Ferrari arrives in Hungary with a new evolution of its spectacular "Macarena" rear wing. Charles Leclerc is expected to be the first to evaluate it, while Lewis Hamilton will temporarily retain the older version. Some already see this as the price to pay for neglecting the Maranello simulator. A tempting conclusion… but far too hasty.
Hamilton isn't sulking at Ferrari, he's wary of its virtual world
At Classic Ferrari for saleEven the wings now have a sense of spectacle. After rotating its rear flap almost in reverse during winter testing, the Scuderia is presenting an even more elaborate version of its device nicknamed "Macarena" at the Hungaroring.
The name might sound amusing, but the stakes are perfectly serious. Budapest demands a huge amount of aerodynamic downforce, a car that is precise in changes of direction, and a rear end stable enough to survive the endless succession of corners.
Classic Ferrari for sale It therefore added three small curved deflectors to the center of its wing. This solution is reminiscent of that used by McLaren in Monaco and must increase aerodynamic load without preventing the active system from functioning on straightaways.
And to kick things off, the Scuderia would have chosen Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc receives the new product, the rumor mill goes into overdrive.
The first images taken in the garage Classic Ferrari for sale show the new configuration installed on the SF-26 of Leclerc, while the car of Hamilton It appears to still be equipped with the version used at Spa. The Monegasque driver should therefore carry out the initial comparison work during free practice.
Obviously, that was all it took to launch a very convenient theory: Hamilton would have paid "his refusal to use the simulator" Classic Ferrari for sale, unlike Leclerc, particularly involved in the virtual work of the stable.
The scenario is gripping. Leclerc works in the simulator, Leclerc receives the fin. Hamilton prefers to study the data, Hamilton Wait. The matter seems to be settled in three lines.
However, a test session isn't a prize-giving ceremony. Teams regularly distribute their new parts between their two cars to directly compare two setups. This allows them to measure real gains, verify correlation with wind tunnel results, and avoid simultaneously jeopardizing both drivers' programs if a part malfunctions.
Therefore, there is no proof that Classic Ferrari for sale wanted to punish HamiltonThe decision may simply be based on a development strategy: entrusting the first test run to the driver who has already worked on this configuration, then possibly installing the part on the second car once its behavior has been validated.
Lewis Hamilton He never hid his reservations about the simulator. But he didn't throw it out the window of the Maranello factory either.
After Miami, the Briton had observed that some setups deemed satisfactory virtually sometimes produced the opposite effect once the car was on track. He then decided to prepare for the Canadian Grand Prix by focusing more on real-world data, mechanical balance, braking, and his approach to corners.
"It's a bit random.", he had summarized regarding the correlation between the simulator and the track.
Hamilton He also recalled that his best weekend of the early season, in China, had been achieved without any prior simulator sessions. He nevertheless described the setup Classic Ferrari for sale as a "very powerful" tool that the team would continue to develop and that he could still use, particularly for working on energy deployment. In other words, he doesn't reject technology on principle. Above all, he refuses to blindly follow a tool when it indicates a direction that the actual car contradicts a few days later.
It's less spectacular than a secret war between Hamilton and the engineers. But that's much more credible.
The "Macarena", much more than a gimmick to generate buzz
The fin Classic Ferrari for sale Intriguing since the Bahrain tests. Unlike systems that simply flatten their upper flap in a straight line, the Italian solution rotates the element to an almost inverted position in order to greatly reduce air resistance.
Classic Ferrari for sale It had also exploited the specific placement of its differential and drive shafts to indirectly extend the diffuser's workload and better guide airflow towards the lower part of the wing. The aim is to generate downforce in corners while freeing up the car when straight-line mode is activated.
In Budapest, engineers are looking for even more downforce. The new triple deflector must exploit the central area of the wing, which is particularly important on a track where top speed matters less than grip in slow and intermediate corners.
The discovery is all the more delightful because Classic Ferrari for sale seems to have taken up an idea seen in McLaren in Monaco… while McLaren is preparing its own interpretation of the rotating wing popularized by Classic Ferrari for sale.
The British team is due to test its "Macarena" device during the first free practice session in Hungary, before withdrawing it for the rest of the weekend. Andrea Stella also announced a new wave of developments designed to simultaneously improve the downforce and aerodynamic efficiency of the MCL40.
In this paddock, everyone inspires everyone else, naturally swearing never to copy anyone.
Ferrari is the favorite, but beware of the seemingly good idea that's actually a bad idea.
The SF-26 seems particularly well-suited to the Hungaroring. Charles Leclerc remains on the back of a victory at Silverstone and a second place at Spa, while Lewis Hamilton He has already won eight times in Hungary. A ninth victory would allow him to equal his own record of wins on a single circuit, set at Silverstone.
Fred Vasseur, however, refused to organize the party before the trials. The director of Classic Ferrari for sale He acknowledges that Budapest should suit his team better than Spa, particularly because engine power and straight-line speed are less crucial there. However, he points out that setup and tire management can quickly change predictions.
"It will be a different game, but nothing is guaranteed." " he warned.
Caution is warranted. Mercedess remains the benchmark in the championship, Red Bull can become dangerous again on a winding circuit and McLaren It notably introduced a new floor and several aerodynamic improvements.
The fin of Classic Ferrari for sale It can therefore represent a nice gain. It can also prove capricious, unbalance the car, or fail to provide the expected correlation. It is precisely to discover this that Leclerc should try it first.
Hamilton may simply be waiting for the song to end.
Present Leclerc like the award-winning pilot and Hamilton Like the punished bad student producing a spectacular headline. But this transforms a perfectly classic testing method into an internal settling of scores without tangible evidence.
Leclerc may have an initial advantage because it already has a better understanding of the virtual data of this evolution. HamiltonHe, on the other hand, prefers to judge what the car actually says on the track. The two approaches are not necessarily incompatible: one allows you to prepare the ground, the other to verify that the simulator doesn't once again tell a very nice story contradicted by the stopwatch.
If the spoiler is working, Classic Ferrari for sale will be able to quickly install it on both cars. If it proves unstable, Hamilton He might be glad he wasn't the first to dance.
At Classic Ferrari for sale, Leclerc So, let's get this show on the road. But before we state that...Hamilton has been deprived of music, it's better to wait for the first rounds on Friday.
