A new spec front wing will be on the Ferrari SF24 at the Singapore Grand Prix
Good news awaits Ferrari as they jet off to Singapore for this weekend’s race. A much-awaited front wing upgrade will be on the Ferrari SF24, ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. This is in the form of a reprofiled front wing. The front wing will incorporate flexibility, as seen on the McLaren and Mercedes cars. This new front wing upgrade will aid Ferrari’s charge for the final seven rounds of 2024.
The upgrade is a shot in the arm for the team donning red, who come off the back of a ‘below-par’ outing at Baku. Carlos Sainz’s penultimate-lap shunt with Sergio Perez cost Ferrari a shot at a double podium. On the flip side, it allowed McLaren to go 20 points clear atop the constructors’ standings. The Woking-based team is now leading the table for the first time in a decade.
Witnessing the staggering pace of the papaya team, Ferrari have fast-tracked their next upgrade. Originally scheduled to arrive in Austin, the front wing upgrade is now brought forward by three weeks and will be on the Ferraris in Singapore.
The technicalities of Ferrari’s latest front wing upgrade
The latest Ferrari upgrade involves the new front wing. This is always an important aspect of the car, as it is the first part to make contact with the air flowing into the car. This helps the car generate enough downforce to take on a corner at high speeds.
While redesigning has been the major aspect of the new front wing, another important tweak will feature on the SF24. Ferrari have looked to incorporate an element of flexibility into the new spec front wing. This new part is inspired by flexi-wings on the likes of McLaren and Mercedes cars this year.
It was evident for Ferrari to incorporate flexible aerodynamics into their car. The pace differential to the McLaren appeared even more visible on the long straight at Baku, though. The McLaren possessed a flexible element on the rear wing. This part would remain open at lower speeds, before closing at high speeds on straights. The effect provided is akin to that of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) enabled.
This movable element of the car’s front or rear wings provides more speed on the straights. Yet, the element remains stiff enough to provide optimal downforce into the corners.
However, replicating McLaren‘s flexi-wing feature is no easy feat. The challenges Ferrari face are crucial to the working of the upgraded part. The front wing will pass through stringent tests conducted by the FIA, with the governing body cracking down even further on movable components in the recent past. Additionally, the component must flex only at certain speed ranges, and up to a certain load. Furthermore, it mustn’t compromise the overall aerodynamic philosophy of the cars.
The final step in Ferrari’s relentless upgrade spree?
According to Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur and Head of Aerodynamics Diego Tondi, the team have been going “All-in” with their upgrade packages. The upgrades fast-tracked for the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this year induced plenty of bouncing on the straights.
To counteract their troubles, Ferrari introduced a slew of upgrades at their home event in Monza. These were planned upgrades for the second half of the season. Vasseur cut a highly optimistic figure, saying Ferrari had to maximise the events in Monza, Baku, and Singapore.
In a nutshell, the upgrades included a whole host of parts, from a redesigned floor to a low-downforce beam wing specific to the requirements of the track. The upgrade package also included revisions to the front wing to balance the car’s revised beam wing.
In Ferrari’s latest round of upgrades, Tondi believes the front wing is the final component to be incorporated into the car. This would ensure the Ferrari SF24 possesses an optimum and well-balanced aerodynamic package. This would be crucial in the team’s chances heading into the Americas triple header next month.
The success of the upgrades could even determine how Ferrari‘s 2025 car comes along. This will be an exciting aspect to track, and Ferrari will be eager to deliver a strong car for the likes of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton next year, alongside Leclerc.
Going in blind – the story of Ferrari’s latest upgrade
Much like the event at Monza, Ferrari’s upgrades see them head into Singapore blind. They haven’t gathered any data in regard to how the car would fare. They have no idea if the upgrades would help turn around the team’s fortunes, and give them the required speed.
The speedy characteristics of Monza didn’t provide a chance for the team to fully understand the extent of the upgrades. Being a track featuring fewer corners and more straights, the team had fewer opportunities to discover if the car possessed the required stability in the chicanes.
The same awaits the team in red in Singapore. While the second sector comprises of slow corners, the first and third sectors are predominantly made up of straights. The track doesn’t feature many medium or high-speed corners, which is where Ferrari will be looking to test the effectiveness of their new front wing.
In many ways, Singapore is also an outlier for them. The team aim to collect initial data on how the front wing handles in Singapore. The team of engineers at Maranello will then crunch the data during the three-week break. However, the true picture of the upgrade will be clear only in Austin. With the track featuring long radius, and medium and high-speed corners, it will be the ultimate test to see if Ferrari nailed their latest upgrade. This will also be useful for Ferrari to develop the design of their 2025 Formula One car.
All in all, Ferrari will be looking forward to positive results when they turn up to Singapore, and then the Circuit of the Americas in October. They will be hoping for improved competitiveness, and hoping their major weak point is finally ironed out. The front wing is indeed the final element in their much-touted upgrade package.
