McLaren received the Constructors’ Championship, and Ferrari, in contrast, misplaced it. This occurred in the course of the 2024 System 1 racing season. The reason being fairly clear sadly, contemplating the Maranello staff’s errors. We’ve got reiterated this exhaustively, we should admit, in a number of articles devoted to the Italian staff for a lot of months now. The problem stays the identical and revolves across the incapability of the technical staff led by Italian aerodynamicist Enrico Cardile, the previous technical director of the Maranello squad, to supply efficient aerodynamic bundle. And by now it’s a well-know proven fact that the Spanish Grand Prix was sadly the start of the catastrophe that crippled the Prancing Horse.
The Italian facet launched a brand new model of the medium-to-high downforce rear wing. However a very powerful innovation was undoubtedly the ground, an important macro-component for producing aerodynamic load. When such a component is launched on a automotive competing in a very powerful class of motorsport, it requires efficient on-track validation. Certainly, it’s not in any respect easy to right away decide whether or not the research performed on the manufacturing unit, between simulator and wind tunnel, have really resulted in a tangible enchancment. Because of this, on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, the decision remained undecided.
Nonetheless, between the Austrian Grand Prix and the race weekend in Nice Britain, the solutions got here loud and clear. The brand new ground of the SF-24 didn’t work as supposed. It generated appreciable instability when it comes to dealing with, eliminating the function of the Ferrari that drivers appreciated most: its predictability. There was vital bouncing and, usually talking, nice issue in using the right trip heights. On the Hungarian Grand Prix, a “fast repair” was launched by the Maranello staff’s technicians and engineers, which was in truth a preliminary modification to make this element extra manageable whereas ready for a wholly new ground, which might solely arrive in Italy for the house race on the Monza circuit.
Within the meantime, six races the place the SF-24 showcased all its limitations. Aggressive eventualities wherein Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have been pressured into fixed adaptation, yielding no optimistic outcomes. Throughout this a part of the 2024 System 1 season, Ferrari misplaced its likelihood to win the Constructors’ Championship. Moreover, contemplating Charles Leclerc’s last hole of 81 factors to Max Verstappen, the concept that the Monegasque may have competed for the Drivers’ Championship will not be far-fetched in any respect. There’s additionally one other situation weighing on the Constructors’ outcomes, the place the ultimate margin was a lot smaller, specifically may Ferrari have received the Constructors’ with out McLaren’s Mini DRS?
What we’re referring to is intently inked to the disputes relating to McLaren’s legality. This brings us again to the dialogue in regards to the rear wing. A type of “mini drag discount system,” with which the MCL38 may preserve a downforce degree much like Ferrari’s however take pleasure in a transparent benefit in high-speed sections. Basically, drag was decreased due to a selected aeroelasticity of the ingredient, which might barely open on straights even with the drag discount system closed. This benefit was estimated at a prime velocity achieve of at the very least 3 or 4 kilometers per hour, which is clearly not insignificant in any respect.
Inside this situation, there are two interrelated points that elevate considerations and never only for Ferrari. The primary entails the FIA’s perspective following Crimson Bull’s report. To start out with, if the Milton Keynes staff had not filed a criticism, the MCL38 would have continued utilizing the disputed wing till the tip of the 2024 System 1 championship. This highlights the inadequacy of the legislative physique, which makes the foundations however is totally incapable of imposing them. Furthermore, as soon as the questionable legality was established, the Worldwide Federation didn’t penalize McLaren.
As a substitute, it politely invited the Woking staff to retire the precise element. Moreover, by means of its technical director, former Ferrari engineer Nicholas Tombazis, it said that sure previous instances couldn’t be verified and subsequently instantly closed the matter. Sweeping the problem beneath the rug, basically. That is the FIA’s strategy. Creating such a precedent is extremely dangerous in System 1. Why? As a result of a staff that goes unpunished units an instance for others, which, in flip, will really feel entitled to make use of borderline or outright unlawful options, realizing they may face no penalties.
Nonetheless, in our view, probably the most critical matter considerations the second situation that surfaced with the modification to the technical rules for subsequent yr. The regulatory physique launched a change that appears tailored to forestall the same or similar answer to that utilized by McLaren from being replicated. Beginning in 2025, the flap of the movable wing should adhere to the identical deformation restrictions as the remainder of the bodywork when the drag discount system is inactive. To be even clearer, the regulatory physique added a clause by way of Article 3.10.10.
There should be a compulsory minimal distance between the 2 parts of the rear wing when the drag discount system will not be energetic. Throughout the wingspan, the rear-end profiles should preserve a minimal distance between 9.4 and 13 millimeters. This parameter shall be enforced when the system is inactive, with FIA inspections utilizing a calibrated spherical device to make sure full compliance earlier than official periods. At this level, a query arises and offers us a lot to consider relating to the matter.
Why does the FIA “ban” McLaren’s answer, thus deeming it unlawful, but in the course of the championship selected to miss it and never penalize a staff that derived clear advantages? Is that this the usual process? Can we speak about a skewed championship? Simply within the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the Baku metropolis circuit, the place the MCL38’s “Mini DRS” made the distinction, if we subtract 7 factors from Oscar Piastri (who completed first) and add them to Charles Leclerc, second on the end, the 2 groups would have tied with 659 factors. Furthermore, Ferrari would have had yet one more victory. However sadly, retroactive penalties don’t exist.
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