Although Red Bull were undoubtedly the favorites heading into the 2024 season as well, the Ferrari team had hoped that they would have managed to close down the gap to the Milton Keynes-based outfit as much as possible. While the Italian outfit definitely does seem like the second-fastest team on the grid at the moment, they are still way behind Red Bull after taking into account the results of the first two races of the campaign. However, Ferrari engineer Jock Clear believes that his side will only know their full potential at the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.
The British engineer said in a report published by FormulaPassion, “Given the way this year’s calendar is structured, I think that after four races we will have a fairly precise idea. Suzuka is indeed an exceptional circuit to test a car. There, on that type of circuit, we will discover many things.”
A crucial thing that Ferrari is likely to understand at the Suzuka track is how well the SF-24 can manage the tires. Since the Japanese GP is not kind to the tires because of the unforgiving asphalt, they will really be able to test the same.
Before the Japanese GP, it was the Spanish GP that provided insight for the teams about where they stood. However, since F1 has moved the race at the Circuit de Catalunya to mid-June, teams are now looking to get most of their insights at Suzuka in April.
Jock Clear believes Ferrari have made “positive changes“
In 2023, Scuderia Ferrari finished their season in P3, compared to 2022’s P2. After last year’s disappointing performance with the SF-23, Ferrari confirmed that they made significant improvements to their 2024 challenger.
Speaking about it, Jock Clear revealed, “The SF-24 is better in downforce, power, lightness and handling. Regarding this last aspect, it was a big step forward made in the winter. Both drivers are much more comfortable with the car and its greater predictability.”
However, Clear is also afraid about how the car would react to certain situations such as under dirty air or harsh wind conditions. Therefore, the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix could be a crucial race for Ferrari to evaluate their position in the pecking order.
