The Ferrari tweaks that helped Leclerc turn the tables on McLaren


Charles Leclerc’s good tyre administration was vital to his Italian Grand Prix victory for Ferrari.

However on a day when rival McLaren was left ruing the missed alternative it needed to safe a 1-2 end, variations in automotive efficiency additionally performed a giant half in what occurred.

McLaren’s nervousness about with the ability to eke out a one-stop with its MCL38 was in distinction to a confidence Ferrari had in its upgraded SF-24 lasting the gap.

And, off the again of a run of occasions the place Ferrari had been battling its flooring, it seems to be to have rediscovered some perception in its package deal as a sequence of developments – each small and large – pulled issues collectively.

A few of the adjustments made for Monza have been track-specific, however others appear clearly a treatment for inefficiencies that its automotive had proven because it first hit bother with its flooring because of its Spanish GP improve.

Whereas some tweaks could even appear inconsequential, you will need to perceive that groups are actually having to scrape the barrel in relation to enhancements – so each small acquire issues.

The truth is, a number of the smaller-detail adjustments are literally extra essential, as they assist optimise the package deal as a complete and unlock the latent efficiency that the aforementioned alterations didn’t totally exploit on their very own.

Ferrari SF-24 mirror stalk and digital camera housing comparability

Picture by: Uncredited

A seemingly benign change was the place of the digital camera housings on the aspect of the nostril. Nevertheless, because of their measurement and placement, they do have a considerable affect on the airflow passing by. This ends in them with the ability to work together with the suspension fairings thereafter to enhance movement downstream.

On this occasion, Ferrari moved the digital camera housings additional down the physique of the nostril, so they’re much less in keeping with the higher suspension parts (inexperienced arrow, previous inset for comparability).

One other small tweak made to the SF-24 was the form and size of the outboard mirror stalk.

That is now a really slender element which, slightly than performing as a supportive floor to regulate the airflow over the higher floor of the sidepod, now has a way more minimal impact.

The sidepod itself has additionally been optimised, with adjustments made to the bodywork to extend the dimensions of the undercut and alter the peak and depth of the beltline thereafter.

Nevertheless, the largest change made to the automotive must be the ground, because the workforce has addressed various totally different points to create a wider working window and enhance consistency throughout a variety of circumstances. 

These embody a change to the ground fence distribution and design throughout their size, which has additionally required the entrance fringe of the ground to be adjusted as a consequence.

The sting wing’s ahead part has additionally been adjusted barely by way of camber to account for a cutout now being current within the midsection (crimson arrow, fundamental picture).

In the meantime, the steel help brackets between the sting wing and fringe of the ground have additionally been revised, not solely in place but in addition by way of a few of their options, maybe as a method to supply extra flexion below sure circumstances.

Ferrari SF-24 diffuser

Ferrari SF-24 diffuser

Picture by: Uncredited

All of those alterations can be for nought although if the diffuser was unable to leverage them. So it’s no shock that additional adjustments have been made right here, with the boat tail part visibly totally different to the earlier design.

It now incorporates a triangulated part within the lowermost a part of the ground, earlier than a extra curvaceous portion takes over because the floor expands out laterally, of which many surfaces have additionally been reprofiled.  

Ferrari SF-24 rear wing, Italian GP

Ferrari SF-24 rear wing, Italian GP

Picture by: Giorgio Piola

Ferrari SF-24 rear wing, Belgian GP

Ferrari SF-24 rear wing, Belgian GP

Picture by: Giorgio Piola

Ferrari additionally opted to work on some circuit-specific updates for the Italian Grand Prix, together with a brand new rear wing, which now sits inside the identical household structure as its 2024 wings, slightly than merely going again to its earlier 12 months’s resolution.

The brand new wing utilises the identical semi-detached tip part because the wing used all through this season and could be seen on what it used at Spa (proper), though the brand new model has a extra rounded profile to the tip part.

In the meantime, the workforce additionally revised the design of the mainplane and higher flap to higher optimise them for Monza’s traits. This features a a lot flatter mainplane, while each parts take up a lot much less area within the allowable field area.

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