GP Imola – First images from the circuit

Formula 1 returns to Europe for the seventh round of the 2024 world championship which will take place at the Autodromo Enzo and Dino Ferrari Of Imola, a very technical circuit that highlights the skills of the drivers engaged in rather complex combinations of corners and braking zones. The hardest corner for the braking system is corner 17 where the single-seaters go from 296 km/h to 114 km/h in 2.17 seconds.

The track is not particularly hard in terms of forces exerted on the tyres, and in fact Pirelli has chosen a range of softer compounds compared to past events. With 19 curvesof which 10 on the left and 9 on the right, as well as a significant height difference of 30 metres from the highest point to the lowest point, the track is quite narrow and there is only a DRS zone, which makes overtaking anything but easy. For this reason, starting from the front on the grid will be fundamental and the teams will have to find the right compromise between a setup more oriented towards the flying lap, capable of immediately getting the tires up to temperature, and a more race set-up that allows better management of degradation.

In Imola we return to classic weekend format with 3 free practice sessions, qualifying and the race, which is why several teams have chosen to bring some here important updates, which can be adequately tested by collecting all the data necessary to understand the quality of the new package. There Ferrari is one of these teams and on the SF-24 we will see several aerodynamic changes that could slightly reduce the gap from Red Bull (we’re talking about 2 tenths).

To help us in the analysis of setups and updates, as always, the images from the pitlane from reporter Albert Fabrega arrive promptly.

The “new” Ferrari

Many images highlight the numerous updates brought by the Maranello team to its single-seater. A complete aerodynamic package from inlets, to bellies and bottom.

We notice that now the vertical inlet is now directly connected with the horizontal one in which the layout of the tray has changed now with the longer upper part in Red Bull style

Also new are the trailing edge of the bottom and the bulkhead of the rear wing

The halo area and the mirror support have also undergone changes, supporting a very different flow management over the bodywork in which the S-Duct exit channel disappears.