Ferrari Accelerates Formula 1 Upgrade Package to Spanish Grand Prix, Denies Reaction to Canada Struggles
Ferrari Fast-Tracks Latest Upgrades
Ferrari has fast-tracked its latest Formula 1 upgrade package to the Spanish Grand Prix, comprising seven new components. However, Senior Performance Engineer Jock Clear insists the decision was not a response to the team’s poor showing in Canada.
The Italian marque’s promising start to the campaign was derailed at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where both drivers failed to make Q3 and retired from the race.
“I think we’ve spoken in the past about how subtle some of the effects on aero are, certainly at the back of the car,” Clear said. “And this was in parallel with Imola, so this isn’t a reaction to Imola, if you see what I mean. This isn’t the upgrade from Imola, and then we look at what it did.”
The upgrade package includes new components aimed at improving the car’s performance, but Ferrari opted not to conduct a back-to-back comparison test during first practice. Clear stated that there would not be enough practice time to gather a definitive conclusion, citing the subtlety of the differences between the parts.
Testing the Upgrades in Barcelona
Instead, Ferrari will focus on monitoring the car’s performance and looking for any warning signs that the upgrade is not delivering as expected. Clear acknowledged that Barcelona’s conventional track layout and the abundance of knowledge teams have from the circuit make it an ideal location for evaluating a car.
“Barcelona is a fantastic circuit to evaluate a car,” he said. “So, if you can, you’re always going to want to come to Barcelona with a package. That’s why we do pre-season here, and as a result, we’ve got so much experience here that it levels all of the other variables for us, and you get a good read on a package.”
When asked how much the upgrade is set to be worth, Clear emphasized that the team’s focus is on performance, stating, “When we quantify an upgrade, we’re only talking performance. That’s what it’s all about at the end of the day. We could talk some interesting numbers that the aero department produce, but how much lap time it produces is always our measure.”
Ferrari’s decision to accelerate the upgrade package to the Spanish Grand Prix demonstrates the team’s commitment to staying competitive in the Formula 1 calendar. With the championship battle heating up, every advantage counts, and Ferrari is banking on this latest upgrade to give them an edge over their rivals.
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