Charles Leclerc and Ferrari's goals with updated floor: "Various improvements, we know where to act"

05/12/2024 17:17

Scuderia Ferrari Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc will take to the track for the final race of the 2024 Formula 1 season aboard his SF-24, which brought him three victories this year: two wins in “home” races, Monaco and Monza, plus Austin, which had a different but equally important flavor. An incessant effort also with a view to 2025, as Ferrari decided to dare with a revolutionary floor that debuted in Las Vegas. Used throughout the Qatar weekend, Charles Leclerc explained Ferrari’s objectives with the experimental floor.

After Qatar, the floor that debuted in Las Vegas can no longer be defined as experimental but rather a sort of rolling laboratory with a view to 2025. With the extensive data collected during the two races in America and Qatar, Ferrari now has a broader picture of the performance offered by the new floor.

Telemetry did not reveal a clear gain in terms of downforce, but a more homogeneous distribution of it. This is a very important aspect that allows the drivers to find better balance in their cars. However, as seen in Qatar, the limitation of the SF-24 is related to its suspension setup, with a slightly narrower operating window compared to competitors.

This did not allow Ferrari to fully exploit the extra grip offered by soft tires throughout the season. This issue will be resolved next year, thanks to a completely redesigned chassis and revised suspension.

Speaking to the media present in Abu Dhabi at the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit, Charles Leclerc clarified Ferrari’s objectives with the floor in Qatar. “I think it’s just a different approach. So, it’s very good in some places, worse in others, but above all, I think it’s about trying to learn as much as possible for next year. That is the most important thing; we have learned a lot, which was the number one objective. I don’t think it was an advantage to have it. I think it was very similar to the other floor, but it had some weaknesses and some strengths that will help us develop next year’s car.” – the Monegasque driver concluded ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

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