No major updates for Ferrari: this was the key takeaway from the Dutch Grand Prix weekend when, prior to the start of the event, the FIA released documents detailing the new developments brought to the track by each team.
Despite rumors from recent weeks, Ferrari’s engineers chose not to modify the SF-24 at Zandvoort, instead extracting performance through setup adjustments and a better understanding of the issues that had troubled the drivers in recent weeks. This approach allowed the Scuderia, despite the challenges, to close out a strong weekend in the Netherlands, with a surprising podium for Charles Leclerc and an impressive fifth place for the recovering Carlos Sainz.
However, upon closer inspection, there was something new (at least on Charles Leclerc’s car) at Zandvoort: the power unit. The Maranello team decided to replace the power unit in Charles Leclerc’s car. According to FIA documents, the internal combustion engine, MGU-K, turbocharger, and exhaust system were replaced, marking the fourth unit used this season on car number 16. The replacement did not result in a penalty for the Monegasque, as each driver is allowed four engines (along with turbochargers and MGU-Ks, also limited to four) per season, with a penalty only incurred upon using a fifth unit.
It’s worth focusing on this engine, as our sources indicate it was installed on Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari not due to technical issues with the third unit or to provide “fresh horsepower” on the Dutch track (where downforce, not power, is crucial), but simply to be used in the final stretch of the 2024 Formula 1 season, approved by the FIA, and added to the pool of power units available for rotation until the end of the year.
This move was decided by the engine specialists at the Ferrari Racing Division with the Italian Grand Prix in mind (where having a fresh and fully performant power unit is critical). The engineers opted for an on-track shakedown with Charles Leclerc’s SF-24—a rare procedure, given the short time between the two events, which made it impossible to perform the usual test bench runs at Maranello. After this shakedown, the unit was dismantled, checked, and then stored away until FP1 of the Italian GP, where, following the planned rotation from the start of the year, it will be reinstalled on car number 16 for the entire weekend (certainly for Saturday’s sessions and Sunday’s race).
As anticipated, both Ferrari drivers will compete in their home weekend with a fresh power unit, aiming to maximize performance at the Autodromo Nazionale, relying also on the new updates arriving in Monza, which are expected to bring the Scuderia back into contention at the front. The power unit, on paper and in compliance with regulations, should be identical to the one approved and frozen at the beginning of the year, although it’s likely that, like all manufacturers do, Ferrari’s engineers will try to extract a few more horsepower by exploiting regulatory loopholes that allow modifications to the power unit to improve its reliability.
