Ferrari upgraded SF-24: variable ride height testing, Fiorano lap times not indicative

On Friday afternoon the curtain fell on a day dedicated to updates for the Scuderia Ferrari team. Behind the wheel of the SF-24 single-seater, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc took part in the morning session, with Spaniard Carlos Sainz taking over after the lunch break. The 188 kilometers covered at the home circuit in Fiorano, along with promotional filming, were broadcast to compare the data regarding the new updates on track with the data provided by the simulation tools. The first part of the test with the former Alfa Romeo driver was divided into 8 stints, each following the same work pattern: out lap, two fast laps with low engine map, and finally an in lap with a practice start.

During the breaks between these groups of 4 laps, the Ferrari mechanics made adjustments to understand the car’s behavior at different ride heights. Trackside, it was clear how stints with a higher ride height alternated with others where the Ferrari SF-24 EVO was much lower. When the car was closer to the reference planes, the floor clearly touched Fiorano’s track surface, producing smoke or sparks. The sessions had a time frame ranging from 5 to 20 minutes, always with yellow-banded Pirelli tires. As we have already emphasized in previous analyses, the updates installed on the SF-24 car did not include a new floor specification.

The floor of the new Ferrari remained unchanged throughout the afternoon session, dampening the anticipation of the most attentive fans crowding the famous bridge overlooking the Fiorano track, who were ready to spot any interesting modifications. Charles Leclerc’s runs were not immune to errors, as the Monegasque driver seemed to struggle with slight oversteer in the configuration with lower ride height, while the car seemed much cleaner in the final stints with lower ride heights. A consideration arises naturally at this point based on what we could observe with the naked eye.

By increasing pressure in the underfloor area, in addition to creating an outwash effect, more downward force can be generated by increasing local load. Therefore, the center of pressure moves forward. Once the “complete” package is installed, which includes modifications to the Venturi channels, floor edges, and sharp edges, the balance should probably be restored, and oversteer should also be minimized. Only in the eighth and final stint did Charles Leclerc open the mobile wing on the main straight, using a more aggressive engine map in order to allow for a more accurate push lap. On this occasion, car number 16 put together a lap in the low 58-second range.

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F1, Ferrari: Sainz Sticks with Evo Version, Tests Different Ride Heights

After the lunch break, it was Carlos Sainz’s turn to take to the home track at the Fiorano circuit. The winner of the Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park circuit followed an identical work program to his Maranello teammate, similarly varying ride heights. The Spanish driver used Medium tires while keeping the same updates on the car as in the morning. Therefore, the team did not conduct a comparative track test with the base version of the Ferrari SF-24 seen up to the Miami Grand Prix last weekend. By doing so, the Ferrari engineers only sought to validate the data obtained from Computational Fluid Dynamics, wind tunnel, and simulator, without using rake equipment.

Currently, the data collected through sensors to measure load on both axles is being validated in order to understand if the desired effect has been achieved. The main difference between the work carried out by the two drivers is the timing. The Spaniard completed his day’s work in two hours, while the Monegasque took over three hours. Additionally, Carlos Sainz only completed 3 laps, instead of Charles Leclerc’s 4, in the last 2 stints out of the total 8 planned.

In the final runs, the Spaniard completed a single push lap, using the drag reducing system and a more aggressive engine map only on the final attempt. Summing up this day, the SF-24 with the aerodynamic package completed 62 of the 66 laps available to complete the 200 kilometer filming day at the Fiorano circuit. Scuderia Ferrari did not take to the track to showcase any performance improvements compared to the best lap times set during the winter. Therefore, the lap times are not indicative at all, leaving any performance assessment to be made in the next round of the 2024 Formula 1 championship, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Imola circuit.

As mentioned, the Ferrari mechanics, technicians, and engineers focused their work on the mere telemetric data provided by the sensors, which obviously cannot be in our possession. Therefore, only Ferrari is aware of the relative efficiency of this first and important SF-24 development. In theory, this upgrade should allow for the much-awaited and invoked performance leap. The anticipation for the first European race of the 2024 Formula 1 campaign is growing, considering that, at least on paper, the goal is to close the gap on Red Bull and get back ahead of McLaren, who proved to be faster than the SF-24 car in the Miami Grand Prix.

Ferrari SF-24 evo