By Carlo Platella
Never before has it been so difficult to identify a favorite in the fight for pole position in Monaco. Slow corners are the dominant feature of the Monegasque track, an area where Red Bull has appeared to make the difference since the start of the year and where McLaren has improved with recent updates. Different story for Ferrari, which since the beginning of the season continues to suffer at low mileages, losing that agility in slow speeds which was the strong point of the 2023 project. Yet, according to some simulations the SF-24 is credited as the fastest car in the Principality, a prediction that is reflected in the trust that shines through from its exponents. Ferrari is aware that it does not have the competitiveness in the slow pace on its side, but the thousand nuances in the preparation for the Monegasque race keep the Cavallino in the match.
Protagonist mechanics
The statements released by Carlos Sainz in the press conference on Thursday are interesting. The Spaniard underlines how the SF-24 actually suffers in low speed corners, but at the same time in Monaco, mechanical grip counts above all offered by the suspensions. In fact, the slow curves of the permanent racetracks are one thing, generally tackled between 100 and 120 km/h and where the aerodynamics continue to have a tangible effect, and the 50 km/h hairpin bends of the Principality are another thing, where the kindness of the mechanics emerges fully.
Red also denotes a good aero-mechanical compromise on city circuits. The SF-24 limits load losses at greater heights from the ground forced by the bumps and curbs of city facilities, managing at the same time to stabilize the vertical oscillations of the floor but without excessively stiffening the suspensions, thus guaranteeing a good level of aerodynamic load . Furthermore, in Monte Carlo all the corners fall within a narrower speed range than usual, making it easier to find balance compared to other tracks, where instead there is a tendency to sacrifice the slow to enhance the competitiveness of the fast.
Hunting for cargo
Another anomaly of the race in the Principality is the level of downforce imposed on the cars, among the highest of the entire season. Red Bull won the 2023 edition, but the world champions’ car did not stand out for maximum aerodynamic downforce, a choice also maintained for its successor. In fact, in the development of the RB20 in Milton Keynes we continue to avoid chasing record-breaking aerodynamic load peaks, preferring an operating window as wide as possible with which to reduce the lap time. A philosophy which, if normally proving rewarding, in Munich it risks backfiring.
Ferrari, on the other hand, has shown excellent levels of aerodynamic load, sometimes discounted by a straight-line speed that is no longer as exceptional as in 2023. It should also be considered that when the aerodynamic configuration changes, the performance of the single-seater does not remain unchanged, with the possibility of acquiring or lose competitiveness compared to rivals. Much will also depend on the effectiveness of the new rear wings, debuting on all cars for the race in the Principality.
A more benign Red
The example used by Fernando Alonso to explain the atypical nature of the event on the French Riviera is also emblematic: “In the past I happened to come here with very competitive cars that weren’t and vice versa”. A phrase that summarizes the importance of preparation and set-up for the Monegasque race. Not by chance Ferrari has dedicated the last few weeks to understanding the reasons for the lack of competitiveness in the last editiondespite a theoretically very agile SF-23 in slow and effective in traction.
The Rossa at the beginning of 2023 was a terribly grumpy, unpredictable car, difficult to drive and which deprived the drivers of the confidence necessary to push until they almost touched the walls of Monte Carlo. Completely opposite story for the SF-24, significantly improved in handling thanks to the combined work on the aerodynamic map and on the new mechanics, celebrated in the Monaco paddock also by the team principal of the customer Haas. In summary, Ferrari is not favored by the forecast on the French Riviera, but excluding it from the fight for victory would certainly be a mistake, which neither Red Bull nor McLaren seem willing to make.
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