What a stupendous Ferrari we’ve got seen recently. A Components 1 workforce that has slowly and progressively emerged from its technical deadlock, getting again on prime, as Flavio Briatore would say. Three wins within the final 5 races have actually not come by likelihood, and it might have been 4 if not for a misjudgment on the Baku Metropolis Circuit in Azerbaijan. And possibly even 5 if the Maranello workforce would have higher assessed tire activation throughout qualifying on the Singapore Grand Prix. Briefly, a Ferrari on the offensive. The aim for this third and last spherical of the triple-header stays the identical.
Ferrari is aiming for victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix, with a powerful need to maintain the dream of the Constructors’ Championship alive. A moderately wasteful McLaren might nonetheless assist, because the workforce led by Andrea Stella can also be centered on the drivers’ championship battle with Lando Norris, whereas Oscar Piastri, the Australian, has appeared virtually like a shadow of himself for the reason that Baku weekend. Repeating success in Components 1 is rarely straightforward, particularly with very decided rivals. Nonetheless, the historic Italian workforce is displaying nice willpower, and the worry of profitable appears to have left the workforce. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are giving their all and elevating the Italian colours worldwide, as technical consciousness of its capabilities drives the SF-24 to new heights.
The 4.309-kilometre Interlagos circuit, formally often known as Autódromo José Carlos Tempo, is a historic and extremely technical monitor for Components 1. It unfolds in a mixture of lengthy straights with technical sectors, notably the second, the place tight turns and chicanes demand a excessive stage of driving precision. Interlagos can also be well-known for its unpredictable climate, usually forcing groups to adapt the setup of the automobile. For Ferrari, presently in a really constructive interval, this occasion represents one other likelihood to place the SF-24 to the take a look at on a monitor that rewards each prime velocity and traction within the extra sluggish sections.
The Prancing Horse arrives in Brazil with a powerful, well-balanced aerodynamic package deal, due to an working window huge sufficient to adapt to totally different layouts on this 2024 Components 1 calendar. After latest races, the Maranello workforce appears capable of finding stability on every monitor, minimizing the weaknesses of its automobile whereas totally exploiting its strengths. Which means, in contrast to in different Components 1 seasons, tracks with totally different traits not signify an insurmountable impediment.
For that reason, Ferrari’s confidence in its capabilities may be very excessive in the mean time. Final yr, the workforce selected a setup that favored prime velocity, to be able to acquire time within the quicker sections, particularly on the primary straight and the part resulting in turns 4 and 5. This yr, following final season’s development, the crimson automobile will intention to optimize prime velocity, because it did in Mexico, the place between Friday and Saturday they lowered aerodynamic load from the Monaco specification, shifting to a medium-high setup first seen on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.
For the Brazilian Grand Prix, it’s anticipated that the Italian workforce will go for an method much like final Sunday’s, specializing in a extra versatile specification appropriate for combined circuits. In 2023, it’s value recalling that Ferrari struggled in sluggish corners, notably on the first chicane, at turns 4 and 5, because of an endemic lack of vertical load. Reducing the journey heights had yielded good outcomes when it comes to qualifying efficiency, however this alternative finally compromised general efficiency over the 300-kilometer race distance. This yr, nevertheless, the SF-24 automobile has proven higher stability at low speeds, in addition to agility on the curbs, that are additionally much less pronounced in Interlagos than in Mexico.
On the similar time, Ferrari has to deal with the optimum tire administration through the race. The Maranello workforce’s technicians and engineers have labored to construct a compromise favoring the slower sections, even when this implies sacrificing some efficiency in excessive downforce corners, like flip 12, the place in 2023 the Ferrari misplaced virtually a tenth and a half, which it then recovered with velocity within the high-speed part resulting in the end line. In quick corners, the SF-24 will search a compromise with suspension stiffness. The intention is to handle aerodynamic load for the race, the place common speeds in quick sections lower together with the required downforce.
In qualifying, the Italian F1 workforce depends on the motive force’s sensitivity to handle the automobile’s rear, prioritizing prime velocity. This alternative goals to create a automobile efficient over lengthy runs and suited to tire preservation through the race. Interlagos is especially demanding on tire compounds, characterised by excessive degradation, a state of affairs that in 2023 compelled drivers to handle the compounds all through the race and considerably restrict efficiency. This yr, Ferrari goals to keep away from such problematic administration.
This will even be achieved with higher management over floor and carcass temperature. The SF-24 has proven enchancment on this space, mixed with a setup designed to maintain the tires in an optimum temperature window and keep away from compromising race tempo as final yr. Within the second sector, varied sections place stress on the rear axle in traction, the place micro-slips should be prevented to ease tire administration. Ferrari begins off the Sao Paulo weekend assured, satisfied that it could possibly combat for victory in Brazil.
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