In the tenth round of the 2024 Formula 1 championship, the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari did not give its best. Not the worst either, mind you, but undoubtedly the expected result was quite different. The causes related to the imperfect performance at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona are clear. We have discussed them thoroughly during the last few days, focusing on the situation regarding the load instability of the SF-24 single-seater in certain areas of the Spanish track. We did this by listening to drivers and technicians talk to each other through the team radio messages and carefully observing the onboards, an extraordinary tool for understanding and commenting on what happens on the track.
No time to reflect calmly and the Formula 1 series is back on the move. This time the setting is the 4.318-kilometre Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, which will host the eleventh stage of the racing season. It will be the home Grand Prix for Red Bull, where the RB20 will certainly want to win again. The same goes for McLaren, a team really on the ball but not managing to maximize performance in the last few races. Then there’s Mercedes on the rise and of course Ferrari: the Italian team that has studied the amount of data collected on recent updates with the clear goal of unlocking part of the unexpressed potential at Montmelò.
Styria is one of the shortest circuits in the Formula 1 world championship. For this reason, the gaps between the cars are often very small. Consequently, any slightest mistake in the mere setup composition has the potential to produce a significant step backward in terms of overall lap times. The first sector is very simple and consists of a first 90-degree corner located at the end of the starting straight. The first turn ends three-quarters of the way down the second stretch. To tackle the first corner of the track in the best way, you first need good braking stability.
This is a characteristic that Ferrari possesses, as confirmed in Barcelona despite the underwhelming performance. Braking is achieved through a slight downward slope. Normally this corner generates oversteer, especially considering that a medium downforce setup is preferred in Austria. This factor results in the rear of the F1 cars being somewhat light. Overall, it is a medium-speed corner, where a good compromise between the car’s aerodynamics and mechanics is needed.
You need to carry a lot of speed through the middle of the corner to exit well and make the most of the rather long straight that follows. Ferrari will need to limit the oversteer, a distinctive trait of the SF-24 single-seater. They will do this by trying to bring enough grip to the rear. Good corner entry is useful, but the traction phase cannot be compromised. Thus, we come to the second part of the circuit. Also, in the case of turn 3, a lot of braking stability is needed, where there is a change in slope near the apex. Staying too tight has pros and cons.
As with turn 1, the exit is crucial for producing acceleration uphill, towards another high-speed straight. You then accelerate to turn 4, where the track slopes down again. Between the entrance and the apex, there is a negative banking that pushes the car outward and produces understeer which, on exit, can turn into oversteer due to a larger steering angle. Front grip is necessary to anticipate the moment when the driver presses the gas pedal. Turn 5 is taken under acceleration up to turn 6.
We are talking about a very fast left-hand turn, where a lot of speed is carried to the apex and then the car is allowed to flow. A stabilized aerodynamic platform will greatly assist in navigating this important section for lap times. To achieve this handling, technicians seek a good compromise regarding the rigidity of the suspension components. These are fairly complicated turns, so it is up to the driver to understand how to tackle them in the best way, always depending on the car available.
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 Lewis from the track!
You reach the last sector of the track, where there are two more high-speed corners in succession, turns 7 and 8. The performance in the first directly influences the second. Demanding too much in the entry is not always the best choice, as it results in reaching full throttle later.
The same reasoning applies to the last two corners of the track, where it is important to carry a lot of speed through the middle of the turn, but it is also essential to take care of the racing line to favor the exit and get on the gas early. The crucial factor in these fast corners is to have a high aerodynamic load balanced between the two axles.
As we know well, Ferrari enjoys a certain advantage in corner entry, but the rear must perfectly follow the front to avoid harmful moments related to handling. The Maranello team could once again opt for the medium-load rear wing. We are talking about the specification introduced during the Imola Grand Prix, the one with modified wing tips to ensure the same load while reducing drag. The Austrian track features several long straights where it is crucial not to lose time by developing an optimal end of straight speed level, an element that is very important also in view of the race.
Ferrari will need to generate a good amount of downforce. The goal, needless to say, remains the same: to stabilize the rear in fast sections. For this reason, despite relying on the downforce produced by the car’s floor, the wing incidence cannot be reduced too much. Formula 1 cars like Red Bull or McLaren, with high efficiency values, will certainly have an advantage on this track. Different load levels have already been evaluated in Maranello. It remains to be seen on track which direction to choose, also taking updates into account.
The target aims to “build” a suitable setup, this is the main goal: to gain ground on rivals in the favorable points of the track while containing losses in the more delicate areas for the red car. A key aspect is also related to the suspension system: for Ferrari, softening the rear too much to favor traction would mean losing some stability at high speed. Consequently, this setup would prevent the drivers from following more favorable racing lines. Therefore, once again, the right compromise will be needed.
According to our estimates, based on the data, Ferrari should aim to “build” the lap in the faster areas of the track, from turn 4-5 onwards. In doing so, as team principal Frederic Vasseur himself has hinted, the complete understanding of the updates will be crucial. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have worked very hard on the simulator in recent days. They did so taking into account feedback and information collected in Spain. The Ferrari drivers have been heavily involved in the driver-in-the-loop because the Maranello team is convinced they can make the upgrades work much better.
Efforts made certainly have not forgotten the issue related to tires. Unfortunately, once again, even at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, this limited the performance of the all-red Formula 1 cars. This is a point Ferrari is trying to improve on because the tires, the only point of contact of the car with the reference plane, namely the track surface, are too important for the overall performance of the weekend. The department dedicated to vehicle dynamics has done extra work to be prepared in view of the Austrian Grand Prix.
Source: FUnoanalisitecnica
Buy official Ferrari F1 products!
