Ferrari put on a show in Shanghai with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc fighting throughout the grand prix, but the SF-26 had to settle for third place with the seven-time world champion – who finally secured his first podium with the Scuderia. On the day of Kimi Antonelli’s first triumph, Ferrari finished 25 seconds behind – an eternity for what currently seems the only credible challenger to Mercedes, which is dominating with its two drivers.
Roughly speaking, that’s about four and a half tenths per lap – too much to break the dominance of the W17, but China provided clear indications: the SF-26 matches the Silver Arrow in the first two sectors of the track, and loses most of its deficit on the straights, with nearly three tenths lost there alone.
While the FIA has (rightly) taken time to discuss possible rule changes for Miami, Ferrari must work hard to close the gap to Mercedes. It’s one thing to understand how best to use electrical energy in battery recharge strategies, and another to find the missing power in the 067/6 V6 engine. The sporting department has estimated a deficit of about 20–25 horsepower, particularly noticeable at high revs.
Part of the gap could come from Mercedes rumoured trick of running its engine with a higher compression ratio when it is hot, which until June 1 is measured at room temperature by regulation. Another factor is the excellent Petronas fuel, capable of increasing calorific power in the combustion chamber, effectively designed to exploit a higher compression ratio.
It’s a deadly combination, further enhanced by a larger turbine that delivers more peak power, allowing the internal combustion engine to recharge energy using the now-famous super clipping on the straights (using surplus power to recharge the battery without sacrificing too much top speed).
Ferrari is waiting for the ADUO to attempt an engine recovery (possibly for the Hungarian GP, before the summer break), but in the meantime is focusing on developing the car, confident that the SF-26 has excellent potential in terms of chassis and aerodynamics.
At Maranello, development timelines are being tightened to extract the performance that engineers led by Loic Serra expect. There will be technical tracks where the car’s characteristics could challenge Mercedes, and Ferrari must be ready to seize every opportunity.
The Macarena wing of the Ferrari SF-26 seen in Shanghai during the only free practice session
Photo by: Roberto Chinchero
In Shanghai, we saw the debut of the flip rear wing in the only free practice session. Both drivers used it to gather as much data as possible before it was set aside. Those claiming to “know better” immediately declared that the “Macarena wing” had been rejected.
Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s true it wasn’t approved for the second race, but it was never intended as a one-size-fits-all solution. It was originally meant to debut in Bahrain (it had been seen in Sakhir during pre-season testing), but with the cancellation of the two Gulf races, Ferrari tried to bring it forward – because it could be particularly useful at Suzuka.
However, the Chinese test proved important, as it highlighted the need to find the correct closing timing of the wing, which rotates its two flaps on their axis, since aerodynamic balance issues emerged with the front movable wing reacting much faster.
Ferrari’s engineers were therefore able to gather data that will be very useful in building simulations for the Japanese GP, where aerodynamics play a major role alongside engine performance. According to Autosport, the flip wing is only at its first stage of development, and until the standard version works properly, further evolutions cannot be introduced.
Greater aerodynamic efficiency at Suzuka should reduce drag on open-wing sections (not only thanks to the actuator being moved into one of the side endplates), while also allowing more downforce in technical sections.
Ferrari, therefore, is a work in progress: expect a significant upgrade package in Miami on May 4, the first race after Formula 1’s April break.
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– The Autosport.com Team
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