Ferrari's Shocking 2024 F1 Setback: Could They Be Out of Contention?
Carlos Sainz has recently dropped a bombshell about Ferrari’s future in the 2024 Formula 1 season, and it’s not looking pretty. Reverting to an older car specification during the British Grand Prix has effectively left the Prancing Horse three months behind in development. This decision shines a spotlight on Ferrari's struggles, which began after upgrades in Barcelona induced bouncing—a problem the team thought it had eradicated.
Back to Basics: The Cost of Regression
The team’s alarming performance prompted a desperate experiment at Silverstone. Sainz and teammate Charles Leclerc split duties between the old and new packages, but the data was disheartening. Leclerc ultimately reverted to the older Imola spec by FP3 to control the high-speed bouncing, but Ferrari's pace couldn't keep up with its rivals. The mixed conditions offered Sainz a chance to haul his SF-24 closer to the leaders, but once the track dried, his limitations became glaringly obvious. He finished fifth but lacked the firepower to challenge for the podium.
A Stark Admission
Sainz himself has acknowledged the gravity of the situation. “It is clearly not good enough,” he lamented. Ferrari’s decision to revert to an older spec car has cost them precious developmental time, effectively placing them months behind the rest of the competition. “We have basically the same car as in Imola, and since Imola, everyone has upgraded, probably added two-tenths to the car, and we have had to revert,” he added. In Formula 1 terms, losing two or three months of performance gain is akin to running a marathon with weights attached to your feet.
Positives Amidst the Chaos
While the current situation is far from ideal, Sainz did find some silver linings. The various strategic calls he made during the crossover points in Silverstone, particularly when the track transitioned from wet to dry, were executed flawlessly. In these tricky conditions, he managed to close in on the podium positions, much to his own delight. “Honestly, all the calls were pretty much spot on, all the tyres, all the radio calls,” he said. But despite the team's best efforts, a fifth-place finish and a fastest lap bonus point were small consolations.
Looking Ahead: A Rocky Road
The forward outlook isn’t encouraging either. Sainz admitted that Ferrari isn’t likely to compete at the top in Budapest or Spa-Francorchamps before the summer break. The team plans to toggle between the old and new packages based on track characteristics, in hopes of finding some competitive edge. “We will bounce in Turns 4 and 11 [in Hungary], but until something better comes, we may have to live with bouncing for a while,” he explained. Essentially, Ferrari will have to navigate a track-by-track strategy until they can develop a package that is both stable at high speeds and efficient in low-speed conditions.
The stark reality is that unless Ferrari can overcome this developmental setback, they will struggle to contest the top three teams. Sainz might have sounded a hopeful note about the team eventually clawing back its competitive edge, but significant changes will have to happen for that to become a reality.