Ferrari has reintroduced a rear wing concept it previously ran during the 2023 Formula 1 season in order to adapt to the demands of this weekend’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
While the Jeddah Corniche Circuit is classified as a street track, its fast and flowing nature pushes teams towards a low-drag model more akin to that required for Monza.
As such, following the season-opening round in Bahrain, many teams have opted for revised rear and beam wing specifications to improve straight-line efficiency.
Notably, Ferrari has chosen to revert to a lower downforce top rear wing design that the team notes is “fully carried over from [the] 2023 car… this update features de-powered top rear wing profiles in order to adapt to Jeddah circuit layout peculiarities and efficiency requirements”.
For the Scuderia’s home race at Monza last year, Ferrari optimised its SF-23 with an especially skinny rear wing with a smaller main plane compared to rivals Red Bull and Mercedes.
Those circuit-specific modifications preceded Carlos Sainz landing pole position, with the Spaniard then leading team-mate Charles Leclerc for a 3-4 finish behind the Red Bulls.
Ferrari has also brought two types of beam wings to Saudi, the most aggressive being a single-element model to work in conjunction with the slender rear wing top section.
Given it is only the second round of the season, few teams have brought genuine non-circuit-specific upgrades for this weekend.
Ferrari SF-24 rear wing
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
However, Mercedes is sporting a revised rear corner. A lower deflector rotation that reduces load will lead to “improved robustness of the lower deflector throughout the ride height range”.
Aston Martin, meanwhile, has tweaked the front corner of its AMR24 via a new scoop that features inlet and exit changes – thus modifying the airflow around the tyres to clean up the wake and help maximise the performance of the aerodynamic parts downstream. The RB squad has brought new engine bodywork.
Red Bull, McLaren and Williams have focused purely on optimising their current packages for the requirements of the Jeddah track.
Like Ferrari, an emphasis has been placed on the interaction between the rear and beam wings.
However, Williams has also shrunk its front brake duct to compensate for the lower demands while Red Bull has modified its engine cover bodywork to reduce the cooling exit given the absence of low-speed corner sequences.
Alpine, Sauber and Haas have opted against submitting any new parts to the FIA for this event.
