What an exquisite Ferrari we now have seen recently. A Formulation 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 definitely not come by likelihood, and it might 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. In brief, a Ferrari on the offensive. The purpose 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 robust want to maintain the dream of the Constructors’ Championship alive. A quite wasteful McLaren might nonetheless assist, because the crew led by Andrea Stella can also be targeted on the drivers’ championship battle with Lando Norris, whereas Oscar Piastri, the Australian, has appeared virtually like a shadow of himself because the Baku weekend. Repeating success in Formulation 1 is rarely straightforward, particularly with very decided rivals. Nevertheless, the historic Italian crew is displaying nice dedication, and the worry of successful 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 monitor for Formulation 1. It unfolds in a mixture of lengthy straights with technical sectors, significantly 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, typically forcing groups to adapt the setup of the automotive. For Ferrari, presently in a really optimistic interval, this occasion represents one other likelihood to place the SF-24 to the check on a monitor that rewards each prime velocity and traction within the extra gradual sections.
The Prancing Horse arrives in Brazil with a robust, well-balanced aerodynamic package deal, due to an working window broad sufficient to adapt to totally different layouts on this 2024 Formulation 1 calendar. After latest races, the Maranello crew appears capable of finding a very good stability on every monitor, minimizing the weaknesses of its automotive whereas totally exploiting its strengths. Because of this, not like in different Formulation 1 seasons, tracks with totally different traits now not symbolize an insurmountable impediment.
Because of this, Ferrari’s confidence in its capabilities may be very excessive in the mean time. Final 12 months, the crew selected a setup that favored prime velocity, with a purpose to acquire time within the sooner sections, particularly on the primary straight and the part resulting in turns 4 and 5. This 12 months, following final season’s development, the purple automotive will goal 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 much like final Sunday’s, specializing in a extra versatile specification appropriate for blended circuits. In 2023, it’s value recalling that Ferrari struggled in gradual corners, significantly on the first chicane, at turns 4 and 5, because of 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 general efficiency over the 300-kilometer race distance. This 12 months, nevertheless, the SF-24 automotive 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 concentrate on 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 goal 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 12 months, Ferrari goals to keep away from such problematic administration.
This may also 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 12 months. Within the second sector, varied sections place stress on the rear axle in traction, the place micro-slips have to be averted to ease tire administration. Ferrari begins off the Sao Paulo weekend assured, satisfied that it will probably struggle for victory in Brazil.