On the eve of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ferrari’s rallying cry was to imagine and push to the final lap to go away no room for remorse. Whereas the Constructors’ Championship didn’t go Maranello’s method, broadening the angle, the truth that Ferrari fought for the title till the tip underscores the expansion achieved all year long.
In a season that proved extraordinarily difficult on a number of fronts for a lot of groups, Ferrari demonstrated a number of optimistic elements to construct upon in pursuit of the championship. To grasp why, we should revisit the story of this championship, beginning with its beginnings, when Ferrari emerged because the second-strongest pressure behind Purple Bull within the early races.
Like Mercedes, Ferrari determined to alter its idea in 2023, however unlocking its true potential required the winter improvement part, together with a chassis redesign. As in earlier years, the work carried out in Maranello in the course of the low season bore fruit. Given the struggles of Mercedes and McLaren, Ferrari rapidly asserted itself because the second pressure on the grid.
A Stable Basis from the Begin
Though the hole to Purple Bull remained appreciable, beginning the season with a stable basis for continued improvement was a key goal. Whereas there have been nonetheless areas to handle, equivalent to efficiency in lengthy and high-speed corners, the progress made with the SF-24 in the course of the winter was evident, with notable developments throughout a number of areas.
By way of general efficiency, information highlighted enhancements in medium-to-high-speed corners at circuits like Saudi Arabia and Japan. For example, at Suzuka, the place the SF-23 misplaced round six-tenths within the first sector alone on the finish of final 12 months, the hole this season was greater than halved. This was due partly to the SF-24 being basically completely different from its predecessor, not solely in strengths but additionally in steadiness and dealing with.
One of many goals was to make the automotive extra predictable and simpler to drive than the SF-23, which was typically troublesome to deal with, notably in sturdy wind situations resulting from its aerodynamic map. From the outset, the 2024 automotive proved to be not solely extra manageable and intuitive for the drivers but additionally well-balanced.
However, the SF-24 additionally differed from its predecessor in particular traits, equivalent to its skill to protect tire life over lengthy distances, although this got here at the price of rapidly bringing tires into their optimum efficiency window throughout qualifying. This was a recurring theme all through the season, notably when extracting most grip from the mushy tires in Q3, the place the workforce confronted some further challenges.
Regardless of areas requiring additional work, the progress noticed within the early races confirmed the effectiveness of the winter improvement efforts. Ferrari secured podium finishes in virtually each one of many first six Grands Prix, with the only real exception of China. This was a vital issue, because the stable basis allowed the workforce to shift its focus to improvement, with the primary improve package deal arriving in Imola.
Monaco Was the Brightest Gem of Ferrari’s First Half of the Season
Monaco stood out as probably the most dazzling spotlight of the primary half of the championship for Ferrari, showcasing Charles Leclerc’s distinctive expertise on the streets of the Principality and highlighting a number of the SF-24’s finest qualities. This got here regardless of the automotive typically falling brief in qualifying efficiency all year long. Nevertheless, in Monte Carlo, the place qualifying is the whole lot, Ferrari didn’t disappoint, leveraging a monitor that suited the automotive’s traits.
The Return of Bouncing Revealed Strengths and Weaknesses
The enjoyment of Monaco preceded Ferrari’s most difficult interval of 2024: the midseason part. In Canada, as later admitted by the Maranello workforce, a setup mistake value them, however it paradoxically grew to become a essential lesson utilized within the second half of the championship. Extra difficult was the triple-header of Spain, Austria, and Nice Britain, the place Ferrari stumbled into a typical 2024 pitfall—errors in improvement.
In an effort to boost downforce, Ferrari launched a considerable improve package deal in Barcelona, together with a brand new ground. Nevertheless, the updates introduced again aggressive bouncing, which not solely compromised the automotive’s efficiency but additionally eroded driver confidence.
The Austrian GP illustrated this situation starkly, with the bouncing so extreme that the workforce deserted the brand new ground by Silverstone.
Even reverting to an older specification that supplied extra stability and fewer aggressive peaks in downforce, Ferrari discovered itself lagging behind opponents like Purple Bull and McLaren, notably in high-speed sections. Though preliminary corrections had been made by Hungary, partially assuaging the bouncing, it was evident that these fixes alone couldn’t shut the hole. Extra vital developments needed to wait till after the summer time break.
Classes from a Tough Section
Reflecting on the season, Staff Principal Frédéric Vasseur pointed to this difficult interval as a essential consider dropping factors within the Constructors’ Championship:
“I don’t wish to make a listing, however with the brand new updates, we had three or 4 consecutive races the place we struggled a bit. Throughout this era, we misplaced about 80 or 90 factors in comparison with McLaren,”* Vasseur acknowledged.
Certainly, this problem coincided with the season’s most delicate part—a grueling calendar that includes three consecutive high-speed circuits, adopted by a quick one-week break, then two extra races. Whereas Ferrari launched fixes between Silverstone and Budapest, the compressed schedule of 5 Grands Prix in six weeks left little time for complete intervention, costing invaluable factors within the championship battle.
A Robust Second Half of the Season
Recovering from setbacks is commonly thought of the hallmark of success, and Ferrari embodied this precept. From their midseason struggles, they discovered their method again, notably with the upgrades launched at Monza.
The updates in Italy, adopted by enhancements to wing flexibility, supplied elevated downforce and stability with out reintroducing the bouncing points that had plagued the SF-24 earlier. This progress was evident in Austin, the place the monitor highlighted Mercedes’ W15 limitations, whereas Ferrari excelled in gradual corners and clinched one other victory.
The identical strengths resurfaced in Mexico, the place Ferrari secured a second consecutive win, reentering the championship struggle. Nevertheless, acquainted points persevered in subsequent races, equivalent to high-speed nook deficiencies in Qatar and sensitivity to chilly situations, as seen in Las Vegas, the place the automotive struggled to rapidly convey its tires into the optimum efficiency window.
The SF-24 thrived on circuits with sharp corners and lengthy straights, favoring its traits. But, chilly temperatures remained a limiting issue. Ferrari’s qualifying struggles this 12 months are one other space requiring vital focus in the course of the low season, as McLaren, as an illustration, managed to steadiness single-lap efficiency with race tempo—a feat Ferrari has but to realize.
Constructing In the direction of 2025
Ferrari’s efficiency in quick sections and lengthy corners stays an space needing enchancment, together with mixed braking zones that demand larger front-end stability. This was an space the place the MCL38 excelled, with McLaren making substantial progress in comparison with previous seasons. Their balanced and efficient automotive showcased its strengths at tracks like Abu Dhabi, underscoring Ferrari’s want to handle related deficiencies.
Regardless of its challenges, Ferrari’s season laid a basis for a totally new 2025 venture. The objective is to launch a championship-winning marketing campaign within the remaining 12 months of this regulatory cycle.
Whereas Ferrari lacked pure efficiency and technical management in comparison with a McLaren that emphasised dependable updates, the workforce’s cohesion—each technical and human—proved invaluable. Strategic enhancements, influenced by Fred Vasseur, grew to become a key asset, forming the bedrock for subsequent season’s efforts. With this trajectory, Ferrari desires of a title-winning 12 months forward.
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