At the Japanese Grand Prix, Ferrari has chosen to leave its promising Macarena wing on the shelf. Indeed, the Italian team did not equip its cars with this innovative solution. While waiting for necessary developments, the SF-26 is focusing on strategic adjustments for the upcoming races.
No Revolution for the SF-26
The SF-26 has not seen major evolutions for this third Grand Prix of the season. The cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races, due to the geopolitical situation, has disrupted the development schedule initially set by Loïc Serra, the technical director in charge of the chassis. These changes have forced Ferrari to reassess its priorities and technical objectives.
The Challenge of Suzuka
The Suzuka circuit, with its unique layout and technical corners, does not allow the Scuderia to compete for victory. Charles Leclerc himself has expressed doubts about a competitive performance against Mercedes this weekend. Nevertheless, he hopes to get closer to the cars of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell when racing resumes in Miami in early May. This hope relies on a weight reduction of the car, a crucial issue to meet the regulatory limit.
A Wing in Development
The Macarena wing, designed to rotate on itself, will continue its development on the static bench in Maranello. This solution is still at an early stage of development and must undergo several reliability tests before being deemed fit for competition. In its initial version, this wing showed potential gains in top speed when open. However, instabilities during the closing phase were observed, making coordination with the front wing problematic, thus creating imbalances during braking.
Necessary Adjustments
It would be incorrect to speak of a complete abandonment; rather, it is a phase of adjustment and optimization. In addition to the Macarena wing, Ferrari has also introduced a new fin to be mounted on the halo, using an innovative material. However, its appearance on track remains uncertain as it is planned for further development.
Focus on Power Unit
Before this crucial weekend, the engineers’ attention has focused on managing the power unit. The main objective: to improve the battery recharge capacity, which remains inferior compared to the performance observed at Mercedes. Although there have been no major innovations at this level, Ferrari is looking to leverage thermal performance to maximize efficiency during races.
In Summary
- Ferrari leaves its Macarena wing in the garage for Suzuka.
- The SF-26 has not received notable evolutions before the Grand Prix.
- Charles Leclerc remains hopeful for Miami with a weight reduction.
- The developing wing still requires technical adjustments.
- The engineers are focusing on improving the power unit.
