In Shanghai we witnessed what was the ugliest Ferrari of this season. After the peak reached with Australia’s double, in China we have the first race of 2024 without a red on the podium.
“We didn’t extract the potential of the car this weekend” he commented bluntly Fred Vasseur. The Chinese one is a result that leaves the men of the horse aware of the fact that the SF-24 has underperformed. The SF-24 seen in China never flashed or ignited. On the red bike, some critical issues were highlighted, which they had partially had a taste of in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Now they are clamoring for updates but it is clear that in Shanghai iAt Ferrari they have failed to maximize the potential which the redhead has shown she can express.
No anxiety about updates: This is why it’s not just a question of missing upgrades.
The Chinese Grand Prix shouldn’t throw anyone into despair, just as we had to keep our feet on the ground after Australia. The Shanghai stage represented a bit of a leap of faith for everyone given the long absence from the calendar of the Chinese circuit, to which the format with the sprint race was added. These are variables not to be underestimated. The SF-24 once again proved capable of extending tire life, but the pace in China had never been up to par. The gap with Red Bull has widened, but it cannot be traced back – solely – to a question of a car lacking updates.
The same McLaren, second force with Norris in Shanghai, awaits the first major package of developments on the MCL38 in Miami. McLaren and Ferrari are therefore in an almost identical situation regarding developments. This is why the result that emerged from the Shanghai weekend concerns more other factors put together, such as track layout, set-up, temperatures, asphalt… On the other hand, the car from Woking found an optimal compromise in the set-up and showed an excellent progress with Norris both in the rain and in the dry. Vassuer pointed out that in any case Ferrari, even in previous races, has always been the second force closer to McLaren than to Red Bull.
“It’s not a matter of half a second, but only a tenth or a tenth and a half. This is enough to swing in positions. In any case, the qualification penalizes us too much“
Background: In China, Ferrari wanted to try a more powerful rear wing
The bitumen of the Chinese circuit confused the teams compared to the simulations, putting the red team in a lot of trouble when switching on the hard tyres. A single free practice session did not allow us to carry out major experiments, despite the new regulations allowing for this break the parc fermé between sprints and official qualifications. Ferrari continues to use the same rear wing medium load from the Bahrain GP, despite a Suzuka was declared – and never mounted – one higher load version.
The medium load rear wing used by Ferrari in the first races – Illustration Rosario Giuliana
The only different configurations concerned the beam wing, with which the Maranello technicians “play” more this year – especially in the single element version, much less seen two years ago. From the information that formula1a.one was able to learn, the temperature and asphalt conditions of Shanghai, made green again by Friday’s rain, could have led the team to reserve a confrontation with the more energetic winger, if the format had been traditional. The high load specification was present in the Shanghai garage. Reasonably, and forcibly, the choice to carry out an experiment in that direction was discarded a priori. It would have been a more rewarding compromise in the first part of the track – especially in turns 1-2-3 where the SF-24 struggled a lot. The problems in finding a good setup balance in all sectors of the track had also been seen previously, especially in Arabia, and partly in Sakhir. The very probative layout like that of the Shanghai track has highlighted this factor.
Anticipating news in Miami is not a prerogative in Maranello
As we had exclusively anticipated, the package awaiting Ferrari in Imola will transform the SF-24 into aversion 2.0”. Conspicuous innovations on which Maranello worked hard until the week before Easter. A single large package, called “Round07” to be introduced at the racetrack named after Enzo and Dino Ferrari. These innovations are loudly called for after the disappointing SF-24 seen in China and, above all, after Red Bull introduced its first major package at Suzuka. The interval between China and Imola will be occupied by the stage of You love me, with another sprint race and with a special livery to recall the 70 years of history of the little horse. It seems clear that the American stage is not ideal for the introduction of an important package. However, this does not a priori preclude the introduction of some innovations. However, given the current situation, it is not in the plans of the men directed by Cardile to break up the package by anticipating important parts.
The Red Bull RB20 inlet solution on the Ferrari SF-24 – Illustration by Rosario Giuliana
Barring substantial last minute changes, at the evaluation table the team will decide whether to bring forward at most a few minor-update, along the lines of the small changes already seen in Australia and Japan. On the issue of updates, the Red Team Principal himself commented, stating that the priority is to improve in qualifying, maximizing the potential that the SF-24 currently offers:
“Imola updates? Every cent bears fruit, as can also be seen from the gaps in qualifying. This means that whatever innovations we bring can make a difference. The important thing for us is to start from a better position on the grid.”
