Rejected and then reevaluated: how Ferrari chose to adopt Red Bull-style sidepods for SF-24

The Maranello engineers and technicians decided to take advantage of the second seasonal filming day to unveil the SF-24 EVO, an evolved version of the Ferrari 2024 Formula 1 single-seater, which will see the debut of “inverted” sidepods in the Red Bull style at the Imola circuit in Emilia Romagna.

The commercial filming day granted by the Federation will be useful to the Scuderia not only for the presence of the HP logo on the wings and sides, but also (and above all) to evaluate the new aerodynamic package.

Within the first of the three major evolutionary steps that the Prancing Horse has planned during the season, the Red Bull-style sidepods stand out, as mentioned. On the SF-24 EVO, in fact, the inlet of the radiator mouths has been inverted, a solution already adopted on the RB20 and McLaren.

Rejected and then reevaluated: the timeline of Ferrari updates
To tell the truth, the inverted inlets had been tested in the wind tunnel immediately after the pre-season testing session. However, the working group led by Head of Chassis Area Enrico Cardile and Head of Vehicle Concept Diego Tondi had rejected the solution, preferring to study sidepods more similar to those seen on the Aston Martin. An intermediate solution that would have represented an evolution of the basic concept already present on the SF-24.

Intensive study work in Maranello, accompanied by some budget cap considerations, then convinced Ferrari to skip the intermediate step, focusing directly on the extreme solution that will debut at Imola.

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The turning point seems to have come during the break between the Australian Grand Prix and the Japanese Grand Prix when in Maranello, fueled by the enthusiasm derived from the success in Melbourne, it was decided to promote the new sidepods. A solution that, moreover, would be incorrect to consider as a “copy” of the Red Bull’s. At Ferrari, in fact, they chose to seek a different compromise between undercut and upper sidepod down-wash with a specific solution tailored for the Maranello car.

Now, notwithstanding Frederic Vasseur’s due prudence in his statements in Miami, all that remains is to wait for the stopwatch to speak. A first key test will take place next week in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Imola circuit in front of the Tifosi.

Ferrari SF-24 evo