Formula 1 seems to have already entered the 2025 world championship, while the cards for the 2024 season have yet to be seen. The news of Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari has exploded interest in the GPs even outside the perimeter of motorsport enthusiasts and has lose sight of what risks becoming an interim championship awaiting the Cavallino dream team, with the seven-time world champion alongside Charles Leclerc.
2024 will be crucial for the Monegasque: Charles had a long contract extension and the investiture as first driver, given that Carlos Sainz was abandoned to his fate without too many compliments. He had been promised a two-year deal, he was ready to sign before the Bahrain GP and then he fell into a deafening silence: while Hamilton's advent was taking place, the Spaniard became a sort of ghost.
Leclerc must use 2024 to consolidate his role in the Cavallino, waiting for Lewis to arrive: the Englishman will have the effect of a tsunami in Sports Management and Sainz will become a thorn in the Monegasque's side to demonstrate that he still deserves a competitive car and that he was worthy, very worthy, of remaining dressed in red.
The two met in Barcelona for the tests wanted by Pirelli: two days which were supposed to be dedicated to the development of rain tires and which, due to the drought that hit the Iberian peninsula, were transformed into testing of the slicks for 2025, from given that the Catalan authorities had rightly prohibited watering the Montmelò track with tankers.
The Milanese company had an SF-23 at its disposal, but an old F1-75 was also seen on the track, the red one for 2022, which was not used for tire development: the Scuderia chose to add a car to train the two drivers, preferring a more challenging track than Fiorano, the home track where in recent years Ferrari has had its drivers run around to get them used to being in the car again.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari F1-75
Photo by: Carl Bingham / Aston Martin
The F1-75 was used with demo tires and in a raced configuration. In reality, the Cavallino technicians took the opportunity to work on managing the hybrid system. Last year, Ferrari made an indisputable leap forward in the middle of the season when the arrival of engineer David George from Red Bull allowed it to better exploit the energy that could be supplied by the MGU-K. Less brutal torque when exiting corners and greater availability of power to be released in a straight line, reducing clipping before braking.
The effect was also less tire degradation which allowed for more consistent performance over the course of a race stint. The software was further evolved (they had worked on it for a couple of years in Milton Keynes) and the pilots felt the effects even on a power unit that was not the latest generation one. The learning process is certainly not completed, but one of the aspects of growth of the SF-24 will be seen precisely in this delicate area.
Ferrari does not have the ambition of beating Red Bull and Max Verstappen in the fight for the world championship, but it aims to be significantly closer to the RB20 in an attempt to beat it every time there is an opportunity. One of the objectives of the staff directed by Enrico Cardile was to make the new red easier to drive than the difficult SF-23.
We will find out if the targets have been achieved the day after the presentation scheduled for February 13, when the SF-24 will tour Fiorano for a 200 km test. The first filming day will have little to do with scenography (there will also be commercial filming), because at the end of the day it will be clear from the drivers' faces whether the Scuderia will be able to look to the near future with a certain optimism or whether we will be condemned to yet another transition championship. After all, as we have already said, general attention has already shifted to 2025 and everyone in Maranello already has a good excuse to say that this year will be preparatory to Lewis' arrival.
#Ferrari #positive #tests #hybrid #management #Barcelona
