Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc topped the time charts in the last two days of pre-season testing with tires that won’t be seen in next week’s Bahrain GP, but the SF-24 car has shown significant positive signs: in long runs, the Ferrari single-seater did not exhibit the usual tire wear, maintaining a pace that positions it as the sole challenger to Red Bull.
For two out of three days in pre-season testing, Ferrari has been ahead of Red Bull. In the past, this would have been cause for excitement, fueling hope of seeing a red car leading the pack next week in the Bahrain GP, which, in accordance with Ramadan, will be held on Saturday. However, the men from Maranello do not want to foster false hopes, preferring to keep their feet firmly on the ground.
The time sheet is only looked at for historical value: it will be recorded that Carlos Sainz was the only one on Thursday to break the 1.30 barrier. The Spaniard, with 1.29.921, came within a couple of tenths of the pole position from the previous year set by Max Verstappen with the Red Bull RB19. On Friday, Charles Leclerc did not replicate his teammate’s time, stopping at 1.30.322, just 46 milliseconds better than George Russell’s Mercedes W15, who, like the Ferrari driver and the third-place finisher, Guanyu Zhou with Sauber, chose the C4 compound, the softest one not selected for the Bahrain GP that opens the 2024 Formula One season.
Charles Leclerc’s SF-24 had a different set-up than the one chosen by Carlos, and it’s not surprising that the Spaniard was ahead with a solution that, in the end, proved to be more performance-oriented. Apparently, some adjustments were not ideal, but it was right to evaluate them to approach Friday’s qualifying with a clear plan.
What is the potential of the new Ferrari car? It is difficult to say because some may have played their cards close to the chest (the feeling is that Red Bull changed tire compounds in every long run but not the fuel quantity on board, so it would be improper to speak of a true race simulation carried out by the red car).
Judging by Charles Leclerc’s stint times, the SF-24 struggled a bit with the C3, especially towards the end of the run, but it proved to be very comfortable with both C1 and C2. Ultimately, the Maranello men estimate a gap of about three tenths from Red Bull. This is considering only the reference RB20, that of Max Verstappen, while Sergio Perez, who never seemed in top form, could be vulnerable to Ferrari. The ambition, therefore, might be to aim for the front row in the starting grid of the first GP.
It is a widespread opinion in the paddock that the Scuderia has made a significant leap in quality with the SF-24, and the red car should be considered the main challenger to the reigning world champion, leaving McLaren and Mercedes a bit behind, with Aston Martin even further back.
The Maranello technicians believe they can still find something in terms of performance by working on adjustments to the new rear suspension, which has not abandoned the pull rod layout but has a new geometry resulting from a shorter gearbox casing.
The SF-24 has shown a neutral behavior that pleases both drivers, to the point that both have adapted well to the car, while on the SF-23, what suited Charles Leclerc did not satisfy Carlos Sainz, and vice versa. This element is not insignificant because it facilitates the development of the car in a direction that both drivers like, without favoring one over the other.
Charles Leclerc emphasized the improved drivability of the red car: the SF-24 has very few similarities with the temperamental SF-23, which was unpredictable in reactions, especially when there was a bit of crosswind.
Not only have the drivers found a good feeling with this Ferrari, but on Friday, the first set-up adjustments have begun, and the red car has seemed responsive to changes. This is a reassuring data point for development that has seen experimenting with different ground clearances without negative effects on the tires.
Tire wear, a headache from the past season, has been understood and controlled by Enrico Cardile‘s staff: during long runs, lap times with the harder compounds (C1 and C2) were decreasing as the fuel in the tank decreased, a sign that the red car did not show unpredictable reactions but seemed sufficiently docile.
It is clear that being an easy-to-drive F1 car does not automatically mean that the Ferrari is fast on the track, but it fuels hope that a more competitive car will be seen on the grid in Sakhir. The SF-24 has given the impression of being a relatively easy car to set up, while the difficulty gradient seen for certain solutions of the Red Bull RB20 suggests that Adrian Newey’s weapon requires more setup time and explains, at least in part, Sergio Perez’s greater adaptation difficulties in a day and a half of testing.
Let’s hope not to see past situations, where good starts to the season were lost in developments that could not keep up with Red Bull’s pace throughout the championship. Ferrari has worked hard to bring the red car closer to the reigning champions, but they must have also considered what the SF-24 will need to avoid losing its way after the initial results, as happened at the beginning of 2022.
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