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Saturday, January 25, 2025

Ferrari reduces rear downforce amid high pace and traction compromise


What a good looking Ferrari now we have seen currently. A Components 1 workforce that has slowly and progressively emerged from its technical deadlock, getting again on high, as Flavio Briatore would say. Three wins within the final 5 races have actually not come by probability, 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 workforce would have higher assessed tire activation throughout qualifying on the Singapore Grand Prix. In brief, 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 need to maintain the dream of the Constructors’ Championship alive. A slightly 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 nearly like a shadow of himself for the reason that Baku weekend. Repeating success in Components 1 is rarely straightforward, particularly with very decided rivals. Nevertheless, the historic Italian workforce is displaying nice dedication, and the concern 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 called Autódromo José Carlos Tempo, is a historic and extremely technical observe 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 degree 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, at present in a really constructive interval, this occasion represents one other probability to place the SF-24 to the take a look at on a observe that rewards each high pace 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 vast sufficient to adapt to completely different layouts on this 2024 Components 1 calendar. After latest races, the Maranello workforce appears capable of finding steadiness on every observe, minimizing the weaknesses of its automobile whereas absolutely exploiting its strengths. Which means, not like in different Components 1 seasons, tracks with completely different traits now not signify an insurmountable impediment.

Because of this, Ferrari’s confidence in its capabilities may be very excessive for the time being. Final yr, the workforce selected a setup that favored high pace, with the intention to acquire time within the sooner sections, particularly on the primary straight and the part resulting in turns 4 and 5. This yr, following final season’s development, the pink automobile will purpose to optimize high pace, 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 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, as a result of an endemic lack of vertical load. Decreasing the journey 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 automobile 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 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 nearly a tenth and a half, which it then recovered with pace within the high-speed part resulting in the end line. In quick corners, the SF-24 will search a compromise with suspension stiffness. The purpose 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 high pace. This selection 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 can 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 may well battle for victory in Brazil.

Alex Marino

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