Charles Leclerc got behind the wheel of Ferrari’s SF-24 during the initial session of pre-season testing in Bahrain. Enrico Cardile, the Technical Director of Ferrari, has revealed that the team has made progress on the launch-spec version of their 2024 Formula 1 car. However, Cardile is unsure about when the first upgrades will be implemented. After a challenging season last year, Ferrari has decided to revamp their car concept for this season in order to overcome the limitations of its predecessor, the SF-24. The main goal of this new creation is to provide a more consistent and user-friendly platform for the drivers. Some teams tend to keep certain aspects of their car under wraps during the design process or have ongoing developments that may be ready for winter testing. Nevertheless, during the unveiling of Ferrari’s 2024 charger, Cardile confirmed that the same car that underwent a shakedown in Fiorano was taken to Bahrain. When asked about the differences in the car in Bahrain, Cardile stated that improvements have been made to the revamped package but did not provide a specific timeline for their introduction. He emphasized that the timing of these updates will depend on how well Ferrari’s new challenger performs against its competitors in Bahrain. Last season, Ferrari dropped to third place in the Constructors’ Championship, trailing Red Bull by 454 points, who emerged as the winners in all but one of the 22 rounds. Cardile admitted that the team had set ambitious goals for the SF-24, aiming to close the gap with the reigning World Champions this season. However, he acknowledged that it is difficult to predict their chances of achieving this feat and that only time will tell. Charles Leclerc, who recently extended his contract with Ferrari, was the first driver to test the SF-24 at the Sakhir circuit, with Carlos Sainz scheduled to take over in the afternoon.
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