Ferrari F60

[Miguel]

Oh, I'll add more to mx_tifosi's post:

I want to see that ferrari with golden rims and black wings. Well, you can scrap the rims, but give me pretty please black wings!

[Roland Ehnström]

Does anyone else think the Ferrari isn't quite as fast this pre-season compared to last year? In the Bahrein tests this week they have been no faster than BMW or Toyota, while last year they beat Toyota by one full second a lap all week long. Perhaps Toyota is a lot faster this year, I don't know, but I seriousely doubt that Toyota will ever be a true front-running team. Let me put it this way: If Ferrari are no faster than Toyota, I don't expect them to win the championship in 2009.

Yes, I KNOW it's early days and pre-season testing times are not supposed to mean anything. But I remember the 2005 pre-season, when Ferrari were very slow, and everyone was saying that the times meant nothing. Then when the season started they struggled to even make it into the points in the early races...

[Spencifer_Murphy]

I reckon it could equally be that the Ferrari is great car Roland, in as much as they are sandbagging so as not to appear that good.

The only basis I have for this is that in testing so far they seem to have made almost no changes to the car since its launch, and lets not forget it was the first car to be launched!

Surely they'd only leave the car so deliberately unchanged if they're happy with it right?

On the otherhand, Williams, Renault and even BMW have gradually been adding/changing things here and there and Mclaren have been conducting all manner of wierd and unusual tests (flow visuliation paint, funny birdcages, running outdated 2008-spec rear wings, blocking off central diffuser channel, running funny front wheel rims that probably wont be raced - god knows what they're up to?!)

[Roland Ehnström]

I hear a lot of this talk about sandbagging, but does anyone have any insight or proof that the teams actually ARE sandbagging? What exactly would be the benefit of sandbagging? If they are constantly running the cars with extra ballast or full fuel-loads, wouldn't that make their tests rather meaningless? I would expect them to run the cars as close to race-trim as possible, to get as much out of the tests as possible. Same thing with adding new bits to the cars: Typically I would expect them to do this as early as they are manufactured, to test the new parts as extensively as possible before going to a real race.

There can be different fuel-loads when they are for example comparing one-stop and two-stop strategies, and sometimes they make a qualifying test with very little fuel in the car, but that is not sandbagging.

And remember, I was comparing Ferrari's and Toyota's Bahrein test from 2008 and 2009. I conclude that Toyota are much closer to Ferrari (if not ahead) this year, than last year. If this is only because Ferrari are sandbagging in every session of the test this year, why didn't they do the same last year?

[timbo]

This year testing programm is EXTREMLY diversed.
Teams have to take care of KERS, slicks, cooling systems, engine/gearbox reliability, aero...
I think noone is running flat out now. If everything goes wrong, what are you gonna learn?

[ISLAMATRON]

I hear a lot of this talk about sandbagging, but does anyone have any insight or proof that the teams actually ARE sandbagging? What exactly would be the benefit of sandbagging? If they are constantly running the cars with extra ballast or full fuel-loads, wouldn't that make their tests rather meaningless? I would expect them to run the cars as close to race-trim as possible, to get as much out of the tests as possible. Same thing with adding new bits to the cars: Typically I would expect them to do this as early as they are manufactured, to test the new parts as extensively as possible before going to a real race.

There can be different fuel-loads when they are for example comparing one-stop and two-stop strategies, and sometimes they make a qualifying test with very little fuel in the car, but that is not sandbagging.

And remember, I was comparing Ferrari's and Toyota's Bahrein test from 2008 and 2009. I conclude that Toyota are much closer to Ferrari (if not ahead) this year, than last year. If this is only because Ferrari are sandbagging in every session of the test this year, why didn't they do the same last year?

I dont think there is any sandbagging going on either, it just does not give you a worthwhile stratigic advantage to do so. But in regards to Ferrari vs Toyota, lets not forget that Toyota is not running KERS so their testing procedures are alot simpler than Ferrari's whereas the Red team have alot more room for improvement than Toyota.

Also Toyota's substantially longer wheelbase than the Ferrari could suit the Bahrain track much more.

[mx_tifoso]

Finally a good close-up image of the front wing.



Ferrari have been focusing on set up work and race simulations, and Toyota have also been doing set up work and the usual tyre and aero comparisons, but they could be working on quali simulations. The programs are very different so times and speeds aren't significant whatsoever.

Along with BMW, both Toyota and Ferrari have had their share of gremlins to deal with, it's safe to say that almost every day out on the track.

[Scania]

Looks like they are back to longer exhaust pipes, but sealed the opening -

they look like to hide something...
the shape of the sidepod just like have been cutted a parts on the exhaust pipes.
e.g. they will have a cover on the exhaust

[Astro1]

I think that teams do sandbag. There are a lot of political and psychological factors that play in on this. If you're fast and know it, why let the competition know about it and try to correct. Why not let them think that what they've done is enough. May also be useful in keeping the FIAs communist (balance all teams)approach from being effective. IMO if there was a time to sandbag it now.

BTW, somebody said that sandbagging is NOT running with lot's of fuel in the car. If it's more fuel then you would normal run for that situation in a GP you are simulating, you are sandbagging; except instead of sand you've got fuel.

That said, the Ferrari did set the fastest times during the test while "claiming" to have been doing race simulations for both drivers. Times were set during long stints. In other words, Ferrari set the times at less then optimal conditions for a fastest lap shootout.

Moreover, Ferrari is still running with the same exact configuration as the debut car minus some minor changes to the rear wing plane spacing and front wing rigidity and height. The only other change spotted was experimentation with exhaust length. Same diffuser, etc. Other teams on the other hand have been bolting all sorts of changes, experiments etc to their chassis. McLaren of course being a great example.

This was a Q&A session after the last day of testing with Costa.

Q&A with COSTA

Q: What's your assessment on the Grand Prix simulation done by Massa ?
Costa: ''The objective was to do a simulation of an entire race with the (same) engine and gearbox, first with Raikkonen, then with Massa.''

Q: The engine keeps up despite the 2,000 km it covered.
Costa: ''The reduction of 1,000 rpm has helped. As for the rest, we've only made two modifications: to the intake trumpets and to the injection nozzles.''

Q: It's been a great day's work...
Costa: ''We've covered 1,700 km in the second week also, the mileage has allowed us to gain a lot of experience.''

Q: And what about the problems you encountered ?
Costa: ''The 15,000 km testlimit and the ban on in-season testing force you to speed up the development and this causes failures.''

Q: You've tried out many types of tyres.
Costa: ''Some were suited to the track and the temperatures, others turned out to be too hard. The tyres that we have partly make up for the loss of aerodynamic downforce imposed by the regulations.''

Q: Happy with the way KERS works ?
Costa: ''It satisfies, it works pretty well. On Tuesday there was a problem related to its life span. The new one has worked well.''

Q: Replacing KERS requires completely new working procedures.
Costa: ''We've benefited from simulating the safety procedures, the same ones that are used with all the hybrid cars. They're precautionary measures that are not necessary in 99% of the cases, but we want to be certain, especially now.''

Q: Will it also be like that during the Grand Prix ?
Costa: ''No, we will have automatic-control systems: when the car enters the box we will know whether everything's fine and whether we can start working on the car.''

Q: We've seen slight changes to the wings.
Costa: ''It's been the first part of the work in anticipation of the Melbourne configuration, which isn't here but will be taken to the tests in Spain.''

Q: What do you make of the criticism of some drivers on the very large front wings ?
Costa: ''It's certainly a wing that's cumbersome and the drivers will have to be careful, especially in the event of overtaking. It could also be vulnerable going over the kerbs and we're fine-tuning the details in order for the car to absorb (the forces) driving over them without being affected by too much damage.''

Q: The anvil wing is gone. Will we see it again ?
Costa: ''Under the new regulations there are various issues as far as the rear of the car is concerned. For now no anvil wing.''

Costa didn't dismiss it however.

[myurr]

Looks like they are back to longer exhaust pipes, but sealed the opening -

they look like to hide something...
the shape of the sidepod just like have been cutted a parts on the exhaust pipes.
e.g. they will have a cover on the exhaust

It'll be for cooling reasons - presumably it's not as hot in Bahrain as it could be and so they've blocked off the exhaust exits slightly.

[timbo]

Looks like they are back to longer exhaust pipes, but sealed the opening -

they look like to hide something...
the shape of the sidepod just like have been cutted a parts on the exhaust pipes.
e.g. they will have a cover on the exhaust

It'll be for cooling reasons - presumably it's not as hot in Bahrain as it could be and so they've blocked off the exhaust exits slightly.

Notice that exhausts are also longer. Maybe they just used the same engine for Massa as on his first Mugello test?

[myurr]

I think that teams do sandbag. There are a lot of political and psychological factors that play in on this. If you're fast and know it, why let the competition know about it and try to correct. Why not let them think that what they've done is enough. May also be useful in keeping the FIAs communist (balance all teams)approach from being effective. IMO if there was a time to sandbag it now...

There's no point in sandbagging at all - all the teams are pushing as hard as possible to have the fastest possible car ready for the first race. Anyone worrying about hiding the performance of their car is just wasting their time. If Ferrari, for example, are really capable of running one second per lap faster than they have been and have been deliberately masking that pace rather than getting on with testing, do you really think that BMW and the others are going to just sit back and think "Nah let's not make the car any faster. It'll do."

[mx_tifoso]

I wonder what the record is for the amount of times an image is quoted on one page...

[myurr]

Notice that exhausts are also longer. Maybe they just used the same engine for Massa as on his first Mugello test?

Yeah I noticed that, makes me wonder if Ferrari are going to do something different in that region for the next test / first race. They chopped the exhaust off to comply with 09 rules, that exhaust looks like it is illegal. Could be that they're running with that exhaust length for engine exhaust acoustic reasons, knowing that they have a similar but legal solution in the works.

[Astro1]

I think that teams do sandbag. There are a lot of political and psychological factors that play in on this. If you're fast and know it, why let the competition know about it and try to correct. Why not let them think that what they've done is enough. May also be useful in keeping the FIAs communist (balance all teams)approach from being effective. IMO if there was a time to sandbag it now...

There's no point in sandbagging at all - all the teams are pushing as hard as possible to have the fastest possible car ready for the first race. Anyone worrying about hiding the performance of their car is just wasting their time. If Ferrari, for example, are really capable of running one second per lap faster than they have been and have been deliberately masking that pace rather than getting on with testing, do you really think that BMW and the others are going to just sit back and think "Nah let's not make the car any faster. It'll do."

No that's not really the point. What I'm getting at, is that with the other teams not knowing how far ahead or behind they are it makes it more difficult to set goals and targets. A team that gains 3 tenths during a test may be happy but wouldn't be if they knew their opposition gained 4. That's my point. It's sports thing. When you have a goal you tend to work harder.