ScuderiaLeo wrote: ↑22 Oct 2024, 23:54
Summary of Formu1a.uno's last livestream:
- What is interesting with the latest updates to the SF-24 is that we have seen Ferrari significantly improve the car’s weak points: qualifying, fast corners, and long corners. The step forward is especially significant for fast and long corners. Previously, the team's development involved adding new features without necessarily addressing the weak points, but since Monza, there has been a philosophy of correcting flaws.
- Regarding engine rotation for the end of the season: currently, there are no plans for Ferrari to install a new engine. This would only happen in case of a problem.
Thanks for sharing, great insights. So there are a few important changes after Cardille left:
- floor design direction is completely different
- weaknesses are actively corrected, ie performance targets are completely different
- there's more agility and quicker reaction time (just a personal observation)
Regarding improvement in Q pace, I don't think they could have made any fundamental step with this update - if there is no fundamental suspension kinematics and damper change that wasn't visible. What could be the case is a secondary effect of performance improvement in high-speed snake and long right-hander in S3, meaning you get more energy into the tyres there and you get more temperature into tyres this way.
To be honest, I have no idea how much this high-speed improvement could also improve tyre warm-up. In theory, this is where you put the most energy into tyres and heat them up. However, even if Sainz posted his final Q3 attempt, he still wouldn't have been on pole, but both cars were quicker than either RB or McLaren in the race. So I think this tyre warm-up is slightly better as a secondary effect of high-speed improvements, but overall SF24 treats its tyres more gently than RB20 and McL38.
As far as PU situation goes, I don't know why people expected a penalty for Leclerc, there was a preventive PU swap in Monaco, but all rotations from then on were according to their original plan. Considering how tight the field is and how hard it is to overtake, I wouldn't sacrifice any race result for a PU swap.