P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Why Ferrari hit a ceiling with its 2023 F1 car development
“Ferrari introduced an updated version of their 2022 car at the beginning of 2023, but it was not able to maintain its initial challenge to Red Bull. The SF-23 showed promise in qualifying but struggled with aerodynamic inconsistencies during races, particularly on hot, high-downforce circuits. Ferrari attempted to address these issues through aggressive development, adding aerodynamic load and making updates, but they were unable to fully improve their race pace.
The limitations they faced were particularly related to the chassis, specifically the sidepods. Ferrari had made design choices that affected the aerodynamics and limited their ability to make significant changes.
Furthermore, introducing a B-spec chassis during the season was not possible due to the cost cap regulations. Ultimately, Ferrari realized that the direction they had taken with their car design was not optimal, but they were unable to make major changes during the season.
Overall, the team acknowledged that their chassis design had become a limiting factor in achieving their goals.”
