Not just Ferrari, updates are increasingly risky: “Development is now difficult”. One of the key topics from the recent trio of European races is Ferrari's regression.

One of the key topics from the recent trio of European races is Ferrari’s regression, destabilized by the latest updates introduced in Spain. After numerous comparative tests at Silverstone, the Reds raced in the old configuration from the Imola Grand Prix, while deciding whether to use the new parts in Hungary and Belgium. Ferrari is not the only team backtracking on developments, in a context where each update risks being a step back.

The downforce isn’t enough
Ferrari is not alone in struggling to make updates work. At Silverstone, Aston Martin and Racing Bulls also reverted to older configurations, abandoning the latest updates from Imola and Barcelona, respectively. All three teams saw an increase in downforce and/or aerodynamic efficiency with the new packages, but the negative side effects outweighed the benefits.

Ferrari’s issue lies in the bouncing that occurs in high-speed corners, making the car undrivable. For Aston Martin and Racing Bulls, the updates disrupted the balance and overall characteristics of the car, making them unpredictable. “If the car surprises you, you keep some margin,” commented Aston Martin Team Principal Mike Krack. “You don’t push to the maximum and there’s no confidence, which I believe is one of the most important traits. It’s easy to explain and amplifies the problems you’re having.”

This unpredictability creates a vicious cycle that worsens lap times. Besides drivers being unable to push to the limit, constant steering corrections lead to tire temperatures going out of the optimal range. To mitigate this, compromises are made in the suspension setup, sacrificing further performance. Hence the preference to abandon updates and additional downforce in favor of better drivability, which proves more beneficial on the stopwatch.

Frenzied development
Part of the issue is the frantic pace of development in a highly competitive Formula 1, where even the slightest gain can significantly alter the balance of power, prompting teams to rush updates. This haste, however, compromises the thoroughness of analysis, as noted by Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer during the Austrian Grand Prix: “In the factory, we kept pushing to bring updates a race ahead of schedule. Initially, the plan was to introduce them here [in Austria]. However, after taking the risk of bringing a major package to Miami, we thought it was better to bring them forward to Barcelona. We pushed the team hard. Maybe we didn’t do all the analyses we should have, to have all the parts ready.”

Mike Krack echoed this sentiment: “When you push to bring new parts ahead of schedule, you must also do it diligently. They need to be of the right quality, otherwise, you fall further behind. You have to invest this time to have high-quality parts and get them to the track as quickly as possible. You need to know what you’re doing, but also produce them with the correct quality, quantity, and specifications.”

This underscores the need to constantly update simulation tools and methodologies, with a generation of cars whose aerodynamics are vastly different from the past and reveal new facets as development progresses. However, this realization does not negate the irreplaceability of track testing for the final verification of updates. Phenomena like bouncing cannot be fully analyzed except in the real world, and other aerodynamic complications need to emerge on track before they can be understood and used to update simulation techniques.

The McLaren example
The complexity of the matter rewards a more moderate development pace. This is the case with McLaren, which at the start of the season deliberately refrained from introducing some updates on the launch version of the car, taking their time to develop them until the Miami Grand Prix, and being rewarded with the high effectiveness of the new package.

Recently, Team Principal Andrea Stella commented on the complications faced by some teams, when asked by FormulaPassion during the Austrian Grand Prix: “It seems we have reached a point where development is difficult. More than one team expected to be faster, without foreseeing some problems that they now need to understand better. You need to be very cautious in understanding how updates will work on track. The aerodynamics of these cars are very complex and are starting to challenge development tools. You need to use all your experience to gain the right confidence that, when you approve new parts, the development is indeed mature.”

With the ground effect regulations now in their third year, achieving significant gains from updates is increasingly difficult, heightening the risks of premature development. Spring caught Ferrari, Aston Martin, and Racing Bulls off guard, but no one is safe. Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes promise the arrival of new packages around the Hungary and Belgium races, two weeks that could bring new surprises and reshape the balance of power.