Ferrari’s long-awaited upgrade package for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix made the first impression in the Imola pit lane, as the Scuderia aims to battle Red Bull.
Ferrari has Red Bull’s constant maximum risk in the opening months of the 2024 F1 season, with Carlos Sainz leading the house with a one-two finish at the Australian Grand Prix.
Additional reporting via Thomas Maher
The Prancing Horse arrived at Imola, the first of two Italian-founded F1 races of 2024, armed with the team’s first major upgrade package for the new campaign, having tested the new parts on a day of filming at its Fiorano control track last week.
The shakedown came after Ferrari tested the latest evolution of the FIA’s Sprayguard concept, which is designed to improve visibility in wet conditions.
The update, which adds tweaks to the sidepod access inlets, floor and rear wing, is expected to allow Ferrari to challenge Red Bull in a more consistent way.
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Speaking at the FIA press convention at Imola on Thursday, Sainz predicted that Ferrari’s war with Red Bull and McLaren would likely remain track-specific as the race continued.
And he wants the team to target the car’s weaknesses, after being frustrated by its lack of functionality in China last month when Ferrari ended its run of 100 consecutive podiums.
He told the media, adding to PlanetF1. com’s Thomas Maher: “I still think it’s going to count on the court.
Miami was a better track for our car and we had very smart pace, although McLaren and Red Bull were maybe a step ahead.
“Our car is back to normal, whereas in China in particular it didn’t go well, so I think we rely a lot on the track and hopefully Imola will be one of those smart tracks for us and that we can achieve. “A clever performance. ” Exhibit yourself in front of the crowd. This would be the ideal scenario.
“For the rest of the season, we’re going to have to keep pushing at circuits like China, because there are certain types of corners where our car is struggling at the moment and we want to keep moving in that direction.
Red Bull is also expected to make its debut with upgrades at Imola, while McLaren is expected to use two fully upgraded cars this weekend following Lando Norris’ victory at last year’s race in Miami.
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