Ferrari’s first 720 kilometres of the season have been completed. The team’s engineers finally have data to analyse directly from the track rather than from the wind tunnel. Fred Vasseur’s personnel primarily focused on aspects unrelated to pure performance.
The final time of 1.32.584 signed by Carlos Sainz in the afternoon is a decent step forward compared to last year’s 1.33.253, but it will be the times over the next few days that will give a more complete image of the true SF24.
Ferrari also worked on short and long runs in Bahrain, mostly with C3 rubber. This was the compound Sainz and Leclerc predominantly used today.
Despite this similarity, comparisons with other teams are always very difficult. In any case, this exercise will be easier in the next 48 hours.
Leclerc ended the day with a 1.33.247, a time just twenty thousandths better than his time on the first day last year. After the first day, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen are ahead of the Ferrari duo.
Still, the lap times will be looked at – with great caution – at the end of the three days.
Ferrari work on degradation simulation correlation in Bahrain
The work planned by the Maranello engineers included work on degradation during the course of the day, which was very variable between the different stints, as can be expected from Day 1 of the season.
In the other part of the program, the same between the two drivers according to what Formu1a.uno learned, Sainz and Leclerc stuck to a scan mapping job of the car, again nothing unusual.
At the end of the first eight hours of 2024, no complaints were heard from drivers on the team radio. This is a good sign when compared with what they experienced last season.
Early indications suggest the SF-24 has a more consistent aerodynamic platform. A lack of consistency was the SF-23’s Achilles heel.
In the afternoon, some checks were carried out on the car, dismantling the floor to check that all the sensors were working correctly. Over these three days, cars will have 30% more sensors than on normal race weekends.
The positive news is that Ferrari made steady progress throughout the day. Leclerc appeared to find himself increasingly at ease during the morning.
In the afternoon, also thanks to a better-performing track and optimal temperatures, Carlos Sainz made another step forward. The telemetry comparison with Max Verstappen, and in general the comparison of times, is very misleading.
Only from the behaviour of the two cars in the snake of turns 6-7 can one notice the difference in fuel between the two cars at the time of the fastest lap.
In fact, Sainz declared that “it is too early to draw conclusions, and we will continue to work to maximize the next two days on track to arrive as well prepared as possible at the start of the season.”
Comparing the times of the first day of the SF23, we notice a good improvement of six-tenths in the central sector, while it seems that Ferrari has been more conservative – between petrol and engine modes – compared to 2023.
Between the SF-24 and the SF-23, there is an especially noticeable improvement in cornering at low speed, one of the (few) strong points of the old Red; we will see in the next few days if this trend will remain constant. Staying on topic, Leclerc remained in line with his teammate:
“As regards the performance, it is simply too early to judge them and draw conclusions. We have conducted the tests we had planned, and everything is proceeding as planned. ”
From tomorrow, Ferrari will begin to work more aimed at the approach to the track. Most likely, absolute performance will remain hidden.
Ferrari has made it known that there is no intention of raising the engine modes in these three days and also to keep discoveries on the cards against direct competition from McLaren, Mercedes and Aston Martin until next Friday.
In the afternoon conference, Frederic Vasseur commented on the start of the season:
“We know that the step forward we have to make to catch up with them (Red Bull) is enormous. But we made a good recovery during last season. And I think that in the last phase of the season, we did quite well.
“We must build 2024 on this foundation… We hope to be able to get closer to the top, which at the moment is represented by Red Bull.
“But we are not copying anyone; if you copy someone, you are always late and always one step behind.”
Authors: Andrea Vergani & Giuliano Duchessa
Translation: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
