Ferrari studying front-end changes to contain oversteer and increase grip

Scuderia Ferrari expected much more from Bahrain, this is a valid statement. A competitive SF-24 car which, for various reasons, did not optimize the first weekend of the 2024 Formula 1 competitive campaign. Above all, a tedious brake problem severely compromised Charles Leclerc’s performance and affected Carlos Sainz’s. The Formula 1 world moves fast, so much so that next weekend, once again on Saturday, the second Grand Prix of the world championship will be held in Saudi Arabia. Jeddah is a very fast city circuit, which has been part of the calendar for several seasons now.

Let’s briefly summarize the characteristics of the circuit: in the initial sector, we find a traction area followed by a sequence of wide-radius turns. In the second and third sectors, this sequence continues to be present, interspersed with some high-speed stretches that drivers can take at full throttle. Therefore, the compromise between vertical load and top speed becomes a primary aspect that must be absolutely maximized.

Ferrari SF-24: front-end examination, significant load, and power developed by PU 066/10

In this case, a high degree of aerodynamic efficiency is required. Among the cars on the grid, in this respect, Red Bull and Ferrari will be favored, without underestimating the improvements made by Mercedes in this area. The red car can count on a high quantity of load and is generally well-balanced, as we saw in the track section between turn 11 and 13 at the Bahrain circuit. This aspect will significantly help the SF-24 on the track designed by the German engineer Hermann Tilke.

Ferrari’s technicians are working to minimize a distinctive trait of the car. We’re talking about oversteer which, in some cases, emerges forcefully over the lap. Therefore, excessive rotation is one of the aspects that will be most focused on regarding the setup. In terms of load, Red Bull might choose a configuration with more downforce than average, to benefit from an advantage in terms of grip, especially on race pace.

Another option would be to adopt a less loaded solution to maximize the End Of Straight Speed, keeping in mind Red Bull RB20’s great ability to generate vertical thrust from the car body. A high amount of downforce obtained through the floor allows for lowering the drag. All while working to keep an aerodynamic platform as stable as possible. Considering the high speeds, the suspension elements will have to be relatively stiffer.

At the moment Ferrari does not seem to have particular problems adopting the ground clearances, which was one of the key targets of the Maranello team during the winter when working on project 676. Moreover, the vehicle dynamics have significantly improved, which is also why we should not see a big difference in performance between qualifying and the race, especially considering the low abrasiveness of the Arabian track surface. At Sakhir, examining the ideal qualifying times, we noted how Red Bull and Ferrari essentially equaled on the push lap.

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While as for the car setup with a high quantity of fuel onboard, there remains a gap that averages about 3 tenths per lap. The insertion phase will be very important. At the Jeddah circuit, a lot of front-end reactivity is needed, considering the various high-speed directional changes. For this reason, a solid front-end will be very useful. With the SF-24 single-seater, a significant step forward has been made on this front since 2023.

In fact, at the Bahrain circuit, the Maranello single-seater managed to build the lap time precisely in corner entry. A setup that will also be proposed in Saudi Arabia to maximize performance differently. Last year the red car gained from the apex of the corner onwards, so on exit, while this year it manages to accumulate its advantage on corner entry.

At the moment, it is the RB20 that gains in acceleration. But the Austrian car is very focused on the front, so it will not be far off. Reflecting on the characteristics of the SF-24 mentioned earlier, the importance of the rear emerges, where the usual clear compromise must be taken into account. First, they need to understand the correct positioning of the aerodynamic pressure center to achieve a congruent balance between the two axes.

A single-seater that possesses a “kinematically solid” front-end will enjoy various benefits, as it will not be necessary to shift the mechanical balance towards the front-end by lowering the grip level at the rear. We know that in recent days, Ferrari has studied a way to contain oversteer by using a front-end that offers plenty of grip, allowing for a slight backward shift in balance.

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24