McLaren gained the Constructors’ Championship, and Ferrari, against this, misplaced it. This occurred throughout the 2024 System 1 racing season. The reason being fairly clear sadly, contemplating the Maranello staff’s errors. Now we have reiterated this exhaustively, we should admit, in a number of articles devoted to the Italian staff for a lot of months now. The difficulty stays the identical and revolves across the incapacity of the technical staff led by Italian aerodynamicist Enrico Cardile, the previous technical director of the Maranello squad, to supply efficient aerodynamic bundle. 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 crucial innovation was undoubtedly the ground, a vital macro-component for producing aerodynamic load. When such a component is launched on a automotive competing in crucial class of motorsport, it requires efficient on-track validation. Certainly, it isn’t in any respect easy to right away decide whether or not the research carried out on the manufacturing facility, 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.
Nevertheless, between the Austrian Grand Prix and the race weekend in Nice Britain, the solutions got here loud and clear. The brand new ground of the SF-24 didn’t work as supposed. It generated appreciable instability when it comes to dealing with, eliminating the characteristic of the Ferrari that drivers appreciated most: its predictability. There was important bouncing and, usually talking, nice problem in using the correct trip heights. On the Hungarian Grand Prix, a “fast repair” was launched by the Maranello staff’s technicians and engineers, which was in actual fact a preliminary modification to make this part extra manageable whereas ready for a completely new ground, 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 pressured into fixed adaptation, yielding no optimistic outcomes. Throughout this a part of the 2024 System 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 that the Monegasque may have competed for the Drivers’ Championship shouldn’t be far-fetched in any respect. There may be additionally one other concern weighing on the Constructors’ outcomes, the place the ultimate margin was a lot smaller, specifically may Ferrari have gained 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 concerning the rear wing. A form of “mini drag discount system,” with which the MCL38 may keep a downforce degree just like Ferrari’s however take pleasure in a transparent benefit in high-speed sections. Basically, drag was lowered because of a selected aeroelasticity of the ingredient, which might barely open on straights even with the drag discount system closed. This benefit was estimated at a prime velocity acquire of at the very 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 increase issues and never only for Ferrari. The primary includes the FIA’s angle following Purple Bull’s report. To begin with, if the Milton Keynes staff had not filed a grievance, the MCL38 would have continued utilizing the disputed wing till the top of the 2024 System 1 championship. This highlights the inadequacy of the legislative physique, which makes the foundations however is totally incapable of imposing them. Furthermore, as soon as the questionable legality was established, the Worldwide Federation didn’t penalize McLaren.
As an alternative, it politely invited the Woking staff to retire the precise part. Moreover, by means of 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 problem underneath the rug, basically. That is the FIA’s strategy. Creating such a precedent is extremely dangerous in System 1. Why? As a result of a staff that goes unpunished units an instance for others, which, in flip, will really feel entitled to make use of borderline or outright unlawful options, realizing they’ll face no penalties.
Nevertheless, in our view, probably the most critical matter issues the second concern that surfaced with the modification to the technical rules 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 by way of 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 shouldn’t be lively. Throughout the wingspan, the rear-end profiles should keep a minimal distance between 9.4 and 13 millimeters. This parameter will likely be enforced when the system is inactive, with FIA inspections utilizing a calibrated spherical instrument to make sure full compliance earlier than official classes. At this level, a query arises and offers us a lot to consider concerning the matter.
Why does the FIA “ban” McLaren’s answer, thus deeming it unlawful, but throughout the championship selected to miss it and never penalize a staff 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 another victory. However sadly, retroactive penalties don’t exist.
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