Finally, a splash of color to the 2024 F1 grid. And not just any color, but one shared with a Le Mans-winning hypercar. Welcome to the Ferrari SF-24, the 70th Formula One car built by the Scuderia. A long history, and one that a certain Lewis Hamilton will soon be a part of.
For now, Carlos Sainz Jr. and teammate Charles Leclerc will look forward to a car that, says Ferrari, builds on the good feeling they had in the last few races of 2023; a car that promises to be “easy to drive and that reacts predictably,” allowing the two hotshoes the chance to wring it out proper.
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Ferrari said the same thing about the 499P Le Mans car too, and that did fairly well last year. So the matt colour scheme is carried over to this car—it’s the same shade of red as the 499—along with splashes of yellow and white. A glossy rosso wouldn't have gone amiss, Ferrari. Just sayin’.
Still, Leclerc likes the look and (simulator) feel of the 24. “I like the look of the car a lot,” he said, “including the white and yellow parts on the bodywork. But of course, what really interests me is how it will perform on track, as that’s all that matters. The SF-24 ought to be less sensitive and easier to drive and for us drivers that’s what you need in order to do well. I expect the car to be a step forward in several areas and from the impression I formed in the simulator I think we’re where we want to be.”
Ditto Sainz Jr, who of course enters his last season with the Scuderia. “When I saw the SF-24 for the first time, I couldn’t wait to jump in and fire it up. Now, I’m looking forward to driving it on track to see if it correlates with the feeling I had from the simulator, which is that it’s the step forward we all want. The aim is to have a car that’s more driveable and therefore able to run at a consistent race pace, as these are the basic requirements to fight for wins.”
Will it? Hamilton will certainly be keeping a close eye on its fortunes this year...
More photos of the Ferrari SF-24:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
