Formula 1 teams are not superstitious. When presentations fall on February 13, and this happens almost every year, no one is bothered. Granted, in February the 13th rarely falls on a Friday; the last time this happened was in 2015 and there were no presentations that day.
On February 13, 2024, the Ferrari team presented its new car, the SF-24, by publishing material on its official website. The photos, interviews and official statements were taken the day before and the video was less than two minutes long.
The SF-24 is the 70th car built by the company to compete in Formula 1. The presentation in Fiorano was attended by President John Elkann, CEO Benedetto Vigna and Vice President Piero Ferrari, representatives of partners and team members, including leader Frederic Vasseur and drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Photo gallery: Ferrari SF-24 presentation
Frederik Vasseurteam leader: “The presentation of a new car is a very exciting moment for me and the drivers, although we are already thinking about what can soon compete with our rivals on the track.
This year we have to start where we left off at the end of last season, when we improved in everything and fought in the leading group.
The longest season in Formula 1 history is on the horizon. Charles, Carlos and I agree that we must manage the situation during the races better and more effectively and make bold decisions to achieve the best result at every Grand Prix.
It is often said that the support of the fans makes the car faster, and this will certainly help us in such a long season. We are proud that we can count on our “tifosi” all over the world!”
The SF-24 is the third new generation vehicle since the return of ground effect, but differs from the previous ones. The design team, led by Enrico Cardile, wanted to build a predictable and controllable car based on the final races of last season.
Externally the car is also different: white has returned to the color scheme and there is less black. Like last year, the SF-24 and WEC 499P share the same red color, but the Formula 1 car uses matte paint.
The SF-24 will travel its first kilometers today as part of the filming day and will then head out for tests, which start next week.
Enrico Cardile: “When developing the SF-24, we tried to create a completely new platform, literally rethinking every part of the vehicle from a design perspective. And this despite the fact that we have stuck to the direction chosen last year, which has allowed us to significantly increase competitiveness at the end of the season.
We took into account everything the racers told us, translating their ideas into real technical solutions to offer them a car that is more comfortable to drive and therefore easier to fully realize its potential.
When designing the chassis we did not impose any restrictions on ourselves, we only aimed to create a fast and understandable car that could confirm on the track the calculations we made during aerodynamic studies.”
Enrico Gualtieri, chief engineer: “Although the modernization of the power plant has been frozen based on current regulations, this does not mean that we will not face interesting challenges in 2024. We have more races to run than in any previous season, which requires a quicker response and less time available for bench testing.
To prepare for all this, we reviewed the processes related to the engine – we are talking about everything related to its preparation and operation. This will maximize its effectiveness.
In addition, we have worked very closely with our partners at Shell in an effort to optimize all procedures related to reliability, including by continuously monitoring the condition of all process fluids used in the car during track days. This means you are always aware of what is happening with the power plant.”
For the second time in recent years, it emerged that one of the key Scuderia drivers knew before the start of the season that he would be leaving the team. In 2020, the season started late due to Covid-19, and as early as May it was announced that the team would part ways with Sebastian Vettel afterwards – he was subsequently replaced by Carlos Sainz. And in 2024, Lewis Hamilton announced in January that he would leave Mercedes at the end of the year and move to Ferrari in 2025, where he would replace Sainz.
Charles Leclerc: “I really like the paint of the car, including the white and yellow parts. But much more important is how he behaves on the court. The SF-24 should be less sensitive to conditions and easier to control – this is what we need to achieve better results.
I hope we will improve in several areas this year. Based on the work on the simulator, I think we are on the right track. This season our goal is to continuously fight at the forefront. I want to please our fans by dedicating them to winning races.”
Interview: Charles Leclerc
Carlos Sainz: “When I first saw the SF-24, I immediately wanted to get behind the wheel. I’m looking forward to driving on the track to see if it matches the experience I had on the simulator.
We wanted to make the car more controllable and stable over the race distance – this is what we need to fight for victories.
We, the drivers, did our best to provide accurate feedback to the engineers, and I am confident that the staff in Maranello listened to our wishes. We want to give the fans something to celebrate because they supported us so much last year, even when things didn’t go the way we wanted.”
Interview: Carlos Sainz
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
