Ferrari Project 676: Advancements and Changes for the 2024 F1 Campaign

Ferrari nourishes the project 676: a very different setting from the one used on the SF-23 who, with trust under his arm, aims for prompt revenge. A car that will reveal itself to the world February 13th, anticipating the day dedicated to lovers. A unveiling “subdued”, where the show will have no presence. Head down, zero complaints and maximum concentration towards the agnostic campaign 2024year whose prancing Horse is determined to achieve an important performance step.

Without further preambles let’s get to the heart of the writing through a thought. We often “forget it”, but in F1 one of the most important elements of a car is called the front wing. A component that we can even define as fundamental as, in fact, it is the first part of the single-seater that interacts with the fluid current that influences the entire path of the particles up to the rear of the car.

Carlos Sainz (Scuderia Ferrari) aboard the SF-23 – Fp2 – GP Abu Dhabi 2023

Putting aside the first two years which witnessed yet another regulatory revolution, the one which placed the wing car to effect Venturi, we can analyze the different “macroscopic” concepts of the frontal area of ​​the car. We use the term macroscopic, because in reality, although the wings often look very similar, the actual structure of the fluid at the exit of the front wing is unique for each single-seater.

Ferrari, project 676: strengthened front end in line with the competitors’ trend

From this point of view, for a change, Red Bull he went to school. The stable of Milton Keynes very early on he took a path that later turned out to be correct. Recently we analyzed some of Adrian Newey’s statements regarding the RB19. Although we had already talked about it in unsuspecting times, today we are making further clarity on the importance of front aerodynamics which is often overlooked due to the complexity concerning the generation of load at the rear. Below we report the words of the genius of Stratford–Upon–Avonwhich once again “sows” technical wisdom.

It’s about knowing how to manage the wake of the front wheel, a determining factor in this F1. By becoming more and more familiar with the cars created by this regulation, the vertical thrust produced has significantly increased. As a consequence, in these cases it means that a higher aerodynamic load on the front end is required. Engineers automatically have to make greater efforts to manage the front wing in the most profitable way, to use it to the best of their possibilities and to the maximum advantage.

As it is right that it is in the highest category of motorsportthrough the usual developments “in-season”most of the downforce earned is focused towards the rear of the single-seater, the area of ​​the car where the greatest possibilities for improvement exist. For this simple reason, the vertical thrust gained on the rear axle must be appropriately balanced through additional frontal load. The front wing of the two single-seaters in question have significantly different guidelines from each other. We already notice it from the conformation of the four flap permitted by the regulation.

Ferrari SF-23 vs Red Bull RB19: compare ala anteriore

First of all, a fact: the philosophy of the muso tra SF-23 e RB19 it was similar. In Ferraribetween 2022 al 2023they moved the nose tip attachment from the first to the second flap which obviously are those with a longer chord, a typical feature of many cars. In terms of measurements, the first flap, also calledmain plain“, has a similar size along the entire “span“, i.e. the width of the airfoil. The second flap also shows a similar shape, but on the Austrian car the chord is a few millimeters longer, especially towards the ends.

The last two flaps which have an adjustment task are significantly different between the two specifications, given that the philosophy of the red one provides for a drop greater, showing an attitude such that they have a high altitude difference in their attachment to the nose and all’endplate. The additional profiles of Red Bull instead they have a drop less accentuated and the lowering towards the endplate is therefore decidedly more gradual.

In this way, the aerodynamic blocking provided by the wing for the flows directed towards the bottom of the single-seater is limited. The idea of ​​the technicians of Maranello was to increase as much as possible l’outwash, generating a strong local static pressure difference between the innermost and outermost regions of the profile. The innermost portion, however, had a larger horizontal region in order to generate load and to try to balance a car with a very weak front end.

Undoubtedly the “mediocrity” of front-end from the SF-23 it only derived in a smaller percentage from aerodynamics which became more of a way to balance the global balance. In the project 676 this area has been revised in some in different aspects, considering that the front end will find that grip missing throughout the season. An attempt is made to reduce the frontal bulk given by the wing to facilitate the flow towards the central area of ​​the single-seater.

Ferrari SF-23 vs Red Bull RB19: compare end-plate anteriore

The generation dell’outwash it is therefore entrusted to the endplate, which in fact has undergone development on the in Austria. Already in the middle of the last championship, therefore, Ferrari approached the dictates of RB19, profoundly modifying the geometry of the endplate. The curvature was completely varied, with the trailing edge having an outward warp. While the previous version, radically different, featured a clear inward curvature.

The profile had a degree of camber smaller and the lower trailing edge portion possessed a certain inwash. The appendage anchored to the end-plate also changed geometry, so as to vary the pressure field on the external wall of the element and, consequently, generate a more powerful vortex that could increase theoutwash effect. The direction of rotation of the vortex that detached from the element also changed, as in the previous version there was an overpressure on the internal wall, the opposite compared to the new specification.

For this simple we can imagine that in the latest aero-mechanical engineering work of Ferrari registered 2024il mail plain of the specification at the front won’t be that different because it has already been the subject of many reevaluations in the last year. While as far as the third and fourth flap we will definitely see a major update. This is a measure that will align the philosophy of the Italian single-seater with the current trend, with a drop smoother and a trailing edge of the front wing with less discontinuity.

Authors: Niccolo Arnerich – @niccoloarnerich – Alessandro Arcari –@berrageiz

Images: Scuderia Ferrari

2024-01-23 14:51:34
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