Luigi Mazzola, former Ferrari engineer, commented on Scuderia Ferrari’s performance and result in the 2024 Formula 1 Austrian Grand Prix on Race Anatomy.
Luigi Mazzola’s analysis
Here are some of the most important comments from the Sky analyst following the race which was held at the 4.318-kilometre Red Bull Ring in Spielberg: “Ferrari is again the fourth force, clearly something went wrong in the developments.” – the former Ferrari team member explained – “The porpoising issue reappeared in the fast corners. This new floor has damaged the car: it has provided more aerodynamic load, but it’s not a genuine load that can be exploited.”
“The solution? If the floor causes porpoising, you have to raise the car or stiffen it, but if you do that, you lose downforce. So, in fact, you have more load, but you can’t use it,” concluded Luigi Mazzola.
The updates to the SF-24, which arrived first at the Imola circuit in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and then at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, were supposed to turn Scuderia Ferrari’s season around, with the goal of challenging Red Bull.
The turnaround seems to have indeed happened, but in a negative sense: now, despite the gaps in the constructors’ standings, it seems more logical to look over their shoulder at McLaren and Mercedes, rather than dream big.
In short, the Scuderia continues to face understanding issues in this regulatory era; we’ll see if and when the Maranello team’s technicians can resolve them.
