The FIA introduced regulatory changes for the Miami Grand Prix, aiming to enhance safety and competitive balance. In the first practice session, the effect was immediate: Charles Leclerc, with his Ferrari, recorded the fastest time, leaving the Mercedes drivers in secondary positions. The hierarchy on the track was notably altered.
Technical adjustments that reconfigure on-track performance 🏎️
The new guidelines focus on wing stiffness and underfloor airflow management, areas where Ferrari has shown superior adaptation. The SF-24 leveraged the restrictions to maintain aerodynamic downforce without sacrificing top speed, while Mercedes struggled with balance in slow corners. The difference in lap times reflects how a regulatory change can expose weaknesses in other teams' designs.
Mercedes discovers the regulations weren't their only problem 😅
Seeing Hamilton and Russell behind a Ferrari is nothing new, but seeing them behind a Ferrari that isn't the 2004 one is quite something. Brackley's engineers must already be scouring the FIA rulebooks for some forgotten clause that allows them to complain. For now, they can only accept that, in Miami, the new regulations tasted more like a penalty than an opportunity.