Ferrari’s suspension is more efficient than Red Bull’s

In Formula 1, every aerodynamicist dreams of an active suspension, because the interaction of hydraulic systems and intelligent control electronics makes it possible to always keep the chassis in the optimal position, regardless of the load.

But the use of such systems was banned already in 1994, after which over the years teams resorted to various tricks to imitate, to some extent, the effect of active suspension. For example, we can remember systems called FRIC (Front-and-Rear Interconnected), where the front and rear suspension interacted thanks to smart hydraulics, but these were also banned ten years ago.

In the current technical regulations, which came into force in 2022, the FIA ​​​​has separately introduced preventive measures that do not allow the use of specific components in suspension systems – there must be only traditional shock absorbers, levers, springs and/or springs . or torsion bars.

However, Red Bull Racing found a solution in the first year: the ground clearance at the rear of their RB18 on straights was reduced under the influence of aerodynamic loads, which provided a significant advantage in top speed and increased the effect of the use of DRS. .

Rivals were unable to respond immediately, but this year similar solutions were implemented in Ferrari, Mercedes, Haas and Visa RB cars. But what they came up with in Maranello works even better than on the RB20, according to experts from the German publication Auto Motor und Sport.

First of all, all the teams mentioned now use torsion springs in the suspension design, which allows for more precise adjustment of ground clearance, and this is fundamental for a chassis based on the principle of ground effect.

In previous generation cars, rear clearance ranged from 140 to 180 mm, while suspension travel was 80 mm, and about 20 mm was caused by deformation of the rubber. Now the ground clearance around the rear axle does not exceed 60-70 mm when the car is stationary. Accordingly, the suspension and 18-inch tires provide a much smaller change in ground clearance along the way.

At the same time, the teams no longer actively try to increase speed by increasing the maximum speed on the straights, but aim to improve lap times by optimizing ground clearance in certain speed ranges. The most effective suspension systems, such as those from Ferrari, make it possible to adjust them so that the ground clearance at the rear of the car remains relatively high in slow and medium-speed corners. This also allows the car to overcome uneven roads and tackle curbs more quietly.

As speed increases under the influence of aerodynamic loads, ground clearance decreases and reaches only a predetermined limit. At the same time, the downforce remains optimal in fast corners.

The technical solutions with which all this is achieved make the chassis a few kilos heavier, but that pays off in the end. The SF-24’s suspension works much more efficiently than that of last year’s car. This season it is the Ferrari cars that can handle bumps and curbs best, but Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz also know how to take fast corners at a reasonably good speed.

However, not all teams chose this path; McLaren doubts the prospects. Woking team boss Andrea Stella said: “We don’t use complex systems to reduce ride height. With minimal ground clearance, this can lead to undesirable consequences in the form of a sharp decrease in downforce on those parts of the circuit where you want to avoid this.”