Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

History repeats as 70th anniversary of Mallory Park is celebrated

National
History repeats as 70th anniversary of Mallory Park is celebrated

How Sutton's BTCC steamroller overcame Snetterton challenges

Feature
BTCC
Snetterton (300 Circuit)
How Sutton's BTCC steamroller overcame Snetterton challenges

Rossi faces key decision: Who will replace di Giannantonio at VR46?

MotoGP
Catalan GP
Rossi faces key decision: Who will replace di Giannantonio at VR46?

Red Bull reacts to Verstappen’s criticism – why ‘I told you’ moments are needed

Formula 1
Canadian GP
Red Bull reacts to Verstappen’s criticism – why ‘I told you’ moments are needed

Mini miracles as remarkable podium stories play out at Snetterton

National
Mini miracles as remarkable podium stories play out at Snetterton

Why Russell doesn’t want to see the 2026 F1 rules changed

Formula 1
Canadian GP
Why Russell doesn’t want to see the 2026 F1 rules changed

How Rosenqvist came of age in the closest Indy 500 finish in history

Feature
IndyCar
110th Running of the Indianapolis 500
How Rosenqvist came of age in the closest Indy 500 finish in history

Why "awesome" Canadian GP has convinced Hamilton he's "probably better without" Ferrari simulator

Formula 1
Canadian GP
Why "awesome" Canadian GP has convinced Hamilton he's "probably better without" Ferrari simulator

Why Ferrari's 2018 F1 car's front end is helping Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen's resurgent form in Formula 1 has been helped by Ferrari's decision not to pursue a complicated suspension set-up with its SF71H, suggests Motorsport TV's technical analyst Craig Scarborough

The Finn enjoyed a strong start to the season in Australia, qualifying on the front row and being Lewis Hamilton's main challenger for much of the race before Sebastian Vettel's pitstop strategy - made effective by a virtual safety car period - helped him jump from third to first.

Scarborough believes that Ferrari's layout at the front of its car explains why Raikkonen's campaign started so encouragingly in Australia.

"Ferrari, compared to any other front team, have the most conservative front suspension," said Scarborough in the latest episode of the Motorsport Show.

"Other people are playing around with the angles of the suspension with these upper arms, lifting them up for aero reasons, and for geometry reasons.

"Ferrari keep that and that gives them quite a good front end.

"And for somewhere like Melbourne that was really helping, and for a driver like Kimi Raikkonen that is really important as well, that they have that confidence in the front end.

"There are lots of factors when you make these decisions and certainly it seems to work for Ferrari."

Scarborough also suggested the suspension layout could give the team an advantage over rivals who have gone for more complicated designs.

"It is one of the trump cards for Ferrari and you wonder how that will start to play out with tyres as we go to different sorts of tracks, different temperatures and different compounds," he added.

In the same analysis, Anthony Rowlinson, Editor-in-Chief of F1 Racing, also examines the back end of the car.

"It's interesting, I think, in the context of what Ferrari haven't done at the front, that Sebastian Vettel to date has not found the grip he wants for the rear," said Rowlinson.

Previous article Sauber's aggressive tech push to hit Formula 1's midfield group
Next article F1's passing 'force field' already being addressed - Ross Brawn

Top Comments

Latest news