Ferrari SF-24: how new diffuser compares to SF-23 amid changes to rear part of F1 car

Ferrari has been putting in significant work with the SF-24. We’re talking about a solid, substantial Formula 1 single-seater, which is reassuring for technicians and engineers as they head into the competitive 2024 Formula 1 season campaign. Not to mention the drivers, who obviously benefit from a car that is more stable and not as temperamental as its predecessor. So far, we’ve observed a lot of consistency in performance during the pre-season tests, which provides a good amount of confidence for Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

We’ve seen it through the on-board cameras, where the red car beautifully demonstrated all its features. Distinctive traits such as the excellent traction inherited from the SF-23. Or the Italian car’s reaction during braking phases. A very good feeling is also apparent in terms of direction changes, an area where time was spent through settings to improve its value.

In the morning session of the last day of pre-season testing, Carlos Sainz was behind the wheel of the red car. Despite the Spaniard being very well aware that he will leave the Maranello team at the end of the season, his commitment to the Prancing Horse is maximal. Continuing the consistency from Thursday afternoon, the Spaniard effectively repeated his good conduct aboard car number 55. A single-seater that continues to provide very reassuring signals as soon as it hits the track.

Ferrari SF-24: The New Diffuser of the Red Car Compared to the 2023 Car

Thanks to some shots directly from the Sakhir pit lane, we can notice a change from last year in the rear part of the car. During the last day of testing, it was possible to better observe the configuration of the diffuser, a component of the car that had not been made visible during the unveiling. Firstly, it’s worth mentioning that on the last day of testing the first of the two flaps which make up the beam wing disappeared. The modification is visible in the comparison, with the horizontal flap being dismantled.

Examining the area in question, we notice that the diffuser presents the same reduced connection radius as last year, a feature that has characterized the red car since 2022. The configuration of the corner was also copied by Red Bull during the past season. This term refers to the connecting area between the lateral wall of the diffuser and its upper horizontal edge.

Already in 2023, Ferrari had created a certain “bulk” in this area, which now appears to be increased. Its purpose is to improve the extraction of the rotating fluid from the bottom. In addition to this, we notice that a kind of bulge has also been created on the upper surface of the diffuser, highlighted in red.

Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!

Although one might think that such a configuration could reduce the extractive volume of the diffuser, in reality, these shapes can aid the actual extraction of fluids on the SF-24. In the comparison, two perspectives of the diffuser are shown where this shape on the upper edge is visible. We cannot discount that it is a modification linked to the new beam wing that works closely with the diffuser, exerting a useful pressure on the extraction of the fluid mass.

Furthermore, it’s worth observing an additional shot inside the Italian garage. When Carlos Sainz “left” the car after completing his morning work, after mounting Charles’s seat, the mechanics sprayed the now-famous flow viz paint on the front suspension scheme. As we know, in this regulatory era, the interaction between this element and the front wing is of crucial importance.

After all, the suspension arms of a Formula 1 car, besides managing the vehicle dynamics in this case at the front, are used to direct flows towards the central part of the car. The Maranello team wants to see clearly in this regard and for this reason uses the paint to “fix” the flow lines that will subsequently be examined.