Ferrari Set To Introduce Huge Upgrades To Dutch GP

Saajan Jogia | Aug 20, 2024

Hungarian Grand Prix - Ferrari / Ferrari Press Image

In a bid to recover lost performance that came as a result of upgrades introduced during the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari will add a new floor to its SF-24 F1 car for the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort this weekend.

As Formula 1 resumes after the summer break, teams will be keen to maximize their performance for the remaining ten races of the 24-race 2024 season. They will evaluate different permutations of upgrade packages, deciding whether to deploy them this season or refine them for the 2025 car.

Ferrari, meanwhile, faces the task of correcting its car after a mid-season upgrade package backfired, leading to a decline in performance. This setback caused the team to fall out of its early challenge against Red Bull, while McLaren and Mercedes capitalized by upgrading their cars to compete at the front of the F1 grid.

The actual purpose of Ferrari's failed upgrade was to enhance downforce levels on the SF-24. However, one side effect of it was the return of bouncing, a problem that plagued several cars in 2022, the first season of the current ground effect era.

The bouncing problem caused Ferrari to encounter limitations in setting the car up for the subsequent races, adding to the overall instability. By the time the Maranello outfit found solutions to the problem in Hungary and Belgium, the summer break had arrived, leading to a loss of valuable points in the interim races—points that may have been secured if not for the mid-season upgrade package.

With significant progress made in mitigating the issue, it.motorsport.com reports that the new floor at Zandvoort will solve the problem entirely and unlock more performance, given the change in the airflow to the diffuser and rear suspension. The upgrade will also address the lack of stability toward the rear end which has been a common complaint.

In the Constructors' Standings, Ferrari sits in third with 345 points, trailing Red Bull by just 63 points. However, with McLaren in second at 366 points, the Maranello team will need to double its efforts to challenge for the top spot before the season concludes.

This means Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz must seize every opportunity to enhance Ferrari's chances of winning the Constructors' title. To achieve this, the team needs to ensure the SF-24 is competitive from day one, this Friday.

However, the situation is different in the Drivers' Standings, where championship leader Max Verstappen leads Leclerc in third by 100 points, while Lando Norris trails Verstappen in second by 78 points. Adding to the competition, Mercedes has also been a formidable contender since the Canadian Grand Prix, with George Russell securing a victory and Lewis Hamilton winning two races at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps.