Scuderia Ferrari’s head of vehicle performance, Marco Adurno spoke about the challenging and demanding Zandvoort circuit as Ferrari look to fight back against Red Bull Racing in the fight for the constructors’ championship.
Adurno spoke on his passion for motorsport and his journey to becoming the Ferrari head of vehicle performance.
“My passion dates back to when I was a child, when I watched Formula 1 in my father’s arms and dreamed of one day being part of this world. It remained a dream until 2007, when I got the opportunity to join an English team, which set me on the path to fulfilling my desire to join Scuderia Ferrari, which I did in 2019”.
Moving on to this weekend, Adurno is looking forward to the challenges of the demanding Zandvoort circuit for the team, especially Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
“This track now has a completely different layout to that used in the Eighties, when the Grand Prix was a fixture on the calendar (up until 1985). Now it features a long sequence of medium and high speed corners that are very demanding for both car and driver. Steep banking of some corners is a unique feature with T3 and T14 banked to no less than 16 degrees”.
Ferrari has been critiqued multiple times this season for poor strategic decisions and at a circuit like Zandvoort getting it right is extremely important for a good result.
“The characteristics of the track mean it is very hard on the tyres, especially the front ones. The key for qualifying is to run with high levels of aerodynamic balance in the medium and high speed corners, without compromising car stability. When it comes to the race, you are then looking for the right mix between a set-up that is kind on tyres, but still allows the drivers to use them the way he wants”.
