Ferrari has arrived in Barcelona with an extensive upgrade package, introducing eight new components as it looks to close the gap at the front of the Formula 1 field.
In includes an all-new front wing, floor, diffuser and more, with the package aimed at improving airflow, wake control, and adding downforce.
Inside eight-part Ferrari Barcelona upgrade package
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Ferrari’s upgrade package comes off the back of an encouraging performance in Monaco last weekend and at a venue familiar to teams.
Barcelona was long a preferred testing destination because of the blend of low-, medium-, and high-speed content – described as something of a real-world wind tunnel.
The aerodynamic requirements therefore mark it out as an ideal place to introduce a significant package, as Ferrari has done.
Its eight elements are divided into three primary categories; the front wing and nose, the floor and diffuser, and sidepods.
According to the FIA document, the front wing upgrade is designed to add performance load.
It features a new footplate with altered vane arrangement and the addition of a diveplane. There is also a new Straight Line mechanism.
“Evolution of the front wing platform raced so far, with enhanced tip flow features coming with front wheel wake control benefits as well as increased aero balance capacity,” noted Ferrari’s own explanation.
“More integrated SM mechanism links returns tidier centre line flow features. It also comes with flap lips modulation.”
PlanetF1.com’s technical expert, Dr Obbs, ran his eye over the front wing after imagery of it emerged on Wednesday courtesy of paddock reporter Thomas Maher.
Focusing on the underside of the front wing, he noted the “inwashing strakes on the inboard side of the footplate. But this is the obvious bit.
“The other interesting bit is that there is a diffusing expanding volume moving rearward. Peak suction would come from ground effect at the front, and reduce as the air moves rearward. This influences the differential across the strakes which likely roll up some vorticity.”
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He went on to suggest it’s an attempt to dissipate the inboard tyre wake “by bringing greater turbulent mixing, increasing the rate of diffusion, and thus dissipation.”
There is a potential downforce benefit too, with the low pressure creating more footplate suction, though Dr Obbs notes that’s least probably explanation for the design.
“This is such a critical area to manage, because the wake is low CpT (low energy relative to free stream), and ingesting this into the floor is bad news,” Dr Obbs observed.
“Finding ways to reduce or move this wake to be less likely to be pulled into your floor will allow you to generate more downforce from your floor.”
In addition to the front wing and nose, the floor has received significant attention with revisions to the body, board, edge, and diffuser.
These combine to improve “onset flow quality”, with Ferrari adding: “this entire floor update is targeting overall aerodynamic load increase across the main car operating window as well as flow features robustness improvements together with improved flow topology and energy towards the rear corners.”
The floor and front wing are complemented by changes to the sidepod, with an inflated shoulder and resultant modifications to the coke bottle line.
“This geometry has been developed in conjunction with the floor update and manipulates front wheel wake together with the floor board update, as well as rebalancing the front floor pressurisation.”
Though Ferrari has be far the biggest upgrade package this weekend, others have development parts too.
Mercedes has introduced a revised rear wing, with winglets added on the centreline of it, changing the downforce-drag ratio for this event.
Red Bull has also added winglets to its design, “offering local load for high downforce tracks.”
McLaren has a front wing with changes to its end plate, a more subtle upgrade.
Racing Bulls also has a new front wing and changes to its rear crash structure and diffuser, aimed at improving efficiency and load.
A new rear impact structure for Haas is aimed at “enabling targeted turning of the car’s characteristics” for the Circuit de Barcelona de Catalunya, while Cadillac has new cooling elements and a change to its Straight Mode actuator fairing.
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Originally published by Planet F1 —
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