The negative period for Ferrari continues, lost after a good start to the season and fallen to the role of fourth force in the field, constantly struggling with difficulties in understanding and operating the SF-24, which has become enigmatic after the introduction of the latest development package in Spain. This situation has undermined the drivers’ confidence and caused negative effects on the stability of the car, pushing the engineers to question the development plan decided at the beginning of the year: a stalemate that has led to losing time and ground compared to rivals during a crucial phase of the year.
This scenario has led the engineers to use the latest Spec of the SF-24 on medium-slow tracks, like Budapest this weekend, and the Imola Spec on fast tracks, as “Tools” until the expected corrections for Zandvoort arrive: a decision aimed at maximizing performance during a difficult time for the team, from which, it must be said, the Scuderia wants to emerge as soon as possible, starting from the Hungarian GP. A race in which Ferrari has decided to bring the latest evolution package, corrected with a new floor and revised sidepods.
A reaction that, at least until qualifying, seems to have arrived only partially, as the Ferraris showed decent performance over a single lap (struggling instead in race simulations in direct comparison with their rivals), especially with Carlos Sainz who finished the Hungarian qualifying in fourth place, behind Verstappen’s Red Bull and the two McLarens but at least ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes, bringing the Scuderia back to the role of the third force in the field. A performance likely due partly to the quality of the introduced developments, which minimized bouncing, and the characteristics of the Hungaroring, favorable to the SF-24, with Carlos being its best interpreter. It went less well for Charles Leclerc, only sixth, after a difficult session and a lack of confidence probably due to yesterday’s crash in FP2. A difficult session that, based on the data, adds to the list of “no” races for the Monegasque, who has been on a clear decline since his win in Monaco, often trailing behind his departing teammate.
A day that, on his blog “Profondo Rosso,” was commented on by Leo Turrini, who first highlighted the performance decline that the team directed by Frédéric Vasseur is experiencing, which, despite the proclamations or narratives, appears very similar to that of the previous management under Mattia Binotto: a team unable to grow consistently, to bring effective developments to the track, and even struggling with a driver who was fired at the beginning of the year but is much faster and more consistent than the one who is supposed to represent the future of the Maranello team.
“It’s a Ferrari in Binotto mode. […] After Monaco, we have witnessed a decline in performance. The developments are not yielding the expected results. Sainz and Leclerc, despite the driving differences between the two, with the exiled Spaniard doing better than his teammate, have sadly admitted that more than fourth place in qualifying in Budapest was not achievable. Four-tenths behind the two McLarens and Verstappen’s Red Bull. […] Is this okay? No, it’s not okay. For now, in terms of results, we are in Binotto mode (in fact, looking at 2022, we are behind, as that Red car reached the summer break with 4 wins). These are the facts.”
