Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello are abuzz with preparations as they gear up to deploy their latest upgrades onto the SF-24 in time for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Carlos Sainz Jr. is optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects, foreseeing a potential parity with their rivals, Red Bull, as the team finalizes the first batch of enhancements for the upcoming race at Emilia Romagna.
Currently, Scuderia Ferrari is in hot pursuit of the reigning champions, Red Bull, trailing the team from Milton Keynes by a margin of 21 points after completing four rounds of the 2024 Formula One World Championship.
Sainz Jr. clinched victory for the Italian squad at the Australian Grand Prix, seizing the opportunity presented by an unfortunate brake failure that led to the retirement of current championship leader Max Verstappen.
However, it remains evident that Red Bull and their RB20 car maintain an advantage, particularly in terms of long-run pace. Verstappen effortlessly secured victory in the recent Japanese Grand Prix, while his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, notched his third second-place finish of the season.
Anticipating the impending upgrades, Sainz Jr. is confident that Ferrari will gradually narrow the gap to Red Bull as the season unfolds.
He expressed, “I think they [Red Bull] are definitely going to have an advantage in the first third of the season until we bring one or two upgrades that make us fight them more consistently.”
However, Sainz believes that Ferrari’s efforts to close the gap may come too late to mount a serious challenge for the championship title. He expressed his concern, stating, “But by that time, maybe it’s a bit too late with the advantage that they might have on the championship.”
“In the meantime, we need more Australias, but I don’t see Red Bull, as a team, making these mistakes very often, no”, the Spaniard added.
What upgrades can we expect to see introduced at the first European round of the 2024 Formula One season at the Imola Circuit?
As reported by formu1a.uno, Ferrari’s technical team, led by director Enrico Cardile, has given the green light to a series of upgrades scheduled for implementation on the SF-24 in time for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Among these upgrades, the most significant and noticeable is the alteration in the design philosophy of the radiator inlets. Red Bull turned heads with their unconventional “inverted” sidepod openings, creating an optical illusion that the RB20 lacked any inlets when viewed from certain angles.
Taking inspiration from this innovative design, Ferrari has adopted a similar approach for the Imola-spec SF-24. The car will feature an elongated upper lip reminiscent of Red Bull’s 2024 challenger, in contrast to the elongated lower lip observed on most other cars on the grid.
In addition to a minor front wing upgrade and adjustments to the floor and cockpit switches, the upgrade package is said to have delivered performance improvements exceeding initial expectations.
The effectiveness of these upgrades in aiding Ferrari’s battle with Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship remains to be seen.
