Ferrari SF-26

[Farnborough]

In addition to the obvious advantages of choosing a solution with only one actuator placed in the center of the front wing (low weight and strategic placement in an area where it divides the airflow in two), I wonder if the shaking of the front wing is related to weight reduction or the eternal problem of wing flexing. In the context of this year's X and Z wing modes, I don't think we can say that wing flex is a preconceived notion designed to bring aerodynamic benefits, don't you think?

I feel the opposite, in that the high/low drag use is confined to regulated parts of the track, where the benefit of "tapering" front wing load is still of interest in performance outside that regimen.

The initial laps gave me impression of a car "light on it's feet" and fairly agile from the limitations of those short viewings available so far. It didn't appear cumbersome, in other words.

Talk of A spec has people extrapolate perhaps a heavy and limited car, when it could also mean following a route which is highly marginal for things like wing flex and all up weight. They are not subject to race weekend scrutiny in absolute terms, which could offer opportunity to run at margin, or a step too far in this development period, with a view to additional weight/structural integrity for compliance at first GP.

The main point of flex wings is to (1) reduce the drag as the speed increases and (2) balance the center of pressure. It will always be beneficial to have some flexibility, if you can tune it well, but its importance is definitely reduced compare to previous seasons. I think that now, with the floor producing now less downforce, managing the center of pressure will be a little easier than before.

We are at the beginning of a new set of regulation and there is so much room for improvement in so many areas: I do not think that wing flexibility will be immediately that important.

The effect of stalling SF 25 development was to advance SF 26 in trying to jump the opposition. Coming to these new rules with intentions to bring future and longer timescale developments appears at odds to this intention.

Taking everything to marginal gain potential at the initial design concept is the way to go, else it'll be the same as each year prior to this. The golden opportunity is to leave nothing on the table at start of season, surely?

There's no confirmation of performance level right now, of course. The initial details we have to observe do show a muted/quiet and competent design direction though, in my view.

[F1ern]

[Andi76]

[deadhead]

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[Andi76]

You might be hearing the drones? Confused me at first too, but they had drones flying over the cars for some fancy footage.

I saw another footage and yeah, the sound I heard was indeed coming from a drone flying over the car.

I don't think so. That was my initial thought with the drone footage as well but a) I have never heard the drone in a professionally shot drone video and b) In the F1 channel hi def video, you can clearly hear that it sounds like an RC car off throttle. Very very weird. Also backs up with Binotto was saying in his own interview that the engines are going to be on throttle in braking zones to charge the battery

Every team will do this, because it would be a mistake not to do so under regulations where every ounce of electrical energy is important for the battery.

[Andi76]

You might be hearing the drones? Confused me at first too, but they had drones flying over the cars for some fancy footage.

I saw another footage and yeah, the sound I heard was indeed coming from a drone flying over the car.

I think it is the electric motor.

Min 2:51, 3:00 and 5:47, going into the hairpin and accelerating out of it, it makes a very strange sound.

And you are probably right. Ferrari appears to control the MGU-K most aggressively. And that is what causes this. When braking, the MGU-K operates in generator mode and recovers kinetic energy via negative torque on the crankshaft. When accelerating again, it switches to motor mode almost without delay and provides positive torque.This rapid change in torque and current direction leads to high-frequency switching and pulse width modulation components in the power electronics, as well as electromagnetic forces in the MGU-K, which can manifest acoustically as an electrical howling noise. This noise is apparantly more noticeable in the 2026 Ferrari because the MGU-K is probably controlled more aggressively (steeper torque gradients, higher recuperation power) and the selected inverter switching frequencies and their harmonics are in the audible range. At the same time, acoustic masking by the combustion engine and exhaust system is reduced, so that these effects become clearly audible, especially in low gears and at low engine loads, while other vehicles are less noticeable due to smoother control strategies or stronger NVH measures.

[matteosc]

I feel the opposite, in that the high/low drag use is confined to regulated parts of the track, where the benefit of "tapering" front wing load is still of interest in performance outside that regimen.

The initial laps gave me impression of a car "light on it's feet" and fairly agile from the limitations of those short viewings available so far. It didn't appear cumbersome, in other words.

Talk of A spec has people extrapolate perhaps a heavy and limited car, when it could also mean following a route which is highly marginal for things like wing flex and all up weight. They are not subject to race weekend scrutiny in absolute terms, which could offer opportunity to run at margin, or a step too far in this development period, with a view to additional weight/structural integrity for compliance at first GP.

The main point of flex wings is to (1) reduce the drag as the speed increases and (2) balance the center of pressure. It will always be beneficial to have some flexibility, if you can tune it well, but its importance is definitely reduced compare to previous seasons. I think that now, with the floor producing now less downforce, managing the center of pressure will be a little easier than before.

We are at the beginning of a new set of regulation and there is so much room for improvement in so many areas: I do not think that wing flexibility will be immediately that important.

The effect of stalling SF 25 development was to advance SF 26 in trying to jump the opposition. Coming to these new rules with intentions to bring future and longer timescale developments appears at odds to this intention.

Taking everything to marginal gain potential at the initial design concept is the way to go, else it'll be the same as each year prior to this. The golden opportunity is to leave nothing on the table at start of season, surely?

There's no confirmation of performance level right now, of course. The initial details we have to observe do show a muted/quiet and competent design direction though, in my view.

They stopped the development of the SF 25 early to better investigate possible approaches to the SF 26, not to show up with a fully developed car already. In the past cycles flexible wings showed up after some time, when more important development directions were already exhausted. In this set of rules it is way more important, for now, to get the engine (thermal and electric), the packaging, the suspensions, the double DRS and many more aspects right. Working on flexibility of a wing that opens in many straight already does not sound like a priority to me.

[Sansovino]

I saw another footage and yeah, the sound I heard was indeed coming from a drone flying over the car.

I think it is the electric motor.

Min 2:51, 3:00 and 5:47, going into the hairpin and accelerating out of it, it makes a very strange sound.

And you are probably right. Ferrari appears to control the MGU-K most aggressively. And that is what causes this. When braking, the MGU-K operates in generator mode and recovers kinetic energy via negative torque on the crankshaft. When accelerating again, it switches to motor mode almost without delay and provides positive torque.This rapid change in torque and current direction leads to high-frequency switching and pulse width modulation components in the power electronics, as well as electromagnetic forces in the MGU-K, which can manifest acoustically as an electrical howling noise. This noise is apparantly more noticeable in the 2026 Ferrari because the MGU-K is probably controlled more aggressively (steeper torque gradients, higher recuperation power) and the selected inverter switching frequencies and their harmonics are in the audible range. At the same time, acoustic masking by the combustion engine and exhaust system is reduced, so that these effects become clearly audible, especially in low gears and at low engine loads, while other vehicles are less noticeable due to smoother control strategies or stronger NVH measures.

It's a drone, you can see it pop into the video occasionally.

[gromajor]

I was a bit doubtful about the sound of the electric motor, but it's indeed very clear on the video of the Haas VF26 in Fiorano.

[Andi76]

I think it is the electric motor.

Min 2:51, 3:00 and 5:47, going into the hairpin and accelerating out of it, it makes a very strange sound.

And you are probably right. Ferrari appears to control the MGU-K most aggressively. And that is what causes this. When braking, the MGU-K operates in generator mode and recovers kinetic energy via negative torque on the crankshaft. When accelerating again, it switches to motor mode almost without delay and provides positive torque.This rapid change in torque and current direction leads to high-frequency switching and pulse width modulation components in the power electronics, as well as electromagnetic forces in the MGU-K, which can manifest acoustically as an electrical howling noise. This noise is apparantly more noticeable in the 2026 Ferrari because the MGU-K is probably controlled more aggressively (steeper torque gradients, higher recuperation power) and the selected inverter switching frequencies and their harmonics are in the audible range. At the same time, acoustic masking by the combustion engine and exhaust system is reduced, so that these effects become clearly audible, especially in low gears and at low engine loads, while other vehicles are less noticeable due to smoother control strategies or stronger NVH measures.

It's a drone, you can see it pop into the video occasionally.

Absolutely. My bad. I should not only have listened to the three points, but also look closely. There is even more than drone, actually there are at least two drones. And its definetely the sound of the drones, you are right. There are not strange sounds from the engine itself.

[edu2703]

I don't think so. That was my initial thought with the drone footage as well but a) I have never heard the drone in a professionally shot drone video and b) In the F1 channel hi def video, you can clearly hear that it sounds like an RC car off throttle. Very very weird. Also backs up with Binotto was saying in his own interview that the engines are going to be on throttle in braking zones to charge the battery

I think it is the electric motor.
Min 2:51, 3:00 and 5:47, going into the hairpin and accelerating out of it, it makes a very strange sound.

It's a drone, you can see it pop into the video occasionally.

Absolutely. My bad. I should not only have listened to the three points, but also look closely. There is even more than drone, actually there are at least two drones. And its definetely the sound of the drones, you are right. There are not strange sounds from the engine itself.

Haas did a shakedown today at Fiorano and apparently they didn't use a drone. It's possible to hear the whine of Ferrari PU's electric motor, but it's not as pronounced as the SF-26's yesterday, which in a way indicates that a good part of the electric whine yesterday was actually coming from the drone.

[dialtone]

Haas did a shakedown today at Fiorano and apparently they didn't use a drone. It's possible to hear the whine of Ferrari PU's electric motor, but it's not as pronounced as the SF-26's yesterday, which in a way indicates that a good part of the electric whine yesterday was actually coming from the drone.

The video I shared at the 4 minute mark has exactly the same noise, I wasn't confused about a drone or something, I still call it a very loud electric whine, particularly loud during braking and corner entry, then goes away mid corner and comes back on throttle.

[f1316]

Haas did a shakedown today at Fiorano and apparently they didn't use a drone. It's possible to hear the whine of Ferrari PU's electric motor, but it's not as pronounced as the SF-26's yesterday, which in a way indicates that a good part of the electric whine yesterday was actually coming from the drone.

The video I shared at the 4 minute mark has exactly the same noise, I wasn't confused about a drone or something, I still call it a very loud electric whine, particularly loud during braking and corner entry, then goes away mid corner and comes back on throttle.

Let’s say they do have more electrical whine, what inference should we take from that?

E.g. if it’s on braking/corner entry, presumably it’s more about how they charge than how they deploy?

[Badger]

Haas did a shakedown today at Fiorano and apparently they didn't use a drone. It's possible to hear the whine of Ferrari PU's electric motor, but it's not as pronounced as the SF-26's yesterday, which in a way indicates that a good part of the electric whine yesterday was actually coming from the drone.

The video I shared at the 4 minute mark has exactly the same noise, I wasn't confused about a drone or something, I still call it a very loud electric whine, particularly loud during braking and corner entry, then goes away mid corner and comes back on throttle.

That's a drone. You can literally here the pitch change as it passes by.

[dialtone]

Haas did a shakedown today at Fiorano and apparently they didn't use a drone. It's possible to hear the whine of Ferrari PU's electric motor, but it's not as pronounced as the SF-26's yesterday, which in a way indicates that a good part of the electric whine yesterday was actually coming from the drone.

The video I shared at the 4 minute mark has exactly the same noise, I wasn't confused about a drone or something, I still call it a very loud electric whine, particularly loud during braking and corner entry, then goes away mid corner and comes back on throttle.

That's a drone. You can literally here the pitch change as it passes by.

We're definitely going to disagree, this haas video by bozzi, who always has impeccable sound quality, has the exact same noise.