The veils have fallen on the Ferrari 2022. But it would be appropriate to lay one, pitiful, on the painful episode, which yesterday defused much of the media tension, unveiling a preview of the forms of the F1-75. A lack of corporate sensitivity – for a company that has always been a little different from the others – which infuriated many of my friends in Maranello and unfortunately it will not be free from aftermath. It’s a shame because, of all the latest Ferraris, this is certainly the most interesting, at least at first visual impact. Fortunately, the spoiler-image largely dismantled the wait, but did not fully reveal the details of the project.
In these hours, many much better people have thrown themselves headlong into the images and are examining all the technical aspects. However, even a technical layman (me) understands that behind the forms there is not only an in-depth study, but also the search for innovative concepts and surprising. This feature was a little lacking in the very latest Reds, who, as long as they could, have staked everything on the Power Unit without ever delving into, for example, the concept of the raised front suspension that many opponents had used. From here to say that Ferrari is always in tow, however, it passes. Suffice it to recall that in the previous regulatory revolution (a skirmish, compared to this one, but still significant) the SF70H had led the way in many fields. First of all, the concept of the air intakes of reduced section and horizontal cut. A concept that – with the necessary differences – we find in part in this single-seater and which attests to careful research in the field of internal fluid dynamics. Incidentally, when the 668 was conceived five years ago, not even Enrico Cardile, then managerial manager only for aerodynamics, was convinced that those air intakes would work. Instead, the opponents studied them all.
This year it will be more difficult, due to various limitations, to imitate this Seventy-five, if the evidence proves that it is worth it. I think it is above all important do not rush into evaluations, because in the bench tests and in the climatic cells there were those problems of reliability that usually characterize the “extreme” concepts. There is a radically new six-cylinder engine in the combustion process (however different from the one that was tried to develop at the time of Lorenzo Sassi at the head of the engine engineers). And this engine is combined with an ERS already fielded since last autumn to gain experience, but which will find its full raison d’etre with the F1-75. Being a naturally “cold” system, we assume, it requires less radiant masses for the same power as the MGU-K (the 120 Kilowatt motor generator that is part of the hybrid system) and therefore allows designers more freedom to exploit the sides for aerodynamic purposes , as the regulation of this new generation of “wing machines” dictates in practice. We see this clearly in the definition of the lateral forms. But probably it will take time to understand this careven if F1 is full of surprises and it has already happened that the cars defined as “fragile” immediately complete hundreds of laps in winter.
Then there is the speech of the previous one. Some technicians, such as James Allison, are convinced that the shapes of the nose they don’t make much difference from the point of view of aerodynamic efficiency. Regardless of the optical effect of these new pillarless wings, however, for us laymen those shapes, pointed and embellished with dynamic grips, are certainly captivating. Typically, two or three types of nose are presented in the project definition phase and then the best compromise between aerodynamics, structural strength and ease of production is evaluated. Without wanting to steal the job from the engineers, I was not too surprised to see the tried and tested layout at the front. push-rod, albeit with the necessary modifications to the geometries. I note only that a tie rod scheme (ie pull-rod), in addition to differences in the kinematics, also offers a little less resistance than the strut, but is “slower” in implementation.
Surely that of suspensions it will be a hot topic this year. With 18-inch wheels that radically change the spring rate, or the springing offered by rubber, riders will have to learn to drive differently with machines that tend to be stiffer, as well as heavier. On the latter aspect, the latest Ferraris had certainly not been able to play much with ballast, on the contrary: but in this they were certainly in good company. Leclerc and Sainz certainly got a taste of what awaits them with the new simulator. Which, as we know, allowed the finishing of the project, but is based on concepts that are radically different from the old ‘spider’. Concepts that could be summed up in one sentence: less ‘training’ for the pilot and more ‘understanding’ for the mechanical vehicle. It is not just a question of operating software but also, for example, of moving the passenger compartment, which are less important than previously thought a few years ago.
In short, the effort is there and it is evident, as Cardile pointed out. With the design focus thus shifted to the aerodynamic part, this Ferrari will also be an exam test for David Sanchez, now one of the few well-known names in the technical staff of the chassis part. Now we wait for the Mercedes (Perhaps not everyone knows that the dates for the presentation are among the little information that the two teams exchange, confidentially, in advance. Or at least they exchanged). And we are also waiting for an act of charity and common sense on the part of those who, being able to do so, have to put their hand to the absurd clause of the classified Barcelona tests.
#Pride #prejudices #FormulaPassionit