Ferrari F2013 (pre-launch speculation)

[timbo]

They changed chassis, but changing his chassis didn't bring him much at the time it happened...

I also wonder what caused Massa to suddenly "click" in the final stretch of the season, all this while the car hardly improved for Alonso.

I've always thought it was just his confidence after he signed with ferrari for 2013. That's when he started improving.

I think the race in Singapore was important -- he made really good comeback and passing Senna in style added to his confidence. Standing on the podium next race was also good!

[joeyg02]

They changed chassis, but changing his chassis didn't bring him much at the time it happened...

I also wonder what caused Massa to suddenly "click" in the final stretch of the season, all this while the car hardly improved for Alonso.

I've always thought it was just his confidence after he signed with ferrari for 2013. That's when he started improving.

I think the race in Singapore was important -- he made really good comeback and passing Senna in style added to his confidence. Standing on the podium next race was also good!

I wouldn't consider passing Senna adding to my confidence, but you never know lol. He definitely improved after that contract though. There is no denying that.

[f1_fan007]

They changed chassis, but changing his chassis didn't bring him much at the time it happened...

I also wonder what caused Massa to suddenly "click" in the final stretch of the season, all this while the car hardly improved for Alonso.

I've always thought it was just his confidence after he signed with ferrari for 2013. That's when he started improving.

I think the race in Singapore was important -- he made really good comeback and passing Senna in style added to his confidence. Standing on the podium next race was also good!

there was an article on auto-motor-und sports few weeks back , they say initially car was fast but crude, tough to handle and thats why massa had hard time, but once engineers were able to refine it further and made it easier to handle massa became stronger n stronger. i can believe that

[raymondu999]

That's what I always said since preseason of 2012 - it's a car that was difficult to drive, not a slow car. Which fit the brief that Pat Fry said he set out to do - an "aggressive" car - the engines focused simply on piling downforce rather than designing in the drivability.

[Javert]

That's what I always said since preseason of 2012 - it's a car that was difficult to drive, not a slow car. Which fit the brief that Pat Fry said he set out to do - an "aggressive" car - the engines focused simply on piling downforce rather than designing in the drivability.

They failed as throughout the season Ferrari had less downforce than RB8 & MP4-27, even in high speed corners (Japan for example)

[godlameroso]

You sure about that? I think the Ferrari had very good downforce, the mechanical side still needs ironing out. It's a fast car if not it wouldn't have won any race or scored any podiums.

[raymondu999]

That's what I always said since preseason of 2012 - it's a car that was difficult to drive, not a slow car. Which fit the brief that Pat Fry said he set out to do - an "aggressive" car - the engines focused simply on piling downforce rather than designing in the drivability.

They failed as throughout the season Ferrari had less downforce than RB8 & MP4-27, even in high speed corners (Japan for example)

There is no doubt that they probably had less-ish - but that's not the point. My point is that they focused on adding downforce rather than drivability. Whether or not others had more downforce has 0 relevance to that statement.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

The new car for 2013, code named Project 664, is being developed in a separate facility than the 2014 car obviously. Simone Resta is coordinating the work on the 2013 working group. This is what McLaren have done for years and is part of the methodological & organizational changes that were spoke about so much this year. Ferrari will use the Toyota tunnel for the development of the 2013 car as the Maranello tunnel won't be reopened until August 2013.

Lots of info regarding the changes within the team as well as what the team is focusing on for the 2013 car--> http://www.omnicorse.it/magazine/24000/ ... nizzazione

[Forghieri]

The new car for 2013, code named Project 664, is being developed in a separate facility than the 2014 car obviously. Simone Resta is coordinating the work on the 2013 working group. This is what McLaren have done for years and is part of the methodological & organizational changes that were spoke about so much this year. Ferrari will use the Toyota tunnel for the development of the 2013 car as the Maranello tunnel won't be reopened until August 2013.

Lots of info regarding the changes within the team as well as what the team is focusing on for the 2013 car--> http://www.omnicorse.it/magazine/24000/ ... nizzazione

I stopped thinking the problem was the wind tunnel, 'cause once they changed to the Toyota tunnel in Cologne, they still had discrepancies.
In my opinion the problem is in the way the aerodynamicists analyse the data, once they can solve that, i'm sure the'll get the results on track they expected.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I stopped thinking the problem was the wind tunnel, 'cause once they changed to the Toyota tunnel in Cologne, they still had discrepancies.
In my opinion the problem is in the way the aerodynamicists analyse the data, once they can solve that, i'm sure the'll get the results on track they expected.

I do think the Maranello tunnel is ---. However I do think, as you mentioned, that part of the problem is how the data is being analyzed.
Changing up the structure in which the car is built & separating the Engineers who work with/on & analyze the wind tunnel and CFD data while the other Engineers are working on creating and developing new parts & ideas should help. It will give each set of Engineers time to focus more on what they're doing instead of having to do it all.

Domenicali said that all out work on the 2013 car only started a couple of weeks before the last race in Brazil. Of course he said the launch car will be just that, only a launch car & will be very different come testing & in Australia.

[Nando]

There is no doubt that they probably had less-ish - but that's not the point. My point is that they focused on adding downforce rather than drivability. Whether or not others had more downforce has 0 relevance to that statement.

I´d say those two go pretty well hand in hand. Overall.

[godlameroso]

Depends, the Ferrari seems very planted and drive-able once the downforce is working, under heavy braking when you shed downforce rather quickly it seems like it doesn't behave very nicely, unless it's braking in a straight line. Trail braking through kerbs and bumps is precisely where you win or lose time the most. The car is mighty on corner exit, it's ridiculous starts demonstrate that. Not to mention if it had problems getting out of corners we would see more severe tire wear.

[raymondu999]

There is no doubt that they probably had less-ish - but that's not the point. My point is that they focused on adding downforce rather than drivability. Whether or not others had more downforce has 0 relevance to that statement.

I´d say those two go pretty well hand in hand. Overall.

Not if the downforce all goes on one axle, or is extremely pitch/roll/heave/throttle-sensitive, needing a specific line/technique/style to maximise the car.

[Nando]

Not if the downforce all goes on one axle, or is extremely pitch/roll/heave/throttle-sensitive, needing a specific line/technique/style to maximise the car.

That would never happen..
you can have a slight imbalanca but not 0-100% front/rear..
If you have lots of rear downforce you simply turn up the front wing. If it´s vice versa you are forced to take out front wing.

All downforce won´t go on one axle.

[Forghieri]

Not if the downforce all goes on one axle, or is extremely pitch/roll/heave/throttle-sensitive, needing a specific line/technique/style to maximise the car.

That would never happen..
you can have a slight imbalanca but not 0-100% front/rear..
If you have lots of rear downforce you simply turn up the front wing. If it´s vice versa you are forced to take out front wing.

All downforce won´t go on one axle.

That's not so simple Nando, more down force at the front means over steer, more at the back means under steer.
Because of an to aggressive DRS system the diffuser stalled during braking when approaching the corner, resulting in loss of down force and an unstable rear, so Ferrari put less down force at the front, more at the rear, resulting in a F2012 with lots of under steer.

So i would gladly sacrifice some straight line speed, if they can get the rear wing and diffuser spot on this time, there's more time to be lost in corners, then there is to be won on a long straight.