Ferrari “bets” on Hungary. The Scuderia, which fell to fourth place at Silverstone, is looking for a quick reaction on the Hungarian track of the Hungaroring, the first round of the second half of the 2024 championship, even if it is the penultimate race before the summer break.
In the British GP, a fast track with many long, low-profile corners, the SF-24 returned to the Imola aerodynamic configuration in the hope of limiting the car’s “hopping” due to the bouncing that caused sudden losses in load and, therefore, unstable behaviour of the car with negative effects perceived not only on the drivers’ driving, but also on preserving the life of the tyres.
In Budapest, however, Ferrari returned to the package that had been presented with much anticipation in Barcelona and which in Spain, as in Austria, had not given the results that the Maranello team expected.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had complained about the very annoying return of “porpoising” and the red, although in the data it revealed an increase in aerodynamic load, in the results it had slipped behind McLaren, Red Bull and even Mercedes. A desolation for the Prancing Horse which, in the meantime, had also registered the resignation of Enrico Cardile, chassis technical director, who was leaving for Aston Martin.
In reality, the Prancing Horse technicians have worked tirelessly to find a key to the problems of the SF-24: “The week of break before Hungary allowed us to thoroughly analyse all the data collected in the last three races,” admitted team principal Fred Vasseur. “We therefore noted that the recently introduced upgrade package brought the expected benefits in terms of load points, but it also triggered side effects that worsened the driving comfort of Charles and Carlos.”
“We have worked hard in the company and so in Budapest we will bring an advanced version of the surface that we hope will give the drivers a car with which they can express themselves to the best of their ability.”
Ferrari SF-24: here is the rear wing with maximum downforce
Picture of: George Piola
Our George Piola very active in the pit lane caught the Ferrari that was taken to the mechanics for checks. The images confirm Vasseur’s anticipation: the SF-24 is in the maximum load version and, since aerodynamic efficiency counts less as in Monte Carlo, the vents have been opened to guarantee the necessary cooling to the 066/12 power unit and the brakes given that the low average speed is added to the fact that the track remains in a basin where ventilation is minimal and humidity is very high.
Ferrari SF-24: hot air vents are symmetrical and enlarged for the Hungaroring
Picture of: George Piola
The vents on the sides of the bazooka this time are perfectly symmetrical with three very visible gills on each side, but in order not to exaggerate in enlarging the air vent at the end of the engine hood, a small vent can also be seen open in front of the pull rod lever, following experiments developed in that area by Red Bull.
Ferrari SF-24: double beam wing, very loaded, and small air vent at the root of the pull rod
Picture of: George Piola
In the Prancing Horse there is the ambition to relocate the red team in areas more in line with those expected in Maranello, for those aware of the leveling achieved by the first four teams in the Constructors’ World Championship: the one who has not held up to the challenge of the updates has been the Scuderia. In the last four GPs, Ferrari has collected only 50 points against the 111 of McLaren and the 125 of Mercedes. Red Bull is also in decline, having bagged a loot of 90 points with only Max Verstappen.
The collapse of the red must be drained starting from this appointment to restore enthusiasm to a very disappointed and depressed environment…
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