Unpredictable F1 Season: Ferrari Set for SF-24 Evolution

Ferrari considers further SF-24 updates for Qatar as four teams engage in a thrilling and unpredictable race for the championship.

Frédéric Vasseur, Ferrari’s team principal, emphasizes that the team must “stay calm” in the face of potential shifts in the hierarchy over the final five races.

While his team surged forward with a one-two finish in Austin, climbing to 8 points behind Red Bull Racing and 48 from the leader McLaren in the Constructors’ standings, the title remains within reach.

But the unpredictability of this 2024 season, unlike any other, keeps the Frenchman cautious.

“We are in a tight battle between four teams that no one can predict.”

“This weekend again, Lewis (Hamilton) was flying in the Sprint qualifying before the yellow flag, he was miles ahead up to Turn 12, then disappeared a bit over the weekend.”

“You have many weekends like this. I clearly remember Spa, where Red Bull was six-tenths ahead in FP1, then it was McLaren, then we took pole, and in the end, Mercedes won the race!”

“This means we must always stay grounded and keep calm. Every session is different, and every race is different. Just because you’re in good form one weekend doesn’t mean you’ll dominate the next.”

It is rare for teams to introduce many updates this late in the season, as factories focus on next year’s car. However, Vasseur stated that new parts for the Ferrari SF-24 could arrive as late as the penultimate race of the year in Qatar.

The Frenchman seemed to rule out the use of new parts in Mexico due to the challenges posed by the high altitude of the circuit but left the door open for updates beyond that point.

“Next time is a unique case, with the altitude. It’s a big challenge in terms of brake and engine cooling. I think Brazil will probably be more in line with our usual approach.”

“As for the updates, if we have good options, we’ll do our best to bring something, but it’s likely to be for Qatar rather than Vegas.”