Nine races of the 2024 F1 World Championship have passed. Fifteen remain as we prepare for the first triple header of the season – beginning at the Spanish GP before continuing in Austria and Silverstone. All of the top teams – Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren – will bring upgrades this weekend.
Behind them, Aston Martin has fallen behind after ineffective update packages in Suzuka and Imola. Meanwhile, Mercedes are getting closer. Their new front wing is one of many changes that have put the W15 back on track.
Meanwhile, the RB20, the SF-24 and the MCL38 have all shown unique characteristics. They all have different strengths and weaknesses, which are exposed under different conditions.
RED BULL: THE RB20 PERFORMS IN SLOW AND FAST CORNERS BUT SUFFERS FROM BUMPS AND GRAINING
So far, the most successful car of the season has been Red Bull. This is largely thanks to Max Verstappen, whose efforts have the team leading both Championships.
The most important strength of Pierre Waché’s car is its strong competitiveness in a very wide range of corners. Unlike many other cars, the RB20 can thrive in both the high and low-speed.
On average, Max Verstappen’s RB20 has a wide operating window. It also benefits from excellent aerodynamic efficiency and a hugely effective DRS system. The RB20’s straight-line speed does not compromise its performance in the corners
An important quality that differentiates Red Bull from its rivals is its ability to manage temperatures. This is especially important in qualifying when Red Bull can reach optimum performance and put heat into their tyres.
However, thanks to the progress at McLaren and Ferrari, the RB20’s weaknesses have been exposed. Perhaps the most obvious is its poor management of bumps and kerbs. Pierre Wache’s car is more rigid than others in terms of its suspension and chassis. This generates a very stable aerodynamic platform.
Still, the RB20 suffers more than others from bumps in the asphalt and curbs. This is made especially clear when the RB20 is forced to use a softer setting. Conversely, the more the track requires rigid set-ups, the more the car Milton Keynes manages to make a difference.
FERRARI SF-24: EXCELLENT TYRE MANAGEMENT AND ATTACKS THE CURBS WELL – BUT SUFFERS FROM LOW TEMPERATURES AND POOR GRIP
After their disastrous weekend in Canada, it is crucial to analyse Ferrari’s weaknesses objectively. The SF-24 doesn’t have any major weaknesses in terms of high or low-speed cornering. However, certain conditions – as seen in China and Canada – can be detrimental.
Ironically, one of the SF-24’s major strengths – its tyre management – is also a weakness. Because Ferrari designed their 2024 car to look after its tyres, it does not generate heat effectively enough in qualifying.
Future developments should help this, although it would seem difficult to resolve it 100%. After all, eliminating the intrinsic characteristics of a car is difficult.
For the SF-24 to perform at its worst, two key conditions are needed. The first is a “green” track with relatively limited grip. The other is low track temperature. Both of these features were present in Canada.
However, the SF-24 also has many positive aspects. Rivals point to it as a reference in terms of its ability to attack curbs, managing to cover less ground than some direct competitors. Furthermore, when Ferrari can adjust the suspension to a softer setting, showing great strength in slow corners and under traction.
Precisely this factor is one of those improved with the Imola package, strengthening the rear and giving the SF-24 more strength when exiting corners.
Finally, Enrico Cardile’s car generates significant downforce without generating drag. Efficiency has never been a problem in Maranello, although after the Imola and Spain upgrades, ther will be work to strengthen this area.
Ferrari’s setups often favour fast corners to better protect the tyres, putting the SF-24 in a prominent position in the medium-fast sections.
MCLAREN: THE MCL38 IS THE CAR THAT HAS GROWN THE MOST, IMPROVED IN EFFICIENCY AND SLOW SPEED, AN IMPORTANT TEST IN SPAIN
McLaren has made an important leap forward from Miami onwards, progressing beyond expectations. This is particularly evident in the low-speed corners. Last year, the MCL38 was one of the best cars on the fast sections.
Still, with the steps forward made in the first GP of the season in America, Norris and Piastri’s car is perhaps, on average, more complete than the SF-24 and even the RB20.
In general, McLaren are somewhere in between Ferrari and Red Bull in many characteristics. However, this means the MCL38 has no significant weaknesses.
However, as with Ferrari and Red Bull, the MCL38 may also encounter obstacles. High track temperatures can have an impact on McLaren’s tyres, especially at the rear.
The Miami package should also have improved this aspect, which the Woking technical team was aware of before starting the season. In this sense, the Spanish GP will be a very important test for Stella and his team – especially if temperatures are high.
