Ferrari arrives at the 2024 Formula 1 season with the second fastest car after Red Bull. However, in the recent Australian Grand Prix, the SF-24 performed as well as the RB20. The Italian team managed to handle tire wear better than the reigning champions. Throughout the weekend, Ferrari’s drivers exerted significant pressure on Max Verstappen. Despite Charles Leclerc’s mistake in qualifying, Carlos Sainz secured second place on the grid and won the race after Verstappen retired due to a brake failure. Leclerc finished in second place.
Reflecting on the weekend, it is evident that if Verstappen had not retired, the race would not have been easy for him. He would have faced a tough challenge from the Ferrari cars, given their impressive speed in practice. Fred Vasseur, speaking after the race, praised the SF-24, highlighting its significant improvement compared to its predecessor, the SF-23. The SF-23 had a tendency to consume tires quickly during races, despite its speed in a single lap. Vasseur emphasized that the team has made substantial progress in terms of consistency between different tire compounds. The car is now easier to drive and interpret for the drivers, making development simpler. This represents the most significant improvement compared to the previous year, allowing for better management and understanding of the car at the beginning of the weekend.
In 2023, Ferrari secured seven pole positions, but only managed to win in Singapore, where Red Bull faced internal issues. This highlighted the challenge of managing the car during races, despite its strong performance in qualifying. Vasseur acknowledged that the car was difficult to control during races, leading to errors and tire damage. This created a negative cycle. However, this year, the car is easier to understand, allowing the drivers to grasp the limits and stay just below them. Tire management has become much simpler, and the team has better control over the car compared to last year, when they were in survival mode, causing rapid tire degradation.
After the Australian GP, Ferrari is just four points behind Red Bull, the current leaders of the 2024 F1 Constructors’ Championship. Leclerc is in second place in the F1 drivers’ standings, trailing Verstappen by four points. Sainz, who missed the Saudi Arabian GP due to appendicitis surgery, is in fourth place, seven points behind his teammate.
