With the push mode set, after bringing the tires up to temperature, action finally begins. At this point, the DRS system is not being used to study the Ferrari’s efficiency.

Leclerc complains about the mirrors, stating they are not positioned correctly. In terms of handling, we can say that the SF-24 EVO seems to have maintained its excellent level. Bozzi suggests entering turn 9 with less emphasis, while Adami advises different pre-configured mappings to optimize the performance of the Italian F1 car, along with the need to improve in turn 2. In this first run with the hard tires, the Ferrari team is trying to fine-tune the car’s setup, alternating between fast laps and others to recharge the batteries and cool the tires.

Traffic is always a bit of a problem at Imola, a track that is quite narrow in some sections. Finally, the DRS can be used to reach higher speeds on the main straight. A very interesting point: during these laps, there were many experiments with the curbs, necessary to understand the maximum aggression allowed on the kerbs and consequently take full advantage of cutting the track in the chicanes. The first run ends, and the Ferrari drivers are called back to the pits. Bozzi inquires about the car’s balance, and Leclerc responds positively, noting excellent grip.

In general, considering the hard tires, we can say that the initial assessment of the Ferrari SF-24 is good. Lots of grip, oversteer present but limited. Some minor traction difficulties, but we must consider the white-banded Pirellis. After a brief pause, the cars return to the Imola track. For this second run, they switch directly to soft tires. The Monegasque driver is the first of the two Ferrari drivers to leave the garage. The out-lap is completed without pushing too hard before launching into the first attempt. Porpoising is noticeable because Ferrari is using reduced ride heights.

Apart from a slight snap in turn 2, Charles’ lap can be considered aggressive but clean. In the first sector, Bryan suggests a different mapping for the differential. We can say there is a slight lack of precision in the fastest chicane of the first sector, where the apex was missed by at least half a meter due to understeer. Sainz is, as usual, more orderly, although he made a small mistake that did not significantly affect his performance. It’s interesting to note that neither Ferrari driver requested any changes to the front end.

Two cool-down laps with a pit lane pass, then they push again, trying to implement the suggestions from their race engineers. Carlos does not improve, while Leclerc takes a couple of tenths off his time. Another pit stop to gather ideas and properly plan this last phase of FP1. Once again, Charles is the first to hit the track, mounting a set of hard tires. Two minutes later, it’s the Spaniard’s turn, leaving the pit lane also with white-banded Pirellis.

In this last stint, Ferrari conducts a brief race pace simulation. High fuel tests to understand the car’s behavior with a high fuel load. We’re talking about 7/6 laps to collect important data. Once again, we must commend Bozzi’s preparation. Very precise, he perfectly provides all the useful information to the driver, fully supporting him. No hesitation, concise yet very factual notifications, much like Riccardo Adami. Regarding the high-fuel tests, several tests were conducted on the hybrid system to understand how to maximize it and on corner speeds to manage the tires.

With a broader overview, we reiterate that the car’s balance is very good, and as mentioned, the level of grip is also excellent. It is noticeable how technicians and drivers have tried to shift the balance towards the rear, and they seem to have succeeded to some extent. However, traction is still not perfect, and some small uncertainties are evident. Improvement is needed in the first sector, specifically turns 5-6-7. Regarding race pace, the feedback seems valid. There are no major corrections to the driving, although some small mistakes have occurred. Tire degradation also appears to be contained.

Source: FUnoanalisitecnica