Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes and Aston Martin have all revealed upgraded cars for the Emilia Romagna GP amid the intensifying fight at the front of Formula 1.
With Imola staging the first European round of the season, a number of teams are introducing their most significant round of updates of 2024 so far this weekend.
Most focus has inevitably been placed on Ferrari‘s package of changes as the Italian team race on home soil for the first time this season, with the Scuderia keen to hit back after being usurped as Red Bull’s nearest challengers by McLaren in China and Miami.
“Ferrari have added seven items which are all purely aero improvements,” reported Sky Sports F1’s Ted Kravitz ahead of a Practice One session that Charles Leclerc set the fastest time in.
“They’ve got a very nice extended front wing flap, which actually extends beyond the rear line of the front wing end plate, which is very nice.
“To go with it, it’s the sidepod. It’s pretty much a copy of the Red Bull sidepod with the overbite there. There’s no shame in that, McLaren have more or less copied the Red Bull sidepod, now Ferrari have as well.
“To go with that, there’s a little winglet either side of the halo, which I particularly like, a new engine cover that optimises the air-flow from that new sidepod shape over the engine cover and to the back.
“And the really significant bits, I think, are the rear suspension, an all new rear wing and the diffuser.
“They think with the improved air flow through this diffuser, this is where most of the downforce is added, and they’re thinking this is going to get them on par with McLaren and much closer to Red Bull.”
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Max Verstappen suffered a challenging FP1 after he came off the track twice in Imola.
But championship leaders Red Bull, as ever, are not standing still either as they bid to retain their supremacy.
Three races after an initial upgrade to their RB20 car in Japan, Red Bull are debuting five changes including revised front wing and nose, in addition to revisions to the edge and body of the floor.
Mercedes also have further revisions to their W15’s floor as they chase improved downforce and, therefore, crucial performance.
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Max Verstappen suffered a challenging FP1 after he came off the track twice in Imola.
The biggest package of Imola upgrades in terms of the number of items, however, is at Aston Martin with the team bringing nine different new items including front wing, floor, diffuser and rear suspension.
Miami victors McLaren brought their first big upgrade to the last round, which Lando Norris won, and only have Imola-specific changes for this weekend at the rear of the car.
RB are the only one of the grid’s 10 teams without any updates for the season’s seventh round.
Sky Sports F1’s live Emilia Romagna GP schedule
Saturday May 18
9am: F3 Sprint
11:15am: Emilia Romagna GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.10pm: Emilia Romagna GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Emilia Romagna GP Qualifying
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
5.30pm: Indy 500 Qualifying
Sunday May 19
7.30am: F3 Feature Race
9am: F2 Feature Race
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Emilia Romagna GP build-up
2pm: The EMILIA ROMAGNA GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag: Emilia Romagna GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
8pm: Indy 500 Qualifying
Formula 1 heads to Europe as Imola returns to the calendar following last year’s cancelled race. Watch the Emilia Romagna GP this weekend, with Sunday’s race at 2pm. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime