Ferrari is motivated by their Austin success but anticipates Mexico’s high-altitude race will pose a distinctly different challenge.
Ferrari secured an impressive one-two finish in Austin last weekend, and the Scuderia makes no secret of its ambitions to replicate such a result in Mexico. However, team principal Fred Vasseur is quick to point out that the challenge will be markedly different from that in the United States, both in terms of the track and the conditions.
“We head to Mexico in great shape after our double podium in Austin, which was a huge source of motivation for the whole team,” Vasseur stated. “The Hermanos Rodriguez circuit presents an entirely different challenge.”
“The fact that Mexico City is situated at 2,200 metres above sea level demands a very specific approach regarding the car’s setup. The thinner air also places added stress on the car’s components, which need to dissipate heat efficiently.”
“This applies to the systems, brakes, power unit, and of course, the tyres. It’s not easy to find the right balance to manage these factors while extracting the maximum performance from the car, but we’ve prepared well at the factory.”
“Our approach to this race will remain consistent with every other, focusing on ourselves and paying attention to the finer details. As always, I expect things to be very tight among the top teams, and by the end of the weekend, we’ll see where we stand.”
The Scuderia also gave the floor to Esdoardo Brosco, Ferrari’s chassis development and reliability director, ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix. He provided further insight into the challenges posed by the Mexico race.
“The Hermanos Rodriguez circuit isn’t particularly long, but it’s very technical and demanding. In qualifying, the first challenge is getting the front tyres up to temperature, while managing the rear tyres as best as possible during the warm-up lap,” Brosco noted.
“The mix of long straights and slow, tight corners means that managing the tyres is crucial. If you don’t precisely control tyre slip during acceleration, you risk irreversible overheating and a loss of grip. This results in the driver losing significant time, not only on that lap but on subsequent laps as well.”
As with every year, component fatigue will need close monitoring, given the effects of reduced oxygen levels: “The Mexican Grand Prix takes place at altitude, with the city sitting nearly 2,300 metres above sea level.”
“This means the air density is roughly 30% lower than at sea level. This has two major effects on the car. Firstly, without altering its design, the amount of air entering the car through the sidepods, brake ducts, and snorkel is significantly reduced compared to usual.”
“This requires specific strategies to ensure adequate cooling for the car’s components, while also putting additional stress on the turbo, which must operate at the upper end of its range to supply air to the engine. The second effect of the lower air density is a 30% reduction in downforce.”
“To put this into perspective, the difference between the maximum aerodynamic setups used in Monaco and those used in Monza is around 20%. This means that if this weekend’s Grand Prix were held at sea level, the top speed of the cars at the end of the straight would be about 25 km/h lower.”
“A lot has changed” since 2021
The engineer joined Ferrari in 2021 and has observed changes both in the team’s structure and in its ambitions and management: “I joined Scuderia Ferrari in 2021 as a young engineer in the vehicle dynamics department.”
“I later moved to the track engineers as a performance engineer, which I did until 2019, enjoying several great years at the track, working with many drivers and engineers from whom I learned a lot. Today, I lead the chassis reliability and development group.”
“Since I joined Scuderia Ferrari, many things have changed—the facilities, the offices, the test benches. People have come and gone, but the one constant is the technical excellence and the passion everyone here has for racing.”
“When we win a race and return to the factory on Monday, you can see people’s eyes light up, as everyone feels part of a larger project.”
“I think that’s what makes me proud to work alongside them, to feel part of a project, with people who give their all to continually improve and always strive to outdo our competitors.”
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Ferrari Faces New Test in Mexico After Austin Double Victory Ferrari Faces New Test in Mexico After Austin Double Victory. f1 2024 Ferrari Faces New Test in Mexico After Austin Double Victory
