A Ferrari closed this Friday its second day of filming at the private test track Fiorano and, with this, we were able to have the first contact with the update package that will be introduced in the Emilia Romagna GP in Formula 1in Imolain the next weekend.
Centered around a change in sidepod and engine cover philosophy, the rest of the SF-24 will also undergo a transformation as the team looks for ways to push the envelope. Red Bull and contain the threat now posed by a resurgent package of McLaren.
Ferrari, after switching to sidepod input underbite at the beginning of the season, is now using an arrangement overbitesimilar to the layout we saw Red Bull follow in 2024. However, while Red Bull managed to minimize the size of its horizontal air intake, Ferrari’s solution is a little wider.
Meanwhile, the vertical bypass duct on the side of the chassis has been merged with the main intake to form a larger intake, similar to the arrangement seen on this year’s Alpine and Mercedes.
The result of this is the removal of the bypass duct outlet next to the rear halo stem and a change in the layout of the fin housed here, as a snake-shaped vane now presides over the region.
The exterior rearview mirror stalk has also been extended to help condition airflow along the upper surface of the sidepod fairing.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Davide Cavazza
The overall shape of the sidepod fairing has also been modified, with a more generous lower cut present, which has allowed Ferrari designers to reshape the sidepod flank and adjust its cut to work better with the floor along its length.
The sheer magnitude of these external changes undoubtedly required the team to tinker with the SF-24’s internal components as well, with the radiators, coolers and other power unit accessories being moved and/or completely redesigned to adapt to the new package.
As a result, the engine cover has also been remodeled, with the louvered panel, which was previously situated in the shelf-like section, being swapped for a larger single outlet in the middle of the region, while the rear section is compressed to create space for that heat is rejected.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Davide Cavazza
Ferrari could well have fitted some of these components to the car in China and Miami, but the team is aware of the risks of doing so on a sprint weekend, with very limited testing at these events.
Choosing to deliver this entire upgrade package at Imola should therefore represent a much greater step forward for Ferrari, as it will have more time to evaluate and understand its impact.
This should also prepare the team for the next phase of the season, provided there is a good correlation between the behavior of these new parts in the real world and what was predicted by their simulation tools.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photo by: Davide Cavazza
