McLaren received the Constructors’ Championship, and Ferrari, in contrast, misplaced it. This occurred in the course of the 2024 Components 1 racing season. The reason being fairly clear sadly, contemplating the Maranello crew’s errors. Now we have reiterated this exhaustively, we should admit, in a number of articles devoted to the Italian crew for a lot of months now. The difficulty stays the identical and revolves across the lack of ability of the technical crew led by Italian aerodynamicist Enrico Cardile, the previous technical director of the Maranello squad, to provide efficient aerodynamic package deal. And by now it’s a well-know incontrovertible fact that the Spanish Grand Prix was sadly the start of the catastrophe that crippled the Prancing Horse.
The Italian aspect launched a brand new model of the medium-to-high downforce rear wing. However a very powerful innovation was undoubtedly the ground, a vital macro-component for producing aerodynamic load. When such a component is launched on a automobile competing in a very powerful class of motorsport, it requires efficient on-track validation. Certainly, it’s not in any respect easy to right away decide whether or not the research carried out on the manufacturing unit, between simulator and wind tunnel, have really resulted in a tangible enchancment. Because of this, on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, the decision remained undecided.
Nonetheless, between the Austrian Grand Prix and the race weekend in Nice Britain, the solutions got here loud and clear. The brand new flooring of the SF-24 didn’t work as meant. It generated appreciable instability by way of dealing with, eliminating the function of the Ferrari that drivers appreciated most: its predictability. There was vital bouncing and, usually talking, nice problem in using the correct journey heights. On the Hungarian Grand Prix, a “fast repair” was launched by the Maranello crew’s technicians and engineers, which was in reality a preliminary modification to make this element extra manageable whereas ready for a completely new flooring, which might solely arrive in Italy for the house race on the Monza circuit.
Within the meantime, six races the place the SF-24 showcased all its limitations. Aggressive eventualities wherein Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had been compelled into fixed adaptation, yielding no constructive outcomes. Throughout this a part of the 2024 Components 1 season, Ferrari misplaced its likelihood to win the Constructors’ Championship. Moreover, contemplating Charles Leclerc’s last hole of 81 factors to Max Verstappen, the concept the Monegasque might have competed for the Drivers’ Championship just isn’t far-fetched in any respect. There may be additionally one other situation weighing on the Constructors’ outcomes, the place the ultimate margin was a lot smaller, particularly might Ferrari have received the Constructors’ with out McLaren’s Mini DRS?
What we’re referring to is carefully inked to the disputes concerning McLaren’s legality. This brings us again to the dialogue in regards to the rear wing. A kind of “mini drag discount system,” with which the MCL38 might preserve a downforce degree just like Ferrari’s however get pleasure from a transparent benefit in high-speed sections. Basically, drag was lowered because of a selected aeroelasticity of the aspect, which might barely open on straights even with the drag discount system closed. This benefit was estimated at a high velocity achieve of at the least 3 or 4 kilometers per hour, which is clearly not insignificant in any respect.
Inside this state of affairs, there are two interrelated points that elevate considerations and never only for Ferrari. The primary entails the FIA’s perspective following Crimson Bull’s report. To begin with, if the Milton Keynes crew had not filed a grievance, the MCL38 would have continued utilizing the disputed wing till the tip of the 2024 Components 1 championship. This highlights the inadequacy of the legislative physique, which makes the principles however is completely incapable of implementing them. Furthermore, as soon as the questionable legality was established, the Worldwide Federation didn’t penalize McLaren.
As a substitute, it politely invited the Woking crew to retire the precise element. Moreover, by its technical director, former Ferrari engineer Nicholas Tombazis, it said that sure previous circumstances couldn’t be verified and due to this fact instantly closed the matter. Sweeping the difficulty underneath the rug, primarily. That is the FIA’s strategy. Creating such a precedent is very dangerous in Components 1. Why? As a result of a crew that goes unpunished units an instance for others, which, in flip, will really feel entitled to make use of borderline or outright unlawful options, figuring out they may face no penalties.
Nonetheless, in our view, probably the most severe matter considerations the second situation that surfaced with the modification to the technical laws for subsequent yr. The regulatory physique launched a change that appears tailored to forestall an identical or an identical answer to that utilized by McLaren from being replicated. Beginning in 2025, the flap of the movable wing should adhere to the identical deformation restrictions as the remainder of the bodywork when the drag discount system is inactive. To be even clearer, the regulatory physique added a clause through Article 3.10.10.
There have to be a compulsory minimal distance between the 2 parts of the rear wing when the drag discount system just isn’t energetic. Throughout the wingspan, the rear-end profiles should preserve a minimal distance between 9.4 and 13 millimeters. This parameter shall be enforced when the system is inactive, with FIA inspections utilizing a calibrated spherical instrument to make sure full compliance earlier than official periods. At this level, a query arises and provides us a lot to consider concerning the matter.
Why does the FIA “ban” McLaren’s answer, thus deeming it unlawful, but in the course of the championship selected to miss it and never penalize a crew that derived clear advantages? Is that this the usual process? Can we discuss a skewed championship? Simply within the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the Baku metropolis circuit, the place the MCL38’s “Mini DRS” made the distinction, if we subtract 7 factors from Oscar Piastri (who completed first) and add them to Charles Leclerc, second on the end, the 2 groups would have tied with 659 factors. Furthermore, Ferrari would have had yet one more victory. However sadly, retroactive penalties don’t exist.
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