In the never-ending battle for upgrades in F1, McLaren had a great weekend at the Miami Grand Prix. The Woking-based team installed a new front wing, as well as front suspension, front corners, floor, side pod inlets, engine cover, rear suspension, rear corners, beam wing and cooling louvers.
result? Lando Norris reaches the top step of the F1 podium for the first time, giving McLaren their first Grand Prix win of the 2024 season.
The Scuderia will have the lead as to whether the rest of the grid responds.
After the Miami Grand Prix, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc said it was now their duty to match McLaren’s upgrades. “And we expected [McLaren] He needs to get stronger, maybe not as strong as they showed today, but he fully deserves it,” Leclerc said. Jenson Button from trackside after the race.
“And it’s up to us to hopefully deploy upgrades very quickly to catch up.”
According to Italian media reports formula 1a.uno, That process begins Thursday in Fiorano. As first reported, formula 1a.unoFerrari is scheduled to spend two days filming at the Fiorano test track, with both Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. under the supervision of team principal Frédéric Vasseur and team principal Enrico Cardille. A shakedown session will be held for the upgraded SF-24. Technical Director – Chassis and Aerodynamics.
Details are unknown at this time, but However, according to multiple reports, Ferrari’s upgraded aerodynamic package includes “Red Bull-style sidepods”, slimmer radiator openings, a new floor and a revised front wing.
FIA regulations allow teams to cover 200 kilometers on filming days and also require teams to wear special Pirelli tires. Still, these events allow teams (in this case Ferrari) to collect initial data to see if simulator and wind tunnel results are replicated in a real-world environment.
At the FIA press conference after the Miami Grand Prix, Leclerc further commented on the upgrades he expects from the team. “I’ve said it many times, but I think we’re going to need an upgrade this season. It’s coming soon and I think that will define the rest of the season a little bit for us,” added Leclerc in Miami. Ta. “So we have to work hard and hope those upgrades are as good as before.” [McLaren’s] And it will help us take an important step. ”
However, speaking at Ferrari’s hospitality space after the Miami Grand Prix, Vasseur did his best to manage expectations, considering the next race is the team’s home Grand Prix.
“No, when we are doing development, we don’t want to bring something to Imola in Italy. We are pushing forward with development and producing parts as soon as they are ready,” Vasseur said. explained to the media. SB Nation, Sunday night. “The fact that Imola is close to the factory also helps us bring things in because we can release parts a little later. But I don’t know, it had nothing to do with Italy.
“Again, don’t expect this to be a game changer, but it’s tight enough to perform.”
After the Miami Grand Prix, Vasseur concluded his speech by pointing out how much closer Ferrari are to their rivals now than they were before the season, drawing comparisons to Red Bull.
“The truth is we’re where we are compared to a year ago when we did a good job and were able to put everything together. That means we’re making progress.” [Red Bull] There’s a little bit of pressure. They need to be a little more proactive with their strategy,” added Bassour.
“They’re not in the comfort zone anymore like they were last year. Last year it didn’t matter what happened after the second lap, they were in the lead, but I think that’s a game changer in race management. ” added Bassour.
“And this is an opportunity for us because I think if we can take another little step, we’ll be in a position to really compete against them every weekend.”
The first steps in that battle will begin within hours.
