During the recent races of the 2023 Formula 1 season, we have noticed a rather inconsistent performance from Scuderia Ferrari. While they have been competitive enough to achieve podium finishes on some occasions, they have also struggled significantly on others.
Overall, it has been observed that Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz do not have much difficulty in extracting the full potential of the SF-23 single-seater during qualifying. This is evident from their pole position at the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan and consistently narrow gaps in almost all sessions this year. However, the main challenges arise during the race, particularly in effectively managing the tires and maintaining a fast and consistent pace throughout the entire Grand Prix.
These difficulties manifest themselves to some extent in every race when compared to Red Bull but are more prominent on certain types of circuits, as we previously mentioned in our analysis following the British Grand Prix. Specifically, these challenges are more pronounced on front-limited circuits, which place greater strain on the front tires.
Unfortunately, we have been saying more or less the same things for years. At Maranello, they have never truly understood the Pirelli tires provided. From season to season, the problem shifts back and forth, like a game of ping pong, from struggling to bring the compounds into the right temperature window to overheating them, and from having tires that are too cold to excessively heating them.
Front-limited circuits
The SF-23 car tends to cause the tires to overheat easily, especially on circuits with long, fast corners and high G-forces that repeatedly stress the front tires. For Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, it becomes very challenging to bring the tires back into the correct operating range. This significantly affects the overall performance of the car. The circuits with these characteristics are known as front-limited (limiting the lifespan of the front tires). Among the circuits on the calendar are: Saudi Arabia, Australia, Miami, Imola, Barcelona, Silverstone, Spa, Zandvoort, Suzuka, Qatar, COTA, and Brazil.
Rear-limited circuits
On the other hand, rear-limited circuits are typically those with a higher prevalence of slow corners, characterized by heavy braking followed by significant acceleration on corner exits. Considering rear-wheel-drive cars, it is evident that this mainly impacts the tires on the rear axle rather than the front. Among the circuits on the calendar are: Bahrain, Baku, Monaco, Montreal, Austria, Hungary, Singapore, Mexico, Las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi.
Monza stands in between
Monza is an exception, being the only circuit classified as neutral, meaning it presents a balance between slow and fast corners.
Where Scuderia Ferrari can still hope for positive results
So, where can Ferrari fans still expect good weekends from the Maranello team during this season? Of course, it’s not a guarantee, as much will also depend on external factors such as weather conditions and the ongoing developments brought by teams, including the Prancing Horse squad, until November. However, we can say that in Hungary, Singapore, Mexico, Las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi, we can still anticipate some positive outcomes.
Of course, we are not talking about chances for victory, as Red Bull and Max Verstappen are the undisputed favorites on all types of circuits. Any ‘joy’ for Ferrari will likely come from the battle taking place just behind them.
On the other hand, on tracks like Spa, Zandvoort, Suzuka, Qatar, Circuit of the Americas, and Brazil, similar to what happened at Silverstone, the Ferrari drivers may encounter some additional difficulties.
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