Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari has made real progress with updates to its 2024 Components 1 automobile, though the side-effect of bouncing has severely masked the enhancements to the SF-24.
When Ferrari launched a brand new ground to the Spanish Grand Prix, the change in aerodynamic properties of the ground appeared to exacerbate an already-present stage of bouncing within the automobile. This has been at its worst within the higher-speed corners, inducing unpredictability.
Ferrari reverted to the Imola-spec ground for the British Grand Prix to regulate the extent of bouncing across the plethora of medium-high pace corners, and since had launched a revised underbody for Hungary and Belgium to iron out these points additional.
Leclerc stated that, though the outright numbers produced by the aero upgrades earlier within the 12 months had been as anticipated, the bouncing points meant that these couldn’t be absolutely mirrored within the group’s performances.
“From Spain onwards, I believe this was extra the turning level the place we introduced one thing on the automobile, which the numbers, as I’ve at all times stated, had been there,” Leclerc defined in an unique interview with Autosport.
“Nonetheless, it induced numerous bouncing that we have been battling. And on my facet, particularly, I went very aggressive within the final 4 races with set-up, particularly, looking for options for that.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photograph by: Ferrari
“I’ve at all times been [aiming] to go for the final hundredths, and I believe that is the strategy that pays off each time issues are as they need to be.
“At any time when you may have a automobile, that’s bouncing, for instance, you can’t go too near the restrict as a result of the automobile is doing extra unpredictable issues, and you have to maintain extra margin.
“Which is one thing that I do know I am a bit… sure, it isn’t my strategy, and so at all times, I will pay a bit of bit extra of the worth each time this stuff occur.
“Nonetheless, I do not assume that this was the principle situation in the previous few races. It was extra about placing the automobile in very excessive locations in an effort to get one thing out of it and to grasp. That was the principle purpose for the shortage of efficiency in the previous few races.
“I’ll put that totally on bouncing. The bouncing is what created the inconsistencies that we’ve seen in the previous few races, and made us battle a bit greater than earlier than that.”
Leclerc drew parallels to Ferrari’s progress final season, the place it elected to not prioritise outcomes to make sure that it had a stronger run-in on the finish of the season.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Photograph by: Erik Junius
This led to a section of experimentation at Zandvoort the place Ferrari made a breakthrough with a brand new ground, main right into a profitable second half of the 12 months.
“I bear in mind final 12 months we had two races like that, and it began in Zandvoort the place we determined, okay, possibly Zandvoort will not be going to be the race for us, however we need to be taught as a lot as potential in an effort to get higher after that,” he stated.
“I am positive that this is similar course of we’ve gone by means of within the final three-four races. Nonetheless, the damaging level about it’s that we have misplaced three, 4 races as an alternative of two final 12 months.
“However I imagine that that gave us a a lot deeper understanding of what was occurring, and I am assured to say that we have realized quite a bit.”
