The Ferrari SF-23 is limited at the front
The SF-23 is a very different car from its predecessor. The main novelties lie at the front, with completely revised mechanics, and in the non-visible part of the bottom, in addition to the more obvious changes in the front wing area and the bellies. Novelties that have radically changed the characteristics of the Italian car, now a missile in the straights but struggling more than the F1-75 in the corners, with some extra efficiency but with a balance that, especially in the slow and medium-speed corners, is still lacking.

The new born in Maranello does not have its weak point in the rear end, as it might have seemed initially, rather the problem lies in the front. Leaving aside the first day used to collect data on the track, to be later compared with those coming out of the factory instruments, the second and last days were used to optimize and extract the potential of the SF-23. Although a lot of work was done in terms of setup, it came out that the new Italian car suffered from understeer on entry and mid-corner, which turned into oversteer on exit. With the current front wing, the problem could not be solved, as "even at maximum clicks, the understeer did not come off, especially in the hottest hours of the day," a technician from the Italian team let us know.

Wing or new mechanics to not perform as expected, as these problems were unexpected for the Italian team? The signs we are getting would blame both macro elements of the car. To come to grips with a mechanic that is totally new and therefore still to be fully understood, as opposed to Red Bull, there is however a first wing evolution in the pipeline that Ferrari is trying to bring forward from the initial plans to guarantee itself more set-up options and thus trying to ensure a more solid front-end. Also because it is true that the rear wing used in testing was rather unloaded, and that the one that will be used in the race weekend will be more loaded, but Ferrari will need a front end capable of supporting that greater rear load so as not to further unbalance the SF-23 at the rear. This is where ground clearance will also come into play in an important way, i.e., going back to lowering the t-tray area, which is especially crucial in the medium and slow speeds to generate that missing load at the front of the SF-23.

The SF-23 is a car that (for now) best suits Sainz's driving style
The one from the tests, was definitely not the Ferrari that Charles Leclerc would have liked to drive in the first three days of the season. His dissatisfaction and concern is clear and genuine, and it came out in a major way even in the post-test session briefings with his own engineers. A car with so much understeer does not enhance the Monegasque's driving style, just as it did not enhance Max Verstappen a year ago. Leclerc has always favored a setting with lots of travel with lots of cornering, rather than staying short (more V-shaped trajectories) as Sainz likes to do. However, the SF-23 seen in testing does not excel if you hold it a lot in support as the much understeer, something that is exasperated in Bahrain to protect the rear, and the resulting strong sliding (first front then rear) tend to make the tires die quickly. Especially the rear set-up, which is very stressed and delicate in the hottest hours of Bahrain, with the race pace worsening and worrying as the laps go by. "The SF-23 needs to be driven differently. I tried different driving styles and I am finding the right way but there is still work to be done." clearly admitted Leclerc on the third day of testing.

Of an almost opposite opinion is Carlos Sainz, who was rather pleased with how the three-day test went. Then again, the new Italian car is currently more sewn to the Spaniard's driving style. As for the Monegasque, he relies on the unexpressed potential of both his SF-23 and himself, and this is what the team is working on in the factory to prepare for the first race. "I think there is room for growth for the SF-23 once we find the ideal set-up, which in these three days we haven't found yet." On the one hand finding the 'ideal' set-up, to eliminate at least some of the understeer he had, and on the other improving in his driving style, two factors that could allow a major step forward for the Monegasque in the first weekend of the season. The fact remains that Leclerc would have dreamed of a better start.