SF-24 updates, track conditions and rivals' difficulties: why Ferrari is optimistic for F1 Monza GP

Even before the summer break, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur had already pinpointed the post-Dutch Grand Prix races as opportunities where the characteristics of the Maranello team’s 2024 F1 car could shine. Some, including Fernando Alonso, even suggest that Ferrari could be the team to beat between Monza, Baku, and Singapore. While it might seem overly optimistic to position Ferrari as the favorite for its home race, there are several reasons to believe the team could be more competitive than it was in the Netherlands last weekend.

One major reason for optimism in Maranello is the introduction of the third evolutionary aerodynamic package of the 2024 season, debuting at Monza. This marks the first significant update since the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya in June. The success of Ferrari’s weekend will largely hinge on how well these updates translate from the factory to the track. The primary goal of the new package is to address the bouncing issues that have plagued the SF-24 since the start of the 2024 season, a problem that became more pronounced after the race in Barcelona. Monza’s high-speed corners, such as Parabolica-Alboreto and Variante Ascari, will be critical in determining if Ferrari has finally managed to get this issue under control.

In recent months, Ferrari’s performance in fast corners has been notably hampered by bouncing, particularly evident at Silverstone. During the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, the team opted for a compromise setup, raising the car to reduce porpoising but sacrificing aerodynamic downforce, particularly from the floor. This decision compromised the car’s overall aerodynamic efficiency, especially on the straights. If Ferrari can eliminate bouncing at Monza, it would allow them to regain both aerodynamic efficiency and straight-line speed, potentially returning to the high-speed performance levels they displayed earlier in the season.

Another factor working in Ferrari’s favor at Monza is the absence of long, medium-to-low-speed corners—a weak spot for the SF-24, as exposed by the numerous hairpins at Zandvoort, particularly at the challenging Turn 10. Additionally, the Italian Grand Prix will take place in a Mediterranean climate, with temperatures expected to exceed 30 degrees Celsius. These warmer conditions are advantageous for Ferrari, which has often found its optimal tire performance in hotter weather.

While Ferrari will be racing in front of its passionate home crowd, the spotlight also remains on last Sunday’s winners. Lando Norris managed to open up a significant gap over both Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc during the second stint of the Dutch Grand Prix, though it remains unclear how much the British driver was pushing to the limit. However, Monza presents a different challenge than Zandvoort, where McLaren’s cars excelled in the high downforce, medium-to-low-speed corners. Additionally, the MCL38 may not enjoy the same mild temperatures in Italy that benefited it in the Netherlands.

OUTLINE:

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:14 Ferrari's Optimism Post-Dutch Grand Prix
00:00:43 New Aerodynamic Package
00:00:58 Ensuring On-Track Performance
00:01:07 Addressing Bouncing Issues
00:01:22 Fast Corners as a Test
00:01:38 Compromise Setup in Belgium
00:01:58 Regaining Efficiency and Speed
00:02:09 Track Characteristics of Monza
00:02:32 Favorable Weather Conditions for Ferrari
00:05:06 Doubts regarding Mercedes at Monza
00:05:46 Monza track characteristics

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[mauricerose]

Would Curva Biassono (Curva Grande) be better banked?

[pascaljoly]

as for every season, all the upgrades they've brought in this year have been totally useless so I am not counting my chickens yet... we might be 7/8 at the end depending on how Mercedes will fare as i expect them to be better than at Zandvoort. i think best they can achieve is 4 is Perez doens't perform but Max and McLaren are out of reach. but, all i want is for the upgrades to work wonders and for Charles to win of course but this would be a very early xmas

[ItsMeRedd_]

“Zero problems, we finish, 1-2 in Practice, 1-2 in Qualifying, 1-2 in the Race, TOTAL DOMINATION!” -Scuderia Ferrari… Probably

[P_Camps]

EVERY single time we're "confident" we shit the bed.