Formula 1 teams often test components in free practice sessions, but Ferrari's actions at the Las Vegas Grand Prix stand out. This article delves into Ferrari's experiments with an experimental floor on Carlos Sainz's car and its implications for the team's performance and future development.

Unraveling Ferrari's Las Vegas Grand Prix Strategy

Testing Components in Free Practice

It's not uncommon for Formula 1 teams to trial components in free practice sessions. However, Ferrari's approach at the Las Vegas Grand Prix is less common. They trialled an experimental floor on Carlos Sainz's car in FP1, knowing it wouldn't be raced this weekend or the rest of the season. The motivation was to test windtunnel-to-track correlation, an area Ferrari has been working hard to improve. This process included hardware tweaks in the tunnel earlier in the year.Even though one might assume the floor was for specific 2025 ideas, Ferrari's Jock Clear dismissed that. He said it was just for FP1 and would come off after. It doesn't bring performance but is a localised test to correlate the tunnel.

Introducing Performance Parts

Alongside the floor test, Ferrari also introduced performance parts in the form of a track-specific front wing. This suits the anticipated rear-wing level and offers different trims. Given Ferrari's fight for the constructors' championship and its strong performance in areas like aerodynamic efficiency and slow-corner performance, this test was considered important, even though it compromised Sainz's FP1 session.The cost of manufacturing a one-off floor is considerable, showing how seriously Ferrari takes this process. But Clear insists it's not about solving a correlation problem.

Evaluating the Test

Clear also dismissed the possibility of continuing to run the floor if Sainz had a strong FP1. Sainz was sixth-fastest in FP1, 1.2s off the pace. Clear said if he felt the car was great, it was likely due to warming the tyres up.As for whether the test was a success, the question is irrelevant. It's a correlation exercise to gather data. If it correlates well, it's positive; if not, it's valuable information.Accurately simulating how a car runs close to the ground in the windtunnel is a key challenge. Ferrari has worked on this with improvements in belt technology. Sainz's FP1 became a glorified straightline test, and Las Vegas was a suitable track due to its long straights.Clear said the choice of Las Vegas was just about timing. The tunnel people wanted the correlation now, not in a month.There will be no quick answer from Ferrari about what they learned from this test. But it shows a team with clear priorities, not distracted by the championship fight and focused on crucial long-term work. This is a hallmark of the Fred Vasseur era.