Ferrari's Core Problems are Unsolvable for this Season. | Opinion
Ferrari brought their biggest, and most awaited upgrades to Barcelona. No significant improvement was noticed, and drivers pointed out recurring issues.
Ferrari's Spanish GP was mediocre to say the least. Sainz finished in fifth, while Leclerc carried the consequences of a terrible qualifying session; he finished one place shy of a points finish, on eleventh.
Everyone had big expectations on the upgrades that Ferrari delayed a few weeks ago. They were supposed to be implemented on Baku, however, the Scuderia from Maranello decided to polish and couple it with other minor upgrades. They decided that the Spanish GP on Barcelona was the ideal venue for it.
The track is used for pre-season testing because of its versatile layout. A couple of straights and a combination of fast and slow corners make the track ideal for testing not only aerodynamic components, but engine performance and suspension as well.
Tire degradation is also accentuated due to the track's abrasive surface. The Circuit de Catalunya is the perfect racetrack for testing, and Ferrari knew that the upgrades were going to be under severe scrutiny.
Same old Ferrari
Ferrari has two fundamental issues they need to solve as soon as possible. On one hand, they are the weakest out of the top-teams strategy-wise, and their car is severely inconsistent. Let's look at both.
Strategic mistakes
A combination of a poor overall package and constant strategic mistakes hindered Ferrari's chances for a podium finish. As mentioned above, Leclerc's poor qualifying meant that he had to start from the back of the grid.
On the other hand, Sainz had a good weekend so far, and had serious chances of a podium finish, considering Checo's RB19 had to start the race far behind, and Aston Martin was not looking as strong as in other races.
Poor strategy calls for both drivers hindered their chances of a satisfactory performance. Sainz was stripped of his podium chances because of an early pit stop. On the other hand, Leclerc could not complete his comeback due to starting the race with hard tires that were impossible to put to the ideal temperature. Leclerc had to pit for the medium compound to avoid losing any more time.
Ferrari's strategists are unable to see things that could deter or mitigate the car's weaknesses and exploit the few good things it has. The Spanish GP was the perfect example. Mercedes and Red Bull read the race incredibly well and managed extract more performance out of their cars.
Mercedes started the race with Hamilton in fifth, and Russell in twelfth, one place behind Perez. The team from Brackley managed to secure second and third place respectively during the race on Sunday. A great strategy enabled the drivers to comfortably get a podium finish.
Red Bull on the other hand had to focus more on Perez who started eleventh. A good strategy call put the Mexican with soft tires by the end of the race and was able to get close to Russell and finish on fourth, ten seconds ahead of Sainz's Ferrari.
The good strategy they used for Perez minimized collateral damage, considering there was a Ferrari and the Aston Martins along the way. Alpine was looking competitive as well, so Perez did not have a walk in the park, to say the least.
Inconsistent car
The SF-23 has a serious degradation issue due to its suspension. Ferrari uses a hybrid suspension with a push-rod at the front, and a pull-rod at the back. This allows the car to be closer to the ground at the front, and have stability at the back, creating the much-needed wake on the car.
The car is very inconsistent when cornering, especially with a heavy fuel load. The SF-23 has good qualifying pace because it runs under a more contained scenario. Clean air, a light car, and fresh soft tires make the car look great with tremendous pace.
Once race day comes, the car struggles significantly. The car cannot keep pace with the ones ahead and behind. Drivers cannot defend because they will 'cook' the tires, forcing them to manage the rubber during most laps.
The car loses grip quickly, and drivers are not able to push to the limits. This forces them to be overly cautious and less aggressive than the rest of the grid. The SF-23 must coast during a significant part of the race.
Ferrari brought a revised aero package to Barcelona, but it did not perform. The root of the car's problems is due to the suspension, which is at this point, impossible to fully rework due to the budget cap.
Why did Ferrari bring a fully revised aero package? The answer lies in the next season. The Scuderia is setting the foundation of what it going to be their design philosophy next year. The side pods brought to Catalunya are like what Red Bull implemented first, and the rest of the big teams are doing now.
Ferrari was the last one to join the party. Red Bull, Aston Martin, Mercedes, and now Ferrari all have remarkably similar side pod profiles that aid airflow to the rear winglets above the diffuser. Instead of following the car's profile, the side pod has a pronounced depression at the back that meets with the barge board.
Every big team will shift design philosophies and produce something like what Adrian Newey did with the RB19, at least on the outside. Perhaps the teams will work on the floor as well, considering that everyone saw the pictures of the RB19's intricate floor design during the Monaco GP.
Let's see how dearly that crash by Checo Perez during the Monaco GP will end up costing Red Bull. One of their best kept secrets, due to the nature of its design, was the car's floor. We were able to see the many veins and aerodynamic components that the underside of the RB19 has.
What are your thoughts on Ferrari's performance after the big upgrade? Did they meet your expectations? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy racing.
