What a good looking Ferrari we now have seen currently. A System 1 crew 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 probability, and it may have been 4 if not for a misjudgment on the Baku Metropolis Circuit in Azerbaijan. And perhaps even 5 if the Maranello crew would have higher assessed tire activation throughout qualifying on the Singapore Grand Prix. Briefly, a Ferrari on the offensive. The objective for this third and closing spherical of the triple-header stays the identical.
Ferrari is aiming for victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix, with a powerful want to maintain the dream of the Constructors’ Championship alive. A relatively wasteful McLaren may nonetheless assist, because the crew led by Andrea Stella can be targeted 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 System 1 is rarely straightforward, particularly with very decided rivals. Nonetheless, the historic Italian crew is exhibiting nice willpower, and the concern of profitable appears to have left the crew. 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 generally known as Autódromo José Carlos Tempo, is a historic and extremely technical observe for System 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 be well-known for its unpredictable climate, typically forcing groups to adapt the setup of the automotive. For Ferrari, at present in a really optimistic interval, this occasion represents one other probability to place the SF-24 to the take a look at on a observe that rewards each prime velocity and traction within the extra sluggish sections.
The Prancing Horse arrives in Brazil with a powerful, well-balanced aerodynamic bundle, due to an working window vast sufficient to adapt to totally different layouts on this 2024 System 1 calendar. After current races, the Maranello crew appears capable of finding a superb steadiness on every observe, minimizing the weaknesses of its automotive whereas absolutely exploiting its strengths. Which means that, in contrast to in different System 1 seasons, tracks with totally different traits not characterize an insurmountable impediment.
Because of this, Ferrari’s confidence in its capabilities could be very excessive in the meanwhile. Final yr, the crew selected a setup that favored prime velocity, to be able to achieve time within the quicker sections, particularly on the principle straight and the part resulting in turns 4 and 5. This yr, following final season’s development, the purple automotive will intention to optimize prime velocity, because it did in Mexico, the place between Friday and Saturday they diminished 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 crew will go for an strategy just 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, attributable to an endemic lack of vertical load. Decreasing the experience heights had yielded good outcomes by way of qualifying efficiency, however this selection in the end compromised total efficiency over the 300-kilometer race distance. This yr, nonetheless, the SF-24 automotive has proven higher steadiness at low speeds, in addition to agility on the curbs, that are additionally much less pronounced in Interlagos than in Mexico.
On the identical time, Ferrari has to give attention to the optimum tire administration in the course of the race. The Maranello crew’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 crew depends on the motive force’s sensitivity to handle the automotive’s rear, prioritizing prime velocity. This selection goals to create a automotive efficient over lengthy runs and suited to tire preservation in the course of the race. Interlagos is especially demanding on tire compounds, characterised by excessive degradation, a scenario that in 2023 pressured 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 may 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, numerous sections place stress on the rear axle in traction, the place micro-slips have to be prevented to ease tire administration. Ferrari begins off the Sao Paulo weekend assured, satisfied that it could actually struggle for victory in Brazil.
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