Ferrari to accelerate SF24 upgrades after stunning performance with McLaren

Following McLaren’s racing surge since its mid-season upgrade, Ferrari had an upgrade ready for the United States Grand Prix in Austin. However, due to a change of plans, the Maranello team will introduce a slightly flexible front wing on the SF-24 for the upcoming Singapore GP, similar to McLaren’s rear wing that took advantage of the grey area in the FIA ​​regulations to create a semi-DRS effect on the long straights during the Baku race.

Ferrari’s mid-season upgrades initially caused problems by reintroducing an old high-speed rebound problem. To address this, the team rolled out most of its planned late-season innovations for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. So far, there have been no major performance issues with the new upgrades.

According to a report from Formu1a.uno, Ferrari has accelerated its development program and will present the new front wing, originally planned for Austin, at the Singapore Grand Prix. The wing is on its way to Marina Bay and will be ready to be assembled and tested by the two drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

The move, guided by team principal Fred Vasseur and aerodynamics chief Diego Tondi, is aimed at highlighting the last major component. The new front wing remains a vital aerodynamic element, as it is the first part of the car to interact with the airflow. Its performance is crucial, as it must perform as the aerodynamicists intended.

Much like the rear wing on McLaren’s MCL38 F1 car, which used a mix of materials to provide just enough flex under load to ensure it remained legal, Ferrari’s development of the new front wing focuses not only on aerodynamic improvements but also on optimising the composite materials to achieve beneficial flex characteristics.

However, optimising composite materials to achieve flexibility only at specific loads and speeds, without compromising aerodynamics, is a complex task. Mimicking McLaren’s flex work with a single update is both difficult and time-consuming. Not to mention that the components must pass rigorous FIA checks, especially in the context of its recent crackdown on flexible wings.

Ferrari plans to use the data collected in Singapore to further optimise its set-up in the three weeks leading up to the Austin race. The Circuit of the Americas will then serve as a crucial test to determine whether the SF-24 F1 car has overcome its weaknesses, particularly on medium and high-speed tracks.

Equipping the SF-24 with the full development package by the end of 2024 will allow an assessment of whether the current approach is effective, which could then form the basis for the 2025 car. As regulations become more extreme and gaps narrow, these cars are increasingly susceptible to polluted air, a factor that is accentuated when flexible aerodynamic components are pushed to their limits.