It will not be an easy weekend for Scuderia Ferrari, which will have to confirm the progress made in Azerbaijan. To do so, great attention to detail is needed, with the clear objective of maximizing results through optimal car management. The American track is very particular. We talked about it yesterday through a technical analysis, trying to predict the setup that the Prancing Horse will use on American soil.
The aerodynamic efficiency of the red car is not up to par with Red Bull. The fact is clear. In order to achieve adequate top speed, the aerodynamic configuration will necessarily have to involve a compromise that the RB19 will not adopt. Although this element will not be as important as it was in Baku, there are still plenty of high-speed straights in Miami.
There is also another aspect on which Maranello’s technicians are spending a lot of energy: the use of tires during the race. Tire degradation is not giving the SF-23 peace of mind, which is limiting its pace as they have to preserve the tires to ensure a useful life of the compound worthy of their competitors.
We have extensively discussed this aspect, explaining the reasons related to excessive consumption of the compounds during the race. By carefully observing the on-board footage from Azerbaijan, we noticed thermal degradation generated by overheating at the rear end. The operating window of the Pirelli tires is not being managed properly.
For this reason, the engineers are experimenting with new configurations on the internal suspension elements to ensure adequate floor kinematics. We will find out during the next few days if the data collection combined with simulated work will be able to produce further progress, a fundamental imperative to unlock further untapped potential in the car with a high amount of fuel on board.
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Ferrari is studying the SF-23 in-depth. The medium-load wing supported by a single pylon that has been talked about so much is back on the track at Ferrari. Obviously, the Baku specification could not be chosen, as it is too light for the type of turns present on the Miami track. The general configuration of the car, including the front incidence and beam wing, should be aimed at finding some additional EOSS points.
Several incidences on the wing introduced during the first few Grand Prix races will be tested for the front end, with the clear goal of finding the right front load ratio to the one on the rear axle to best balance the Modena single-seater.
Today, there will also be some comparative tests on the floor. The intention is to produce the most suitable setup to create the greatest possible stability and adequate vertical load as the speed varies. We have said in recent days that they are testing non-linear responses of some internal elements of the rear suspension in Maranello.
At the moment, the work on the track will focus on optimizing the complete package, attempting to better manage tire compounds during the race, as it will be very hot on Sunday. The car’s camber is also being worked on, as we anticipated after the Bahrain Grand Prix, to create the least stress possible on the Pirelli tires. One degree more camber, in fact, can lead to difficult temperature containment, which seems to have put the red car in crisis several times.
As for Red Bull, we have only been able to observe the version used in Baku at the moment. However, we do not exclude seeing the version used in Jeddah, which allows for some additional vertical load points. That being said, Perez and the two drivers at the wheel of the RB19 seem to have appreciated this type of configuration at the rear.
The wing in question adapted very well to the Azerbaijan track and could also provide an excellent advantage on the straights in terms of top speed in Florida. This aspect would obviously further put the Italian car in difficulty. As always, only the track, the sole supreme judge in Formula 1, will give us any confirmations by revealing whether this specification will guarantee the correct load to tackle the mixed zone of the American track.
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