Charles Leclerc says Ferrari has made real progress with updates to its 2024 Components 1 automotive, 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 automotive. 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 manage the extent of bouncing across the plethora of medium-high velocity corners, and since had launched a revised underbody for Hungary and Belgium to iron out these points additional.
Leclerc mentioned that, though the outright numbers produced by the aero upgrades earlier within the 12 months have been as anticipated, the bouncing points meant that these couldn’t be absolutely mirrored within the staff’s performances.
“From Spain onwards, I believe this was extra the turning level the place we introduced one thing on the automotive, which the numbers, as I’ve at all times mentioned, have been there,” Leclerc defined in an unique interview with Motorsport.com.
“Nonetheless, it induced numerous bouncing that we have been scuffling with. 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 method that pays off each time issues are as they need to be.
“Every time you have got a automotive, that’s bouncing, by instance, you can’t go too near the restrict as a result of the automotive 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 is not my method, and so at all times, I will pay a bit of bit extra of the value each time this stuff occur.
“Nonetheless, I do not suppose that this was the principle challenge in the previous couple of races. It was extra about placing the automotive in very excessive locations to be able to get one thing out of it and to know and that was the principle cause of the shortage of efficiency of the previous couple of races.
“I’ll put that totally on bouncing. The bouncing is what created the inconsistencies that now we have seen in the previous couple of races, and made us wrestle 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 part 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 keep in mind final 12 months we had two races like that, and it began in Zandvoort the place we determined, okay, perhaps Zandvoort is just not going to be the race for us, however we wish to be taught as a lot as potential to be able to get higher after that,” he mentioned.
“And I am positive that this is identical course of now we have gone by means of within the final three, 4 races. Nonetheless, the detrimental level about it’s that we have misplaced three, 4 races as an alternative of two final 12 months.
“However I consider that that gave us a a lot deeper understanding of what was occurring, and I am assured to say that we have discovered loads.”
