Evolutions for Sainz and Leclerc at Monza: Ferrari, doing everything at home

He F1 Italian GPin monzait is always special for Ferrari. It is the home event, the event where all the ‘tifosi’ gather to show the world that Ferrari is more than an F1 team, that it is a feeling, a passion that has no limits and is beyond any reason. Ferrari has always marked this event in red because it wants to win. He wants it in all of them, but in monzamore. And even more so in complex years like 2024, with the car one step behind McLarencurrent dominator, the Red Bull of Verstappen and even Mercedes, apparently in the last appointments.

For this reason, Ferrari is putting all its efforts into this Italian Grand Prix. In the ‘Prancing Horse’ team there is a belief (wrong or not) that in a bad year, a home win saves the season. Therefore, they usually make more effort, which is the case Italian GP of F1 2024, where the red team arrives with an important package of evolutions.

They are waiting to step up and fight at the top

Carlos Sainz played down the issue last week at Zandvoort when asked about the developments. “It will be something small.” But no, because the Italian team arrived at Monza with a new floor, the element that provides the most aerodynamic load in current F1 cars. Although Ferrari continues to downplay its importance, it is relevant and they hope it will allow them to take another step, as team boss Fred Vasseur said.

“I’m not thinking about McLaren, I’m just trying to do my best to push the progress to prepare for Monza in the best way and we’ll see where we go. “If you remember 12 months ago at Zandvoort, I think in the race we were P5 and P24, in qualifying we were nowhere, and the following week we were in pole position,” Vasseur recalled, clarifying that the poor qualification of Zandvoort should not be taken as representative of what can be seen in Monza, a completely opposite track, with less load, very specific and special. And making low-load rear wings, Ferrari is very good at it, as Carlos Sainz acknowledged to MD.

And certainly, The Italian team will have a new low-load rear wing for this track to be as fast as possible on the straight, something important in the so-called ‘temple of speed’, since 80% of the track is straight.

“It doesn’t mean that we will be pole, but it’s just the beginning of the season, that’s how it is. “I think after three races, everyone is convinced that Max will be champion in the middle of the season, and then we won a few races, then it was McLaren, then Mercedes, now McLaren, and I hope to come back the Ferrari as soon as possible.”declared Vasseur, optimistic about the short-term future, aware that Monza, Singapore or Baku could outline where to fix his year.

“I don’t need anyone to tell me if we are the favorites or not, I will keep the same strategy in any case,” Vasseur said. “Hopefully we’ll be better in the next three events. We were better last year on these three tracks. Again, it’s a matter of details: the fact that Being in good shape in the short corners will help us, and if you can move forward by one or two tenths, it’s a game changer. But We also know that everything gets better. We also know that (in Zandvoort) there is still a big gap between us and Lando and we are quite far away. “That means we have a lot to do, and I’m never going to Monza or Baku with the feeling that it’s going to be an easy road.”

McLaren, favorite, but focus on Ferrari

McLaren is very strong and should be the favourite. But pay attention to Ferrari. Last year they came further than Red Bull and had serious speed problems in the race, where they sank after a very good classification. This year, degradation and speed in the race will no longer be a problem for Ferrari and he knows he will have a car that will fight for the top from pole. Can they beat McLaren? This is the million dollar question. But there is optimism.

The Ferrari engine: Leclerc, with fewer kilometers

Obviously, with Carlos Sainz leaving the team, the red team wanted their bet, Charles Leclerc, to shine at home against the ‘tifosi’. No wonder the Monegasque brand new engine came in Zandvoortbecause it will come cooler than monza. Is it logical to change Sainz’s engine too? Yes, although we will have to see if the Italians will do it to give the Spaniard some potential to repeat last year’s pole position and fight for the win.