Ferrari has a great opportunity in its hands. The April break will prevent Mercedes from further capitalizing on their early season advantage and will provide time to develop the SF-26. In Maranello we will work on aerodynamics, software, procedures and obviously on the engine, even if a new power unit will have to wait for the green light from the FIA.
Efficiency matters more than load Many have pointed to Ferrari as the car with the best chassis on the grid, but perhaps a risky statement. Let’s be clear, the SF-26 showed excellent downforce, but without expressing peremptory superiority in all corners. Furthermore, in this Formula 1 it is difficult to distinguish chassis qualities from other factors, given that mileage and even cornering trajectories often depend on energy management. Furthermore, never more than with current energy-hungry power units, rather than the load, what makes the difference is the aerodynamic efficiency, i.e. the ratio between vertical thrust and resistance to progress. Ferrari accumulates much of the gap behind Mercedes in the straights, paying for a lack of horsepower and less effective battery management which forces it to cut electric power earlier than its rivals. Even in this case, however, the teams have difficulty analyzing the GPS tracks, as the different speeds on the straight are affected by the aerodynamic efficiency and not just by the power unit. Even if it were confirmed that the Mercedes actually releases less load than the Ferrari, in Maranello it will be necessary to understand whether this does not allow the rival to drag along less resistance, gaining overall on the clock. Sona Maleterova/Getty Images The development agenda At Ferrari, the aerodynamic updates will have to increase the load and above all the efficiency of the SF-26. Growth on the straight will also come from the development of active aerodynamics, starting with the inverted mobile rear. The experiment conducted with the Macarena in free practice in Shanghai highlighted how there was still something to fine-tune in closing the profiles to ensure the right stability during braking. The Cavallino, however, never rejected the system and intended to propose it again in Japan, now sending it back to the Miami Grand Prix. On the same occasion, the package of updates initially planned for Bahrain will debut, plus some of the developments that were planned for Canada. The goal will be to improve stability and balance. Since the tests, the SF-26 has shown a certain nervousness at the rear, causing a cascade of damage to battery management. Corrections on the accelerator and spinning of the rear wheels are all phenomena that waste energy, as well as worsening tire management. Mercedes, which in Japan warned Antonelli not to push too much in the second part of the race, showed excellent pace over the long distance, a sign of knowing how to preserve the tires well, regardless of how much aerodynamic load it manages to release. On this front, it will be appropriate for Ferrari to also invest in the development of the rims. From this year, teams can develop them themselves again, making them a valuable tool for cooling tires from the inside. Sona Maleterova/Getty Images Work on the software In parallel with the aerodynamic development, the software development will continue in Maranello. As Antonelli was able to observe closely during his comeback in Japan, the Ferrari uses the electric boost in different points of the track compared to the Mercedes, which the stopwatch is proving right. The data collected in March will be used to develop better delivery and charging strategies, possibly more flexible for the various scenarios. In the laps following the start, for example, some problems emerged in the use of energy, at least until the situation tends to stabilize. Battery management will also include the ability to recharge it during braking, when the electric motor can regenerate at maximum power of 350 kW. It may not be a coincidence that the Mercedes spends more time on the brakes than the Ferrari, a sign of a different use of the braking system. Among all the teams there is great diversity in the design of the rear brakes, a consequence of the fact that some make more use of the MGU-K’s electric brake than the discs to maximize energy recovery. The components of the hydraulic system fall into the open source category, in which the projects can be consulted by all competitors. Teams are already taking inspiration from the best, asking their braking material suppliers to make changes. Clive Rose – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images Finally, to improve energy management, Ferrari will also need to work on the preparation of the drivers. Leclerc continues to complain about the new qualifying, such that those who take more risks in corners end up wasting more energy, paying the price on the straight. These are criticisms shared with most of my colleagues, but until the FIA intervenes, there is nothing left to do but adapt. The only choice is to adapt to the new way of driving, a technique that the Ferrari driver has not yet mastered. Waiting for the engine The possibility for Ferrari to get closer to Mercedes, however, cannot transcend the reduction of the delay on the engine. However, there is no particular concern in Brackley about the introduction of the new compression ratio testing procedure from 1 June. Maranello doesn’t have high hopes in this regard either, considering maintaining the cold test an advantage for their rivals. The opportunity, if anything, could be the introduction of an updated power unit, if the FIA were to ascertain a performance delay from Mercedes of at least 2%. The reference points are not only the Silver Arrows, but all the single-seaters with the Brixworth engine, monitored through torque sensors on the various drive shafts. Overall, there is room for improvement for Ferrari, although it is too early to say whether a new championship can truly begin in Miami.
