At Ferrari, everything is now ready for the next 2024 season. The 676 project is technically completed in terms of what will be seen in the Bahrain tests. The important assembly phases for Maranello’s seventieth F1 car have begun for the upcoming car launch on February 13th.
We must expect a much more “sober” and less dramatic launch compared to last year. Although there will be a shake-down on the Fiorano track, using the first 15km allocated for their ‘filming day’, the event will be relatively toned down.
Ferrari 2024: Aerodynamics in the upper part of the car
This year’s project, primarily under Enrico Cardile’s guidance, did not completely discard the SF-23’s concept. The chassis, completely redone and with adjusted sidepods, represents the most important step. This broadly puts Ferrari closer to the Red Bull direction. Virtually every team is on this path.
As we have already highlighted, the front wing and the undercut on the sidepods will be greatly revisited. However, they are not the only macro-areas where the next Ferrari will be visually different from the old car.
The upper and central area of the Ferrari SF-23 – Illustration Rosario Giuliana
The upper part of the single-seater has also undergone a “remodernisation” of last year’s aerodynamic concept.
It will not simply be a copy-paste of previous solutions. Instead, Cardile’s technicians have worked to combine a change in philosophy with new features.
The bodywork that rotates around the headrest and the roll bar will be very characteristic and “worked” from an aerodynamic point of view.
A series of fins and flow diverters will have the task of combing the air directed towards the rear, between the beam wing and the aileron. This will be supported by a mono-pylon. Nothing miraculous by any means intended to generate a mostly “local” aerodynamic effect.
However, clear innovations and changes will be visible in this aspect of Ferrari’s 2024 car.
Regarding the bonnet air intake, there will be no major visible differences. The arrangement and layout of the cooling system have not undergone major revisions, just as the air intake above the rider’s head will remain in the classic triangular shape.
As a result, Ferrari was not forced to redesign this area. This made pre-season crash tests far easier to pass.
Red Bull style bonnet: wider air vents that will introduce the well-known ‘tray’
What is brutally defined as the “Red Bull concept” is distinguished from the philosophies carried forward in 2022 by Ferrari and Mercedes. Additionally, they use a very wide bodywork at the rear, in that area around the exhaust.
Ferrari, but also Haas, had maintained the concept of a body close to the mechanics on the SF-23, with an engine hood without large vents around the exhaust.
A slimmer shape is possible in the upper part of the bonnet, along with a fin designed to bring more clean air towards the rear wing with the least possible bulk.
This approach can be compared to Sauber, with the C44 instead moving towards the Red Bull concept, both in terms of the drop-down sides and the rear bodywork.
Comparison of the rear part of the bonnet of Ferrari and Red Bull – Illustration Rosario Giuliana.
With the 676 project, Ferrari will align itself with the broad philosophy of the World Champions. Several teams converged on this approach last winter.
The bonnet will become elongated and widened around the exhaust like a sort of “bazooka” to eliminate heat. Therefore, the air that hits the car will be divided into two macro flows. One that will flow will go along the lower part, around the sidepods/floor.
Meanwhile, the other airflow (the one in the highest part) will go around the bonnet towards the rear wing.
On the 2024 Ferrari, there will be a new technical compromise. Some of last year’s efficiency will be sacrificed. A wider opening at the rear will lead to a different bodywork cooling and a different appearance.
As mentioned earlier, there will be notable changes at the front. These are also evident in the Halo.
Author: Rosario Giuliana
Co-Author: Giuliano Duchessa & Piergiuseppe Donadoni
