Ferrari will do everything possible to take victory along the streets of the Principality. The Monegasque circuit particularly suits the characteristics of the red car, theoretically speaking. The excellent lap times observed in previous rounds of the 2023 racing campaign, in the low-speed sections, raise the expectations of the engineers in Maranello. Mechanical grip and traction are the weapons that the Prancing Horse aims to fully exploit.
The objective, indeed, is to maximize the car’s setup and, through the collaboration of the drivers, find optimal performance. Several aeromechanical tests took place yesterday. The mechanical setup is crucial, and we have produced a written document regarding the third element of the red car. This component of the car significantly affects the management of ride heights in Monte Carlo.
On the aerodynamic side, maximum downforce is the goal, of course. The new rear wing should provide an improvement in terms of balance, an aspect on which Ferrari has worked extensively to manage tire activation and degradation. Although tire wear along the street circuit is not a significant factor, the thermal management of temperatures in qualifying to extract the maximum advantage from the compounds will be crucial.
Ferrari SF-23: the action from FP1 as reported by F1 expert Alessandro Arcari for FUnoanalisitecnica
Weather update: Air temperature is 26.3°C, track temperature is 47.6°C. Humidity is at 36%, and the wind is blowing from the east at 0.8 km/h. The drivers of the red cars are inside their vehicles. Sainz is very attentive to details, asking for a lot of information from the technicians. The first run is about to begin. Engines are started. The two red cars hit the track.
Everything is ready. Drivers and technicians discuss the final details for the first session. The usual checks have been carried out: power unit, transmission, braking system, and hybrid system. There is a particular focus within the Italian garage. The desire to take advantage of the scenario and achieve an excellent result is evident.
For the first run, the SF-23s are using a set of yellow-banded Pirelli tires. Both Ferrari drivers start with a cautious first push lap. The need to get familiar with the car is paramount. That’s why radio communications are almost absent at this stage. Now, they move on to the Soc 2 hybrid configuration to get more boost from the motor generators, with a K1 test to fine-tune the overboost.
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Leclerc requests an adjustable front load change. There will be 6 additional clicks to balance the car. In the meantime, they will take the opportunity for a practice start. The Spanish driver seems quite satisfied with car number 55 and currently does not request any changes. A cool lap, and then they push again.
The initial comment on the two Ferraris is undoubtedly positive. In the slower sections of the track, the red car shows a very composed behaviour. No corrections needed. When the speeds increase, like at the Tabac corner, the car becomes slightly unsettled. Most likely, they will try to work on the suspension setup to maximize performance.
Going into more detail, we can say that the front end is very precise. It is evident from the ease of reaching the apex and the agility in direction changes. The traction, naturally, is excellent for both cars. As mentioned before, above 200 km/h, the car becomes unsettled. At the Tabac corner, the car bounces and touches the ground. The engineers started with a certain ride height and can increase the distance between the underbody and the reference plane if necessary.
Carlos Sainz seems to interpret the red car very well. Compared to his teammate, he is faster in turn 1 and turn 8. The first run for the Ferrari drivers is completed. Positive comments come over the radio channel. There is a lot of optimism and tranquility. The work program will undergo some changes for the last 20 minutes.
Carlos leaves the pit lane and pushes again. Still on the medium tires, the same set used previously. His teammate follows suit. Analyzing the early laps of the second run, a significantly more precise Ferrari is observed in the fast sections. Considering that the bouncing seems reduced, the engineers have probably opted to slightly raise the car. This measure has corrected the bouncing to some extent but not entirely.
Undoubtedly, the Prancing Horse has the potential to aim high here in Monaco. It remains to be seen if the mechanics and drivers will be skilled enough to achieve the perfect setup. Carlos Sainz has shown a very clean driving style, easily adapting to the track. Charles Leclerc has also not encountered any major issues, although traffic and some small indecision have affected lap times.
With a little over 10 minutes remaining in the session, at turn 15, the rear end of car number 16 became unsettled, and Charles Leclerc was about to spin. This was due to the high aggressiveness of the Ferrari driver combined with less-than-ideal tire temperatures. Ultimately, we must emphasize one thing: in Monaco, the SF-23 can make an impact.
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