LostInTranslation wrote: ↑29 Mar 2022, 17:37
Looking at comparative photos, the Ferrari had a rear wing pan (a big padel): which means more grip but more drag.
In addition, the front wing is more discharged for SF, probably because the downforce comes from the body of the car, from the side bellies (sidepods).
I foresee an adjustment in aerodynamics in these terms:
- increase the front load in terms of incidence
- streamlining of the sidepods
- reduction of the incidence of the rear wing.
I'm sure they are working on these things but, as always, late.
PS1: Have you noticed how present Newey is in the pits, often even at the starting line with a notebook and a pen in hand?
PS2: Who knows what Cardile and Sanchez look like?
Considering how much downforce Ferrari had and how balanced it looked, I think they are somehow able to generate a good level of downforce at the front without using large incidence, which is a good sign.
I do not think that increasing front wing incidence is something beneficial per se, it should just be used to balance the car. If it was balanced in Saudi Arabia (a front-limited track) with a big rear wing, decreasing read wing and increasing front wing will not be useful, in my opinion.
Also streamlining the sidepodes will not help drag reduction. As it was "proved" in this thread, the big sidepodes help in reducing the drag coming from the rear tires and reduce the overall drag. Smaller does not always mean less drag.
Lastly, I think that Ferrari is still suffering from a small amount of porpoising, which they are limiting running the car a little higher than optimal (not as much as Mercedes does, of course). A better handling of the problem would allow them to run lower and generate more downforce from the floor, which in turns would allow them to reduce rear wing and drag.
Just my two cents...