Ferrari, that’s why Vasseur doesn’t need a B version of the car – breaking latest news

The Ferrari traveling to Baku is in the opposite condition from a year ago. Currently, the constructors’ standings average is just 9 points per race, however it doesn’t reflect the real performances, albeit modest, especially in the first two GPs. No one in Maranello is happy with the technical situation but there is a strong belief that they have at least taken the right path in terms of understanding the car in order to make it grow. Vasseur explained that the SF-23 will not have a B version because it will have to improve in every area of ​​the package before deciding “what to keep on the 2024 car and what to leave”.

The tests generated some tension as after discovering that the car was less ready than expected, there were fears of having to face very complex first races, in unfamiliar territory. In fact, it seemed he saw two versions of the SF-23, two different cars, one in qualifying and one in the race but Fred doesn’t totally agree, at least thinking of Australia: «I don’t think we saw two different cars, in qualifying in Melbourne we didn’t extract the potential while in the race, the performance and the first red flag came against us. Carlos had to pass a lot of cars again and the pace wasn’t great, but still good. I think we did well in the race, but not in qualifying. Sometimes 1 or 2 tenths make the difference».

If it is true that Verstappen has relatively paced, saving 2-3 tenths of an engine at a certain point in the race, it is also true that Ferrari halved the gap in the race, going from 1.03 seconds on the Jeddah lap to around 6 tenths gross, first of all thanks to a better set-up. The new specification bottom tested in Arabia and introduced on both single-seaters produced positive results, in particular by reducing hopping and increasing the overall load. This has generated a greater aggressiveness of the drivers, something that on these new generation of cars: «In Melbourne we improved the overall balance and if the drivers can be more aggressive you can easily gain 1 or 2 tenths». The fact that the revised bottom worked made the engineers breathe a sigh of relief, not so much because of the significant gain, but because the car responded more consistently than in the simulations.

On this, the team principal also confirmed the excellent work done in Maranello by Carlos Sainz this week, the Spaniard probably drove one of the most convincing races in Ferrari until the accident with Alonso. “Leclerc will do the same in the week after Easter” Vasseur added. It could also be a barbecue occasion with the boys of the team, which Charles never misses when he can. Despite all the difficulties, the data show that Ferrari’s index in Melbourne is on the rise, the car seemed potentially the least distant from Red Bull, also considering the use of the DRS highlighted by the easy overtaking on Hamilton, which continues to cause discussion the competition. “The difference was bigger last year than it is now. We hoped to compensate even a little more (in efficiency ed), but the gap was bigger in 2022. We have to improve because they are doing something different and very good».

The “firepower” of the RB19 when it opens the rear wing remains the subject of study. Vasseur spoke of adaptations to the runway, so it seems possible that in Baku we will see wings with a thinner design that improve the efficiency of the SF-23. Ferrari is battling with Mercedes and Aston Martin for second position but the road to recovering points is not easy, one certainly looks to Red Bull which remains the target. The technicians at Milton Keynes will have to serve the development penalty (-10 % of hours in the wind tunnel and simulations), Vasseur did not hide his criticism of the ruling on the budget cap: «I remain convinced that the penalty is light if you consider the development of a season that is worth 1 second, cutting 10% costs perhaps 1 tenth, and then the money you don’t spend on development you can spend elsewhere. I’m not looking for excuses, but if you ask me if the penalty is light, I’ll say yes.” Speaking of hours in the tunnel, Ferrari will have 15% more development hours than Red Bull but 5% less than Mercedes and 25% less than an Aston Martin until the next takeover in the standings.