Scuderia Ferrari 2012

[amouzouris]

It's far too early for definitive comments on the ultimate competitiveness of the 2102. Who knows -- maybe Ferrari really is sandbagging (I doubt that!)

Some have said Ferrari should have continued what they do best: develop an existing design. But that assumes -- wrongly IMHO -- that a basic design can go on being developed indefinitely. Eventually a new design generation must begin, and that is what the 2012 MIGHT be -- the first of a new generation, a design from which many cars will spring.

Others have predicted "heads will roll." Maybe, but I think the foreboding silence from Luca de M indicates some patience is being exercised. I think we'll be hearing from Luca de M very soon -- then we might see the fate of Domenicalli and/or Tombazis. Even if the 2012 is as great a disaster as the F93A, I think the "Fry team" will be given one more chance.

+1 the following video unfortunately strengthens the believe that ferrari isn't doing well...the car is really nervous...sadly...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyzl2u91 ... r_embedded[/youtube]

[Lorenzo_Bandini]

Yes it's nervous, but some car could be nervous but very fast. Massa, with the F2008 at Monte Carlo, he was drifting all the race but was bloody fast. The FW 14 was very fast but had a bad handling too.

Schumacher with the B192 and B193 was drifting like a hell but this car was fast too.

[raymondu999]

Yes; but if you're going to drive a race distance like that; you'll kill your tyres. It's very edgy too - very hard for a driver to drive consistently.

Recent consensus says that the F2012 IS a fast car. It's just that it chews the fronts - and that it very hard to get the maximum out of - both in terms of driving style and in terms of setup.

[Lorenzo_Bandini]

I remember Spa 2011, when Red Bull kill their tyres with very big camber, they won the race and the car was fine. I think with 3 pit stop per race, having tyre deg issue is not big problem.

I know last year, at Monaco per example, Mercedes suffer a lot by that, but i don't think the F2012 kill the tyres like the W02.

I think it's much better to have a car who is harder and maybe too much hard with the tyres than the contrary, like F150.

The F150 was too gentle with the tyre, and it was a good thing at once race only, at Turkey because the track was very hot.

I bet the F2012 will be a beast in quali

[raymondu999]

Trackside reporters have all said the car drops off VERY quickly.

BBC's Gary Anderson said that after the first two laps; the front was just washing out in Turns 3 and 9 - and several laps later the car couldn't keep its rear in line in Sector 3.

In terms of raw pace; it's probably competitive with McLaren and Red Bull. But in the races; I'm not so sure.

[lombers]

Well at least they won't have issues warming up the harder compounds this year...

[radosav]

slow or fast, this car will be interesting to watch during wet races, especially in massa's hands

[ecapox]

Someone could translate this ?

Red bull
+ aerodynamics - the rear of the car is top of the class (down force)
- reliability - only 23 laps in the last test

Mclaren
+ nose - they have an original solution that for now, works.
- race pace - it isn't quite up to the pace of red bull

Ferrari
+ reliability - after the first few problems it ran issue free
- tires - after a few. Laps there is a huge drop off

Mercedes
+ front wing - air travels inside helping the aerodynamics
- race pace - the idea is to be be third fastest

Lotus
+ speed - begins and ends testing on the top of the charts
- fragility - small problems but they were serious issues

[elf341]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UmMa7hX ... page#t=14s

Wow. Pat Fry's body language in the first 50 seconds I think says it all! It looks as though he's thoroughly despondent, and is expecting a severe uphill struggle. I imagine at that point he has exhausted (hoho!) his obvious ideas for fixing the car, and can't at that moment think of a simple way forward.

[PlatinumZealot]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UmMa7hX ... 4s[youtube]

He looks like a man that is about to be executed...

[garx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UmMa7hX ... page#t=14s

Wow. Pat Fry's body language in the first 50 seconds I think says it all! It looks as though he's thoroughly despondent, and is expecting a severe uphill struggle. I imagine at that point he has exhausted (hoho!) his obvious ideas for fixing the car, and can't at that moment think of a simple way forward.

well, from my experience with high end sport, i think it could be downplaying...and i'm a macca fan. and i don't see butterflies where are rhinos, in ferrari's case
there's some problems in maranello, that's for sure. but will they fight for podium in Australia, or will they fight with torro rosso, well, we'll have to wait another 12 days, or so. and, since it's a technical forum...

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Wow. Pat Fry's body language in the first 50 seconds I think says it all! It looks as though he's thoroughly despondent, and is expecting a severe uphill struggle. I imagine at that point he has exhausted (hoho!) his obvious ideas for fixing the car, and can't at that moment think of a simple way forward.

Maybe you haven't watched many Pat Fry interviews. He seems the way he always does. If you were to watch the video without the volume turned up & not knowing what he was saying you would see he his smiling quite a bit when speaking. Almost as if it's a joke.

The Ferrari F2012 is nowhere near as bad as people think. The car will be on the first two rows in Melbourne.

[Hail22]

Wow. Pat Fry's body language in the first 50 seconds I think says it all! It looks as though he's thoroughly despondent, and is expecting a severe uphill struggle. I imagine at that point he has exhausted (hoho!) his obvious ideas for fixing the car, and can't at that moment think of a simple way forward.

Maybe you haven't watched many Pat Fry interviews. He seems the way he always does. If you were to watch the video without the volume turned up & not knowing what he was saying you would see he his smiling quite a bit when speaking. Almost as if it's a joke.

The Ferrari F2012 is nowhere near as bad as people think. The car will be on the first two rows in Melbourne.

Checked the launch video...he was smiling being positive over the "aggressive" approach.

Which means they know something and now its time to bag the team out as much as they can to prevent media attention and so they can make the aero package for Melbourne/Malaysia.

[elf341]

Wow. Pat Fry's body language in the first 50 seconds I think says it all! It looks as though he's thoroughly despondent, and is expecting a severe uphill struggle. I imagine at that point he has exhausted (hoho!) his obvious ideas for fixing the car, and can't at that moment think of a simple way forward.

Maybe you haven't watched many Pat Fry interviews. He seems the way he always does. If you were to watch the video without the volume turned up & not knowing what he was saying you would see he his smiling quite a bit when speaking. Almost as if it's a joke.

The Ferrari F2012 is nowhere near as bad as people think. The car will be on the first two rows in Melbourne.

Ok fair point. I must admit, pessimism and paranoia are helpful qualities for an engineer to possess.

[radosav]

The car is able to do it's quickest lap right away. The problem is that the lap isn't very quick.