At the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Ferrari faces a critical test to determine if their efforts to reduce bouncing have been effective. On a high-speed circuit like Spa, the SF-24 will need to demonstrate the progress made. To improve the car’s performance on the 7 km track and address bouncing more effectively, Ferrari has decided to debut a new rear wing at Spa.
Ferrari has been battling bouncing, an issue that resurfaced at the Spanish Grand Prix and was also evident in Austria and Britain, affecting the performance of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Bouncing is caused by excessive aerodynamic load impacting the car’s suspension, requiring significant mechanical adjustments.
Ferrari aims to reduce bouncing activation
There are no confirmed new mechanical elements introduced to control the vehicle’s dynamics, but as Charles Leclerc mentioned, a definitive solution may not be expected until 2025. At Maranello, efforts are underway to develop new components to manage roll, squat, and pitch.
For the Spa-Francorchamps race, a circuit with medium-low downforce requirements, Ferrari has opted to “unload” the SF-24. Starting from the rear, the car features a new medium-low downforce wing, a specification that was intended to debut in Jeddah but never materialized. Compared to the 2023 specification, which was introduced at Spa-Francorchamps, the new wing has several differences. Most notably, the mainplane has a slightly more pronounced camber to maintain downforce in the middle of the track.
In the elbow area, Ferrari has introduced a new, narrower geometry. This design collects less air but accelerates its flow to increase efficiency. This modification is complemented by a new cut in the upper flap, which creates a vortex to improve airflow extraction from beneath the mainplane. Moving to the mobile flap, Ferrari has chosen a specification similar to the 2023 model.
Just behind the DRS activation system, there is a cut in the trailing edge to seek additional efficiency from the wing. To preserve even the smallest portion of aerodynamic load, Ferrari has retained a small nolder along the entire length of the trailing edge.
By reducing the rear downforce, Scuderia Ferrari has balanced the car by cutting a small portion of the last flap on the front wing. This, along with reduced downforce, allows the SF-24 single-seater to gain points in efficiency and forward resistance—important factors at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit where efficiency is key.
Source: f1ingenerale
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