Ferrari Chassis Technical Director Enrico Cardile has credited the effectiveness of the team’s simulation tools for its success on Formula 1 Sprint weekends in 2023.
The Italian marque had aimed to sustain a title challenge under the second year of the current technical regulations but came unstuck with an inconsistent SF-23 car that proved unable to take the fight to Red Bull.
However, Ferrari became the first side to topple reigning champion Max Verstappen when Charles Leclerc bagged pole position on the opening Sprint weekend in Azerbaijan.
While he was powerless to prevent the Red Bulls in race trim, the Monegasque beat Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin to third to claim Ferrari’s first podium of the campaign.
Leclerc would follow that up with a second place in Austria and another third in Belgium to ensure that all three of Ferrari’s top-three finishes across the first half of the season arrived when the Sprint format was utilised.
Cardile believes that record was no coincidence, citing that Ferrari has identified it performs stronger than its rivals whenever the teams are limited on track testing time before parc ferme conditions are enforced.
“I’m happy with the level of correlation we’ve achieved, whether it’s CFD, wind tunnel or the driving simulator,” he told German outlet AMuS. “They also help us understand.
“The harder part is finding a solution to the problems that arise. If you ask your tool the right questions, you will get the right answers.
“Since it’s a lab test, you have to test the right things. Exactly those as they appear in reality.
“On a Sprint weekend you only have one hour to set up your car. You are much more dependent on your preparation, and that is the result of your simulations.
“We recognize that on average we perform better on Sprint weekends compared to other teams. That is one of our strengths.”
Ferrari would progressively improve beyond the summer break with a revised car concept to deny Red Bull a historic clean sweep as Carlos Sainz took the spoils in Singapore.
But the Maranello squad would fall short of overhauling Mercedes for second place in the Constructors’ standings by three points.
Along with Mercedes, Ferrari is pursuing a brand-new car philosophy for 2024 as it bids to provide a more consistent challenge to Red Bull, who have prevailed in 39 of the 44 races to be held since the start of last year.
