Suzuka: Ferrari adjusting SF-24 rear downforce with beam-wing

Scuderia Ferrari has meticulously prepared the SF-24 car for the fourth round of the 2024 Formula 1 season, the Japanese Grand Prix, which is set to take place this weekend over 53 laps of the 5.807-kilometre Suzuka International Racing Course. Recently, we explained in great detail the approach of the historic Italian team regarding the weekend preparation, concerning factors such as downforce, suspension adjustments, and tire management. Many factors that have to be taken into consideration in order to arrive prepared with a clear technical approach aimed at optimizing the final result in the Japanese Grand Prix. We refer to a series of tests that initially take shape in the simulation field through static and dynamic tools that provide a solid initial basis on which to work on the track, refining various setups.

The goal is to get as close as possible to the optimal working point of the SF-24 car, which will then be fine-tuned just before the qualifying session. The Prancing Horse has identified areas where it believes it can make a difference this weekend, considering them as crucial sections for building the lap time, not only in the simulation of the flying lap but also in terms of long runs with a high amount of fuel on board. Within this scenario, drivers are obviously heavily involved. As we know, the SF-24 single-seater tends to oversteer to a certain extent. A somewhat desired characteristic that, if managed properly, can provide certain advantages, especially regarding the car’s rotation capability.

However, to avoid having a too light rear, the balance of the load must be correct. Otherwise, one may suffer from harmful instabilities at the rear, just as happened to Charles Leclerc during the qualifying session at the Albert Park circuit in Australia. A Q3 session where the inaccurate amount of downforce requested by the Monegasque on the front end complicated things, disrupting that delicate balance necessary to optimize cornering speeds by playing on the edge of grip. For the Japanese appointment, the Maranello team has chosen the same rear wing as in the previous rounds of the 2024 Formula 1 championship.

Ferrari SF-24: rear wing for all seasons combined with a more loaded beam-wing

We know that Ferrari has created a versatile car in terms of components. Proof of this is the rear wing, which although always having the same specification, by changing the angle of attack, is working on all tracks. This is also thanks to the combinations with the beam-wing, a true extension of the diffuser that is responsible for “adjusting” the vertical load at the rear. Through the shots taken by Spanish journalist Albert Fabrega in the Suzuka pitlane, we can see how in Maranello they are trying to optimize the car’s setup around this level of aerodynamic load, and then adjusting the downforce installed through other elements.

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Last year, the red car was very sensitive to changes in the rear wing, and with the rear end lighter, it tended to put too much strain on the front. While in the current season, the rear end of the SF-24 car is much more solid, optimized according to the layout so as not to disrupt the weekend’s work. This operation is also useful considering the budget cap, as reducing the work to produce a new specification consequently lowers costs.

The Prancing Horse, therefore, opts for a medium-load rear wing paired with a beam-wing with a lot of downforce, a small-sized element capable of generating a significant amount of vertical lift, both directly and indirectly. In itself, in fact, it has an angle of attack that provides a lot of vertical lift. Furthermore, it is able to aid in the generation of load from the diffuser by extending and increasing its expansion at the rear of the SF-24 car.

Meanwhile, at Red Bull, they are analyzing two versions of the rear wing, one with high load and one with medium load, but they also adjust the total downforce on the rear axle through the beam-wing. In this case, they are using a solution already seen at the Bahrain International Circuit, which allows for good vertical lift and at the same time excellent efficiency. Normally, on the RB20 car, the Red Bull technicians could use a wing with more downforce, confident in its abilities of displacing air and creating a pressure difference. However, the decision was made to lighten the load, also aware of two additional factors.

On the one hand, we are talking about updates to the floor aimed at increasing and stabilizing the load and the layout of the Suzuka track, full of corners where a lot of energy is put into the tire. In the race, therefore, it will be customary to manage the tire at many points of the track, so the mid-corner speeds will not be the maximum achievable during the 300 kilometers of racing. For this reason, a few points less of load are sufficient to obtain the desired handling, also aware that they can rely on a tire wear significantly under control.

Mercedes also opts for a medium-load wing, a specification seen in most of this year’s events so far. It’s the version that seems to work best on the W15 car, so the technicians in Brackley have also decided to rely on this specification to aim for the optimization of the setup on the track. This despite the fact that we must consider how the black and gray car has a rear end that tends to lighten. However, as mentioned, it seems to be the best solution at the moment, combined with a more loaded beam-wing.

At McLaren, they also go for the medium load regarding the rear wing. The specification is still the one seen at the Bahrain International Circuit, lowering the level of downforce compared to Australia, where they managed to find a good aerodynamic balance. It seems that on tracks where clear platform stability is required between the two axes, the MCL38 car does not struggle too much to hit the operating window of the car. Even though the vertical lift used in Melbourne two weeks ago may have been equally valid as a decision for the Woking car.