This has been a dismal season for Scuderia Ferrari, the pre-season favourites reaching the summer break without a victory to their name. But at last, the Italian side’s pain was eased when Leclerc took a win, in a race where Ferrari executed their plan perfectly for arguably the first time this season. At the moment Ferrari are far from a force capable of consistently challenging Mercedes for the top honours, but this was a step in the right direction on a track where they expected to shine.
In reality, what prevents Ferrari’s SF90 from successfully challenging its rivals on all circuits, are the long curves with a radius less than or equal to 90 degrees. This compromise, which is due to a basic concept issue, in particular on the front tyres, does not allow the optimal balance, having as a result all that we now know from the beginning of the 2019 Formula One season.
However, the same “discussed” project is not considered completely wrong, as explained by f1analisitecnica.com at the end of the Belgian Grand Prix. Maybe it’s easy to say after pole and a prestigious victory, but it will be (and indeed it has already been) significantly rethought for next year’s car. Higher rake, a shorter wheelbase, with geometries and renewed front, which means Ferrari will go in the direction of Red Bull’s car philosophy for 2020. An effort, given the heavy work for the 2021 project, not indifferent, which was given the green light with an extra budget practically immediately after the first races of the season, when, unfortunately, the congenital problem and irresolvable in the absence of downforce on the tires, became obvious.
Regarding the current Formula 1 championship, what can still be done on the SF90 will be done, especially in aerodynamic terms. The third specification of the endothermic engine, which will make its debut next Friday at Monza, will probably be used less than usual, given the small issues of reliability found during the simulations in the many hours at the test bench. On the other hand, everyone has suffered such problems, including Mercedes, which of course is nothing too strange, given the fact that the power unit is on the limit of development for every manufacturier. On the other hand, what matters most in the coming months, is the effort put into preparing a productive winter, trying to take home second place in the constructors’ championship.
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