Formula One car development blog

Having been tried, used and developed by several teams in recent history, 2017 finally looks to become the year in which (nearly) all teams add some form of S-duct on their cars. It is a solution which was first pioneered by Ferrari back in 2008. Back then, it was aimed at improving their airflow underneath the nose cone at a time when front wing development was possible in the central section of the wing as well.

The major regulation changes of 2009 removed the possibility for Ferr... Read more

Ferrari have put most of their attention all year on introducing tweaks and tiny updates to an already excellent aerodynamic package. As of Japan, the Ferrari F2008 is equipped with a modified link between the barge board and the sidepod panel.
On the left in the image is the Belgian version, while on the right a picture taken at the Japanese GP. The new update clearly shows a more curved item that direct more air around the sidepod towards the rear end of the car. Such small develo... Read more

Ferrari's low downforce package very much resembles last year's Monza specification. In fact their new rear wing is not so new as it is identical to last year's version that was fitted on the F2007. The decision will no doubt have saved some time at Maranello, time than can well be invested in next year's car.
Also marked in the image are the modified flipups. The twin element configuration has been replaced by a single one, reducing drag and downforce - Spa configuration displayed ... Read more

It has taken the team a while, but Ferrari have eventually developed a dorsal fin engine cover, very similar to the likes of Red Bull Racing, Renault, ... . In fact, currently only McLaren do not have a shark fin but they have obviously been too busy developing their highly succesful new front wing and the dumbo wings.
As is known by now, the dorsal fin is designed to improve the efficiency when the car is in yaw. It straightens the airflow to prevent a reduction of downforce when t... Read more

It took them half a season, but finally Ferrari have also copied the extended sidepod panel concept. It is however far simpler than the panels seen at BMW Sauber or Williams, but there are no doubt reasons for that. The moment of introduction already hints that the team's have has less aerodynamic benefit from such a panel compared to what other teams may gain out of it.
Note how the panel is slightly curved, similar to rival cars. Ferrari did however choose not to change anything t... Read more

Ferrari's latest rear wing iteration again features a couple of interesting features which other teams have either not discovered or didn't find interesting enough. One of which are vertical fins as they are usual on front wings. These carbon fibre elements tend to help airflow to move straight along the wing and is particularly helpful under yaw. Previously, Honda made use of similar, larger items on top of their rear wing but had to call that off due to a request of the FIA.
Also ... Read more

After leaving its vented nose design home for the Turkish GP, the opened nose was again present for at Monaco. Generally, the nose will be used by the Scuderia at tracks where most frontal downforce is needed, while its principle of design is not favourable for circuits where the front wing is set at low angles of attack. The team did however slightly improve the design by adding a little aerofoil at each side of the nose to increase the effect of the air channel. The aerofoils help... Read more

Ferrari, widely known for its engine with high cooling requirements, have adapted the engine cover at Monaco to be able to cope with the high temperatures. In the streets of the city, top speeds and the average speed over the GP are lowest over all Grand Prix. As a result, there is a risk of overheating the engine. The image indicates that the Scuderia really have shark gills all over the sidepod's upper sides. The gills aside of the engine and on the sidepod top are usual, although... Read more

Although not spectacular, Ferrari's F2008 is a car in constant evolution. At Barcelona, the barge board were again updated (see image). Previously, the diagonal edge was slightly shorter, while during winter testing there was only a vertical edge. Variations of this diagonal edge barge board was also seen at Red Bull and provides a means of combining the best of both worlds: jagged edged and straight edged barge boards.

Ferrari have once again introduced a completely new concept in Formula One, now by cutting open the nose cone and creating a channel through the nose itself. Although the idea is not new and has been discussed in the F1technical forum extensively, it is the first real implementation.
The idea originates from the fact that the nose cone obstructs the front wing's upward air stream. In the centre of the wing, the airflow previously hit the underside of the cone, creating extra drag an... Read more