- Written by Σπύρος Πέττας
The secrets of the scarlet bullet that is eager to start racing in 2020…
by Spyros Pettas
The initial aerodynamics of the Ferrari SF1000 are quite simple except from the rear area of the floor where Maranello is ahead of the competition for some time now. The innovative flap there in front of the rear wheel has vanished because it generated a lot of drag. The nose remains wide and the front wing still follows the “outwash” philosophy. The bargeboards are of the boomerang type, an early design of Mercedes F1 that dates back in 2017 and was soon followed by Red Bull. Mercedes seems to be in front in the barge board area…
The elements of the front suspencion are positioned low for an aerodynamic gain (this way they do not disrupt the upper flow that gets to the sidepod inlets - an idea of Simone Resta and the mentor Rory Byrne from 2017) and a low center of gravity.
But is Ferrari's wide nose - “outwash” philosophy a successful one, a thing many have doubted? We believe that it is. It dominated in Spa, Bahrain and Singapore, it won in Monza and it could have won in Baku, Austria, Hockenheim, Sochi, Mexico City and finally Suzuka in 2019…
The integration problems of the rear wing, that begun in the end of 2018 have been solved in Baku in the beginning of 2019. We have to add that Enrico Cardile (an aerodynamicist that comes from the GT department and is a University of Pisa graduate) and David Sanchez (who was also partially involved in the GT aerodynamics department in the beginning of his Ferrari career) do a great job, and are now aided full time by Simone Resta.
Ferrari's main goal in 2020 is to reduce the excessive drag and mainly to obtain a better tyre management a goal that in Barcelona in pre season testing was partially achieved. The tyre management of 2019 was enigmatic and problematic for the obvious reasons. Pirelli in 2019 brought for the races “a la carte” tyres for Mercedes and those remain identical in 2020...
Ferrari SF1000 is also equipped with an Ackerman type variable Power Assisted System (PAS). When the pilot steers the wheel, the external front wheel turns more than the internal one and the greater the steering angle gets the greater the difference becomes. It helps obtain better tyre management and it helps also in the “fight” against understeer. Some say that PAS is more important than DAS (Dual Axis Steering) and Mercedes has both…
The Power Unit
It erogates more than 1150 bhp, and in 2020 is going to be ahead of the field with quite a difference. The initial version of the thermal engine erogates 840 bhp. Add to that the 164 BHP of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) and more than 200 BHP of the third generation of the bipolar ERS (Energy recovery System) and the math is there…
Ferrari is ahead in the areas of engine parts composition, fluid dynamics, ERS performance and radiator surface technology. Enrico Gualtteri, Corado Lotti, Wolf Zimmerman and their staff do a fantastic job.
Let's just hope that racing begins soon so we can see this fantastic singleseater back in action...
- Written by Σπύρος Πέττας
Is Scuderia Ferrari the calm power of Formula 1? For sure they have a lot of power because their power unit erogates more than 1150 bhp…
by Spyros Pettas
Mercedes's DAS system is clearly illegal. The settings of the suspencion change while the car is in motion… While Red Bull Racing has hired an army of lawyers to legally ban the system, Ferrari hasn't said a word about it…
Binotto like in 2019 with the tyre scandal hasn't said anything about the illegality of DAS, the Dual Axis Steering system of Mercedes that changes the toe in the straights (it helps with tyre management and it slightly obtains better top speed)… It's simple as that: Ferrari gets 100 milion as a bonus and will earn approximately 38% of all Formula One's earnings in the next 5 years. Elkan and Binotto don't want to rattle the cage… Mercedes gets the titles and Ferrari the money while Red Bull Racing gets nothing and is angry…
Now let's talk about Ferrari's single seater: The power despite what the international press says, is there. According to our sources who are Ferrari people, the thermal engine erogates 840 bhp. Add to that the 164 bhp of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System – the electric motor that gets motion from the gearboxes axles) and probably more than 200 bhp of the third generation of the bipolar ERS (Energy Recovery System - the electric motor that gets motion by turbo gas) and the math is there…
Ferrari is ahead in the field of fluid dynamics, ERS, engine parts composition, floor design (especially in the rear area) and radiator surface (once again they have the smallest sidepod inlets)… The airbox probably has internal diafragms that pressurize the air that gets to the heads and the whole system works like a mechanical turbo an old idea in F1…
The staff of Corrado Lotti and Enrico Gualteri does a great job, and they are aided by the brilliant technician from Germany, Wolf Zimmerman (a former Mercedes man – he came to Maranello in 2015) who's responsible for advanced evolution (materials research etc)…
Ferrari's main problem is probably the excessive drag, the aerodynamic resistance but now another great, Simone Resta and the fantastic Enrico Cardile and David Sanchez are working to reduce it without losing too much downforce…
The game has changed completely by the Coronavirus pandemic. The cars will change significantly and the power rankings will evolve in a spectacular way… Stay tuned...
- Written by Σπύρος Πέττας
A brief analysis of Charles “Carletto” Leclerc's plus Magic Mad Max Verstappen's phenomenal performances.
By Spyros Pettas
Talents like Charles Leclerc are born one in 25 years. Back in 2017 he was faster than Vettel at simulators and now on track.
Recently Charles demolished a very serious talent like that of George Russell in virtual GP. All in all, his score against Hamilton is 3-0 in favor of Charles, having won over the Brit in Bahrain (clearly) Spa and Monza in 2019. Max clearly won over Lewis in Austin 2018 in the battle for second place.
Charles has open scores with Magic Mad Max Verstappen, having lost after an unfair move by the Dutch in Austria and having won after a bad call by Carletto in Suzuka where the two collided in the first corner. In Abu Dabi 2019 Charles passed Max, but Max soon repassed him to secure the third place in the Drivers Championship standings. In Silverstone 2019 they had an epic battle showing extreme car control and space perception. In Istanbul - Constantinopole 2020 Charles passed Max in the wet. He also collided with Perez (another driver with big balls...) in Bahrain b 2020 and Max had an exit that cost him his race...
Beside that, Leclerc has won over Vettel (who hasn't said his last word with Aston Martin yet…) with more poles, victories and points than the German in their first joint year in Ferrari in 2019, and much more points also in 2020…
The just defensive moves of the Monegasque in Austria against Magic “Mad Max” Verstappen with worn tyres were phenomenal.
Leclerc has a lot in common with Gilles Villeneuve, except from a great difference in driving style. He rarely slides the car because he drives extremely quick and smoothly, more with the feet than hands… And Verstappen also posseses a godly talent!...
Those two and George Russell are going to characterize the future of F1. Mark our words...
- Written by Σπύρος Πέττας
Με αφορμή το παράνομο DAS της Mercedes, η Ferrari και ο Μπινότο και πάλι δεν λένε κουβέντα. Το ίδιο συνέβη και πέρσι με τα λάστιχα. Μήπως όμως δεν τον αφήνει ο Έλκαν; Όλοι, Fia, Mercedes συμπεριλαμβανομένων, ευχαριστημένοι;
Σπύρος Πέττας
Με το DAS της Mercedes, όπως έχουμε γράψει από την πρώτη στιγμή αλλάζει η εν κινήσει η σύγκλιση και είναι σαφέστατα παράνομο. Ο αθλητικός διευθυντής της Ferrari Μπινότο δεν είπε όμως κουβέντα γι' αυτό πλην μιας σπόντας ότι στη Ferrari το είχαν σκεφτεί, αλλά κατόπιν είδαν ότι ήταν παράνομο (το τελευταίο το άφησε να εννοηθεί εμμέσως).
Ακριβώς το ίδιο συνέβη και το 2019 με τα λάστιχα της Pirelli. Αυτά του 2019 απαιτούσαν περισσότερο φορτίο, το μονοθέσιο εκείνης της χρονιάς (SF90) σχεδιάστηκε πάνω στα λάστιχα που έτρεξαν σε Πολ Ρικάρ και Σίλβερστοουν το 2018 και υστερούσε σε φορτίο και η Ferrari αρχικά καταποντίσθηκε. Και ο Μπινότο, και με περισσή διπλωματία είναι η αλήθεια, δεν είπε τίποτε...
Μήπως όμως δεν τον αφήνει ο πρόεδρος Έλκαν καλομαθημένοι καθώς είναι στα 100 εκατομμύρια μπόνους και στο 38% περίπου των συνολικών εσόδων της F1 την επόμενη πενταετία; Πολύ πιθανό. Η Mercedes και η... Pirelli θα παίρνουν τα πρωταθλήματα και η Ferrari τα λεφτά. Όλοι ευχαριστημένοι...
Μάλλιασε η γλώσσα μας εξάλλου και από την πρώτη στιγμή να λέμε ότι η Ferrari το 2019 έπρεπε να μετατρέψει το πλεόνασμα ισχύος του κινητήρα σε αεροδυναμικό φορτίο και κάποιοι το έκαναν (όπως και πολλά άλλα...) δικό τους στη μετάδοση.
Όταν η Ferrari το... πήρε απόφαση (και γι' αυτό φταίει ο μανατζεράκος Μπινότο) ήταν στο Σπα όπου φόρτωσαν την εμπρόσθια αεροτομή και επειδή μάλλον υστερούσαν σε φορτίο στον εμπρόσθιο άξονα και εκεί νίκησε...
Στο Μπακού, πάλι φόρτωσαν πολύ την πίσω αεροτομή και το μονοθέσιο πέταγε στο μεσαίο τμήμα αλλά υστερούσε σε τελική. Αλλά “το έλιωσε” ο Καρλέτο στις κατατακτήριες και χάθηκε ένα σίγουρο 1-2, καθώς οι κόκκινες δεν διέθεταν πλέον tow.
Πάντως το 2020 και με τέτοιο υπερκινητήρα (1.150+ άλογα, πλησίον των 1.200...) τα πράγματα δείχνουν ελαφρώς καλύτερα για τους κόκκινους καθώς πιο εύκολα χάνεις drag παρά βρίσκεις φορτίο...