Ferrari F60

[ISLAMATRON]

If this is the state of the art, pencil me in as unimpressed.

Couple this aero package with the new rev limit, and I am not very sure that I am very interested anymore...

This is what happens when the vocal minority fanbase dictates F1 technical direction, coupled with an economic crisis dictating the cost direction.

Is anyone else just dying to watch F2 instead?

I dunno, but I miss real racing...

In what is supposed to be the pinnacle Formula on the planet, I must strongly disagree with this misconception.

It is ALL about the Formula, and that by deffinition IS technical prowess.

They also employ the best drivers to pilot these machines, but it IS about the technology... Well, it is supposed to be, anyways...

...and the actual technology isn't being reduced in any way next year...

In what world is a winglet or a chimney more technologically more advanced than an entire KERS system... its funny that the same people who bemoan the loss of the aerodynamic appendages also bemoan the introduction of KERS.

KERS is the single biggest technology infusion into F1 since turbocharging, it is certainly more interesting than winglets, chimneys or viking horns.

I would rather have the KERs systems hidden from view(with full technical disclosure from each team... please max make that happen) than have all that money spent on where to put the next winglet.

Thank God, F1 is finally back on track with some true technological innovation. 2009 might be a runaway season like 1988 or 2004 but at least it will give us tech heads something to talk about other than winglets and airflow.

[modbaraban]

That 'true technological innovation' can be found on an ugly 10-year-old road car.

KERS in F1 nothing more than PR. only way more expensiove than tyres with grooves painted green.

[ISLAMATRON]

That 'true technological innovation' can be found on an ugly 10-year-old road car.

KERS in F1 nothing more than PR. only way more expensiove than tyres with grooves painted green.

What 10 year old road car has a 100K rpm flywheel... please name 1... exactly. The green grooves were assinine, but it did its job seeing that you still remember them. Comparing the green grooves to KERS is slightly more assinine, seeing that the most well funded team is struggling with getting their KERS system together. What is more proof of KERS technological sophistication than Ferrari's inability to come to terms with it.

But this is not the thread for such discussions... any body got solid info on the F60, such as wheelbase, weight distribution?

[tk421]

If this is the state of the art, pencil me in as unimpressed.

I dunno, but I miss real racing...

Real racing has nothing to do with the technical prowess of the cars involved.

I think there are two distinctions here. I believe scotracer is right: real racing has nothing to do with innovation; it has everything to do with the spirit of competition. Kart racing, Formula One racing, Tour de France bicycle racing, Olympic Track racing... All of those things are real racing.

Then there's F1. It isn't the state of the art, it's the state of the regulations. "It is what it is" fits perfectly here, I think. We all have notions of what F1 should be, like Conceptual, and we've all seen F1 at technological highs and lows and mediums. I love the innovation race within F1, but with or without it, F1 is still real racing.

Lastly, the singular reason I truly love F1 is the 10 (or 9 ) constructors who design, build, and race their own cars according to their interpretation of the regulations. I just love to see how BMW interprets the rules compared to Ferrari or Williams or Red Bull. Looking at all the different interpretations, I feel there is still plenty of innovation in F1, and no matter the regulations, it is still real racing.

ISLA: agreed! I'm still waiting for a good explanation regarding my post about the bargeboards being left as exposed carbon fibre!

[tk421]

If this is the state of the art, pencil me in as unimpressed.

I dunno, but I miss real racing...

Real racing has nothing to do with the technical prowess of the cars involved.

I think there are two distinctions here. I believe scotracer is right: real racing has nothing to do with innovation; it has everything to do with the spirit of competition. Kart racing, Formula One racing, Tour de France bicycle racing, Olympic Track racing... All of those things are real racing.

Then there's F1. It isn't the state of the art, it's the state of the regulations. "It is what it is" fits perfectly here, I think. We all have notions of what F1 should be, like Conceptual, and we've all seen F1 at technological highs and lows and mediums. I love the innovation race within F1, but with or without it, F1 is still real racing.

Lastly, the singular reason I truly love F1 is the 10 (or 9 ) constructors who design, build, and race their own cars according to their interpretation of the regulations. I just love to see how BMW interprets the rules compared to Ferrari or Williams or Red Bull. Looking at all the different interpretations, I feel there is still plenty of innovation in F1, and no matter the regulations, it is still real racing.

ISLA: agreed! I'm still waiting for a good explanation regarding my post about the bargeboards being left as exposed carbon fibre!

[ISLAMATRON]

I'm still waiting for a good explanation regarding my post about the bargeboards being left as exposed carbon fibre!

Someone said that they didn thave time to paint them, but it could also be that they are reserved for a not yet mentioned yet sponsor.

[weisler]

I'm still waiting for a good explanation regarding my post about the bargeboards being left as exposed carbon fibre!

I could be dreaming this, but I seem to recall that some F1 teams were not painting the underside and leading edge of their front wing to avoid unwanted drag from chipping paint... Maybe they've left the bare carbon for this reason, or as a weight saving exercise!

[tk421]

Apologies for the double-post, all!

I read the "no time to paint" explanation, but that doesn't add up to me. I know that all the teams leave the leading edges of their front and rear wings unpainted, and that's what left me puzzled. The bargeboards do see a lot of aero, but I didn't think they see as much as the leading edge of a front or rear wing. That's why I wondered why Ferrari left the bargeboard unpainted......

Hate to say it, but I wanted more of an answer than "they didn't have time to paint it." That seems pretty weak to me...

and ISLA: it's my belief that the bargeboard would have had that sponsor's logo painted on the Launch car, for obvious reasons, as opposed to leaving it blank for later advertisement...

[tk421]

Myself and weisler having the same thought at the same time:

I could be dreaming this, but I seem to recall that some F1 teams were not painting the underside and leading edge of their front wing to avoid unwanted drag from chipping paint...

Unpainted leading edges...

The question remains: why the bargeboard?

[Astro1]

Is it really bothering you that much?

Whatever the answer, it can't possibly be that interesting.

No time to paint?
Masking design slightly from competition?
Waiting for a sponsor to confirm funds transfer before painting their logo?
They like the carbon fiber look?
Waiting for proper paint mixture in white or black? (Lighter paint being used this year)

Who cares?

[andartop]

No time to paint?
Masking design slightly from competition?
Waiting for a sponsor to confirm funds transfer before painting their logo?
They like the carbon fiber look?
Waiting for proper paint mixture in white or black? (Lighter paint being used this year)

They forgot?

[xpensive]

Most interesting Q this, could it be that the operators of Ferrari paint-shop got so tired of re-painting this area, which is so exposed to wear, they just didn't give a s**t?

[modbaraban]

Felipe said he liked the new car rather a lot. So my guess would be that he licked the paint off

[mattclinch]

360 spin of the F60

http://ferrari09-http.weebo.it/Ferrari_ ... ng/vt.html

[dedge]

Take a look at the bargeboard. Did they just leave the carbon fibre exposed? The weave looks different than what I'm used to seeing. Anyway, there must be a reason for leaving it unpainted; any ideas?

The side you see is protected with a Carbon/Aramide fabric. It is not a "taffetas" fabric but something called "satin" which means that the carbon rowing goes under 5 rowings of Aramide before appearing on the fabric surface. Satin fabric is more flexible than others and is used for complex parts. Here there is no use of this...
The adding of the aramide gives a better abrasive resistance. Maybe they suffered from too many surface damages in the past (because of the brake dust?)