With three-day pre-season testing set to begin on Wednesday in Bahrain, it was the final week for the Formula One teams to launch their 2024 cars. The majority of the F1 headlines revolved around these car launches, but there was some other Formula One news to catch up on this week.
Ferrari launched their SF-24 car in an online event from their Maranello base on Tuesday. In terms of livery, the Italian outfit didn’t deviate from their iconic Ferrari red they’ve used for decades. However, they did add a striking yellow and white stripe along the sidepod and across the nose. The car marks a large change in aerodynamic concept from last year’s car, most notably in the sidepod concept, switching from an out-washing sidepod to the more popular down-washing concept. The sidepod is also missing the so-called “water slide” on the top surface of the sidepod.
McLaren revealed the MCL38, having already released their livery a couple of weeks ago. The car is an evolution of the upgraded version of the MCL60 that the team brought to the track late last season. Notably, the team has taken a very different sidepod inlet concept to other teams, opting for a much narrower and taller opening.
Mercedes shared their new W15 in an event at Silverstone on Wednesday. In the looks department, the new livery is unlike any used by the team in the past seasons, resembling a hybrid of the classic Sliver Arrows livery and more modern black livery used in the last few seasons. It retains the red markings on the air intake for their sponsor INEOS, with some additional red accenting added to the side of the nose. The car features many changes over the W14, including moving the driver seat further back, going from a pull-rod to push-rod rear suspension, and a new front wing.
Red Bull revealed the RB20 that they will use in 2024. Although the livery remains virtually unchanged from last year’s car, the same cannot be said for the rest of the car. The nose of the car now connects to the main plate of the front wing, making it longer than last year’s version, although some eagle eyed fans have noticed a screwed on panel at the end of the nose that looks removable. It’s unknown if this could be hiding a secret design change, but it’s been digitally removed from the car’s launch photos. Surprisingly, the sidepod design features some design concepts similar to last year’s Mercedes, including an aerodynamic gulley extending from the Halo to the rear of the car.
Aston Martin unveiled the AMR24 this week. The livery has remained relatively unchanged, sticking with the British racing green with yellow accents along the nose and sidepod of the car. The new car features some changes to the rear suspension, sidepod and nose of the car. Most noticable is the redesigned nose, which now connects to the bottom flap of the front wing instead of the main plane. This is a similar concept to that of the Red Bull and makes the nose shorter.
Aston Martin has recruited Jak Crawford to their Young Driver Development programme. Crawford is a former member of Red Bull’s junior programme, racing in F4 and F3 before moving to F2 last year. After an average season with Hitech in Formula 2, he was dropped from the Red Bull programme. He will be doing some simulator work with Aston Martin in 2024 and will also participate in a private test using the 2022 AMR22. On top of that, he has taken a Formula 2 seat on the DAMS team.
The FIA has appointed Jan Monchaux as their new single-seater technical director. He is replacing Tim Goss, who left the organization late last year. Monchaux has an extensive history in Formula One, first joining Toyota in 2002. After their departure in 2009, he joined Ferrari before taking a hiatus to work at Audi from 2013 to 2018. He most recently joined Sauber in 2018 where he was eventually promoted to be their technical director. He left the team last year.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
