Ferrari begins three days of TPC testing with the SF-23, which will run in Barcelona with Hamilton and Leclerc. After initial sessions in Fiorano, the team will have the opportunity to train the drivers and evaluate various setup adjustments, providing valuable insights into tire wear and starting strategies. This will follow the guidelines set by Technical Director Loic Serra.
The SF-23 must, of course, remain fixed with the developments used at the end of the 2023 championship, but Hamilton and Leclerc will be able to assess what is being referred to as the "Serra effect." The work of the two drivers will focus on analyzing two key aspects: tire wear, which had been one of the car’s Achilles’ heels two years ago, and race starts.
Technical Director Loic Serra, who has been warmly welcomed by the Maranello staff, has brought with him extensive knowledge of tires, making the trip to Barcelona particularly useful for developing tire strategies that will also benefit the 2025 car. Naturally, the tires being tested are not those intended for 2025 (designed to be less sensitive to overheating), as specific tires will be used for these TPC tests.
However, Ferrari will be able to evaluate with both drivers how tire behavior changes based on strategies employed during the warm-up lap, considering temperature and inflation pressures, and then analyze how performance evolves over the course of a stint.
The other area of focus is the race start. Ferrari engineers believe there is still room for improvement, not only in clutch operation but also in overall acceleration from a standstill when the lights go out. Electronics specialists are continuing to refine start strategies: while the clutch must be managed manually by the driver, the way power is delivered to prevent wheel slip can be optimized through a perfect blend of internal combustion engine output and the hybrid system, which only activates above 100 km/h.
https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-fe ... /10691897/
