MAJOR Ferrari F1 upgrade package ready earlier than expected; showing ‘positive numbers’ – Report

A major Ferrari aerodynamic upgrade package is ready earlier than expected, and apparently, Ferrari face a dilemma whether to introduce it in Baku or not.

MAJOR Ferrari F1 upgrade package ready earlier than expected; showing ‘positive numbers’ – Report

Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari SF-23

Ferrari hoped to be title contenders in 2023, with their stated goal being of winning the championship. Right now, this looks highly unlikely to materialize. Not only do Red Bull comfortably have their number, but the Italian team also have some stiff competition from Aston Martin and Mercedes. This, combined with reliability issues, and often catastrophic race pace, means they have fetched only 26 points from the first three races.

The Australian Grand Prix was the worst race of their season, yet. There, Charles Leclerc retired on the first lap, while Carlos Sainz was given a 5-second penalty for a collision with Fernando Alonso on the last standing race restart. Because there wasn’t another racing lap, this meant he dropped out of the points. Ferrari’s attempt to appeal this decision was unsuccessful.

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But there’s at least some promise of improvement. According to Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari plan to introduce upgrades at the Miami, Emilia-Romagna, and the Spanish Grands Prix. Because of the sprint race weekend, bringing major upgrades to Baku seemed to be ruled out. However, according to Motorsport Italy, the Maranello team’s aerodynamic package, with reprofiled sidepods, is ready earlier than expected.

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But bringing it to Azerbaijan is…complicated. The upcoming weekend will feature a changed format, with only one single practice session, and two different qualifying sessions – one for the sprint, and one for the main race. So, according to the report, the question facing Ferrari now is: Do they have the ‘courage’ to introduce their new aerodynamic package in Baku?

Read More: Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris urged to take control over their ‘undercooked’ teams

The upgrade package may bring ” more hollowed-out sidepods” to the Ferrari SF-23

Charles Leclerc in the 2023 Ferrari SF-23
Charles Leclerc in the 2023 Ferrari SF-23

This aerodynamic package will feature “more hollowed-out sidepods in the lower part to increase the opening under the radiator vents and the flow rate.” It’s intended to reduce drag, which has been a major problem for the SF-23. But testing this in Azerbaijan poses major issues: There may not be enough time to properly understand and optimize the package, as there is only one practice session.

Other alterations include Ferrari “partially revising the cooling system of 066/7” by moving some ducts elsewhere. According to the report, Charles Leclerc also “would have tried” the ‘advanced configuration’ on the simulator, and got ‘positive numbers’ coming out of it. In any case, two ‘upgrades’, according to the publication, are confirmed for Baku. That is an unloaded rear wing, as well as an adjustment of the front flaps to “ensure the necessary balance at high speeds”.

It’s unlikely that Ferrari will introduce this package in Baku, even if for one single car. That is because there’s only one practice session, and besides, there’s a chance that the package may be damaged. The wait for a more competitive SF-23 looks set to go on for a few more weeks.

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