Ferrari is completing the final steps ahead of the resumption of the Formula 1 world championship. The SF-26 will hit the track at Monza tomorrow for a tightly controlled test session, during which the team will evaluate its new aerodynamic configuration and, above all, work on refining concepts related to the use of electrical energy. Everything will be closely linked to a new mathematical model that has been integrated into the simulator.
Ferrari F1 Monza test: what it is for and how this track session works
In these days, Ferrari is preparing to take to the track for a session dedicated to a filming day. The chosen venue is the Monza circuit. It is no coincidence that the Italian team selected this track, even though Fiorano is located just a short distance from the official headquarters. There is no point hiding it: this test will be particularly important, considering that several evaluations of the aerodynamic upgrades will be carried out.
The update package that will be fitted to the SF-26 is set to make its official debut at the Miami Grand Prix, during the first weekend of May. In this type of test, the FIA allows teams to run a new aerodynamic configuration, although certain limitations remain in place. When bringing such an upgrade to the track, the key objective is to confirm the correlation between CFD, wind tunnel data, and real track performance.
The usual method for verifying this correlation involves installing aerodynamic rakes in specific areas or using flow-vis paint. However, because this event is classified as commercial in nature, such tools are not permitted. For this reason, a definitive confirmation of the effectiveness of the upgrades will only come once the car runs in Florida.
Ferrari test: load data and its importance for the simulator
Despite these restrictions, the Monza track session remains extremely valuable, as the team will still be able to measure the new downforce levels of the car using the standard internal load cells. Once collected, the data related to the new aerodynamic package will be sent directly to Maranello, where it will first be processed and then fed into the simulator.
The simulator itself is already operating at full capacity in preparation for the Monza outing. The days immediately following the test, likely towards the weekend, will therefore prove crucial for evaluating the updated virtual model of the SF-26. It will then be up to the drivers to continue the development work in the simulator, refining the car’s behaviour and arriving in Florida with as clear an understanding as possible.
Only Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have driven the real car, and for this reason they will be the only ones capable of making a direct comparison between track data and simulator output. This represents a very important step in identifying and correcting the inevitable small discrepancies between simulation and reality, a task that is typically carried out by the race drivers after each Grand Prix during the season.
In Florida, however, the setup validation work will not focus exclusively on the latest version. It is highly likely that the race preparation will also involve running the standard SF-26 package. On the other hand, the combination of all the collected data will allow the team to quickly determine whether the new upgrades have delivered a meaningful step forward for the Italian car.
As for tyres, the session will be almost irrelevant in this regard. It is well known that FIA regulations governing filming days restrict tyre usage to specific “demo” compounds. This situation effectively prevents any meaningful pursuit of outright performance.
Why Monza was chosen and the focus on SF-26 energy deployment
It remains to be explained why Ferrari opted for the Autodromo di Monza. This decision may appear somewhat unusual, especially considering the easy access to owned circuits like Fiorano or Mugello, which are much closer to the team’s base. The answer is both precise and highly relevant to current performance needs. The team has decided to focus on two main factors: optimizing energy deployment and studying aerodynamic efficiency.
The filming day regulations allow teams to freely test new battery charge and discharge strategies. Given the specific layout of the Italian circuit, this aspect will undoubtedly be at the centre of the track programme. Being able to fully exploit the extremely long straights represents a very clever choice, as it allows the engineers to quickly expose any limitations of the hybrid system.
As a result, the Maranello engineers’ efforts will be directed towards identifying strategies capable of optimizing hybrid management. This is an area that currently penalizes Ferrari more than some of its direct competitors. The other key priority concerns the analysis of data related to aerodynamic drag on the Ferrari SF-26, a limitation that could potentially be reduced with the new aerodynamic package.
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