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Ferrari has reportedly managed to hit the weight limit on their 2024 F1 challenger, making the car faster for over half a second.
After earlier reports of the Scuderia gaining 9% of downforce and a pace gain of a little over half a second, Motorsport stated that the team has also managed to reduce weight. This becomes an important aspect of the car in terms of pace.
The report states that the car is 6kg lighter than the minimum weight limit of 798kg designated by the FIA. This is the first time in the new regulations since 2022 that Ferrari has managed to keep their car under the weight limit.
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The gearbox is narrower to accommodate a larger diffuser and changes were also made in the hybrid system. While this will make the car much faster, it will also help the team fight one of their major weakness: tire degradation.
During the recent F1 seasons, it has been analyzed that Ferrari struggles with tire degradation, which affects their strategies. With a car that is lighter in weight, the Pirelli is expected to degrade much less and also help with the overall pace.
With their performance in the final few races of the 2023 F1 season, the Scuderia has been expected to carry the momentum forward and be more competitive in 2024.
Ferrari's winning chances in 2024 F1 season explored
The 2023 season was dominated by Red Bull, who won 21 of the 22 races. Its winning streak was interrupted by Ferrari in Singapore when Carlos Sainz emerged victorious.
The Italian team achieved this after a very tough start to the season. SF-23 had an upward trajectory in R&D, which helped it finish third in the championship; only three points away from Mercedes at second.
This performance was promising and set a model for the upcoming racing season. It is, however, still difficult to say if the team will be able to battle with Red Bull and others for victory. Despite the reported improvement in the pace, there are other issues such as reliability and strategy that Ferrari will have to work on.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur had earlier urged his engineers to take more risks with the design concept for the upcoming season. 2022 gave the team an excellent shot at winning as Charles Leclerc won three races and was the runner-up in the championship behind Max Verstappen.
Victory might not be far for the team in 2024 if they manage to work on the weaknesses other than the overall competitiveness of the car. Tire degradation remains an aspect that needs to be worked on, but with the reports of the car being lighter, good results might knock on the door soon.
