Ferrari has decided to reintroduce the floor that Carlos Sainz tested during the first free practice session for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Spanish driver seemed hesitant about the solution, which was labeled as “experimental,” as he started the Nevada weekend with a slower pace than expected. Sainz finished sixth, trailing Charles Leclerc by two-tenths, and appeared unimpressed by the solution that was supposed to preview the 2025 philosophy.
The engineers at Ferrari explained that the floor was an experiment to test new wind tunnel calibrations after updates made during the summer break. The floor will be reintroduced at the 5.419-kilometer Lusail International Circuit, this time on Charles Leclerc’s car. A technical briefing is currently underway, and there is a possibility that the floor might be set aside due to the limited practice time before qualifying for the sprint race.
It remains to be seen if Leclerc will also give his opinion on the new floor, which features a longer longitudinal wing and unique metallic supports at the curb exit.
The updated design near the blow-off area includes a squared-off slot at the rear of the floor, which is now secured by a tie rod. The bracket connecting the curb elements has been removed, replacing it with a carbon tongue in an L-shape protruding from the floor. This element includes a vertical flow diverter and a ramp with a double angle to direct air downward, as well as a micro-slot functioning as a vortex generator on the curb exit edge.
The mysterious new floor at Lusail is currently mounted on SF-24 number 16, but it may not be permanent, especially considering the limited time available to optimize the car setup for the Qatar GP.
Nov 29, 2024
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