Ferrari surprised the entire Austin paddock with its speed, but given that it did not declare any improvement before the weekend, no one could explain exactly what was behind it. Was it the ban on flexible DRS flaps, the tightening of parc fermé rules, the non-working improvements of rivals? It is possible that these factors also contributed, but an important factor was one innovation that escaped the attention of experts.
The fastest car in the sprint and subsequently also in the grand prize was owned by Ferrari, which was the only one among the top teams that did not bring anything new. Or so we thought, which only fueled speculation that the FIA must have secretly clipped the others’ wings.
The Scuderia already presented the new components in Singapore, although they were originally planned for Austin. In the streets of Marina Bay, however, we recognized only the “basic” version of the front wing, she revealed in her of the article by a trio of insiders Ferrari Rosario Giuliana, Giuliano Duchessa to Piergiuseppe Donadoni.
Ferrari deployed in the USA a second, improved version of this wing made of new composite materials, which are characterized by higher flexibility, but at the same time pass all static tests. Since teams are only required to announce aerodynamic improvements before the weekend, it didn’t appear on the list. In terms of aerodynamic surfaces and curves, it remained unchanged.
However, its properties are certainly not identical. Thanks to the increased flexibility, it not only offers better aerodynamic efficiency in fast sections, but also optimizes the balance of the single-seater. The competition is convinced that Mercedes and McLaren rose in the spring mainly due to the fact that the front wing of the car rotated and bent at speed, reduced its resistance and especially the downforce, which brought the balance of the single-seater closer to the optimal point.
The new structure of the Ferrari front wing may also be related to the personnel reinforcement of the composite materials department in Maranello, which the same source announced already during the summer.
Martin Trenkler
In addition, the fact that at least the basic version of the wing was presented in Singapore helped the Italian team significantly. This meant that he could also use it during the Pirelli tire tests in Mugello and compare both versions of the front wing directly on the track; both stiffer and more flexible. Insiders talk about an optimization that according to “a close source of the team from Maranello” brought significant improvement.
“Improvements? Use your imagination,” the head of Ferrari declared in his cryptic statement Frederic Vasseurwho laughed at a journalist’s question about the absence of news on the Ferrari single-seater. “You are only required to report aerodynamic improvements and those that modify the shape of components from the outside. However, we all go all out, including us. It’s not a breakthrough, but every thousandth can make a decision, and that’s why we have to develop in this direction.”
He was also mysterious Charles Leclercwhen he explained that it is worth deploying improvements even before the end of the season and not waiting for the next year. “Everything you’ve learned so far and all the new components to come before the end of the season — if there are any! — correspond to the direction we think is correct. This is the direction we will take in 2025.”
While the Scuderia has been helped by a new front wing, we’re still waiting for an improved floor from the McLaren workshop, which has huge respect for its deployment. This is because it is the most important component of a single-seater, which can bring significant profits, but also a serious headache. The power distribution can still be adjusted, but Ferrari is not going to sleep.
“If we see something beneficial, we will bring it to the track. But not now, but rather towards Qatar,” he revealed Vasseuraccording to which the development reaches a stage where it is increasingly difficult to bring some news. “I don’t know what others are doing and what impact it has on the car’s performance and driving characteristics. However, when you bring some news, you may have some problems with the settings, and therefore you cannot immediately make such a step forward as you expect. At the moment we are talking about minor improvements.”
