The exercise was not easy: the design constraints were very conditioning, so it is right that the SF-23 is not considered a B version, but only an Evo. Ferrari put its cards on the table in Barcelona to turn around the season that certainly didn’t get off to a brilliant start with just one podium in six races and 79 fewer championship points in his pocket than last year.
The Scuderia launched a very fast single-seater in the flying lap (even if it only scored a pole position with Charles Leclerc) which then showed serious handicaps in the race. The Monegasque driver defined the red as a “pointed” car “…in the sense that the potential is a peak, but as soon as you deviate a little you lose too much performance”.
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-23 with flow viz paint on the bottom
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Yesterday at Montmelò the SF-23 lapped in 1’14” in the qualifying simulation, while the race pace was around 1’19”-1’20”: when 5/6 seconds dance between the two configurations, it is all too evident that the red has a suitable approach to the single lap and suffers when the pace is much slower.
The package of aerodynamic innovations introduced in Spain should make Ferrari less sensitive to the slightest changes in variables that have so far sent it into crisis due to an exaggeratedly narrow operating window: a gust of wind, an increase or decrease in temperature or putting gas in the tank would break a balance and trigger tire degradation causing the car to slide and suddenly lose performance.
Ferrari SF-23: here is the Evo seen from above
Photo by: George Piola
The redhead has changed her clothes: she’s less beautiful, more awkward. She shows that she is the daughter of a seamstress, the result of a long process of optimization in the gallery. There is an attempt to go in the direction of the Red Bull construction philosophy, but it cannot be said that Ferrari has copied the RB19. Not at all: the orientation is more the one followed by Aston Martin and Alpine.
And, in fact, Ferrari remains a car… hybrid (in the sense of aerodynamic choices) that seeks to make very different concepts coexist. On closer inspection, the “fish tank” above the belly has not completely disappeared: the excavation has remained, but it is very narrow in the portion of the side adjacent to the passenger compartment. It arises from the periscope of the S-duct, even if the air flow from under the radiators has been increased, because there is a new fresh flow inlet.
Ferrari SF-23: here is the mini “fish tank” inside and the belly slide outside
Photo by: George Piola
The “leaks” that were generated by the vents of the hot air on the belly were brought further to the rear to create a less disturbed field: the asymmetrical gills on the sides of the engine cover were seen, but the vents were less noticeable additional at the end of the bodywork. The attempt is quite evident: to move the hot flow higher up to prevent it from affecting the beam wing, making it more efficient. The fluid dynamics inside the bellies have been changed, following a trend that is the one followed by everyone.
Ferrari SF-23, detail of the bottom with the slot in front of the rear wheel
The portion of the external belly has become flat in the first part and then becomes sloping and descends towards the bottom: therefore the Ferrari also feeds the flow to be taken into the diffuser and it is not at all accidental that on the sidewalk, in front of the rear wheel, there has been opened a slot that serves to fill the extractor.
Ferrari SF-23: note the excavation in the lower part of the side despite the constraint of the anti-intrusion cone
Photo by: George Piola
Enrico Cardile’s technicians have also tried to streamline the belly under the radiator vents: we cannot see a dug undercut like that of Red Bull and Aston Martin because there is a design constraint given by the lower anti-intrusion cone which “dirties ” the flows in that area: Giorgio Piola’s image shows us the commendable attempt to fair the safety structure, narrowing the bodywork, so as to create a channel that increases the flow rate above the bottom, having widened the sidewalk as much as possible.
Ferrari SF-23, detail of the bulb covering the lower anti-intrusion cone
Photo by: George Piola
The intention of Diego Tondi’s aerodynamicists was quite clear: to increase the energy brought to the bottom, trying to have a single-seater that is less sensitive to variations in platform height. Yesterday’s free practice showed that Ferrari seems to have taken the right path: long runs were decidedly better than in the past, so they bode well, but the substantial package of modifications has made porpoising, the great enemy of the ground effect cars.
Ferrari SF-23: here is the redesigned rear end of the EVO with two heat vents in the tail
Photo by: George Piola
The Scuderia has taken all possible steps to adapt the SF-23 (the rear suspension that was parked before the resolution was not seen, but it did exist): now it must not become a victim of bottoming, because otherwise what it found was positive risks leaving it on the street having to lift the car.
It’s not just the fate of the redhead, given that we’ve seen several F1s bouncing around. We’ll find out in qualifying who among Ferrari, Aston Martin and Mercedes will have found the best solution for the last corner of Montmelò…
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