Tech Analysis: Ferrari F2007

Despite returning to form once the team had worked out how to get the best from the Bridgestone tyres, Ferrari ended the 2006 season without either championship. This year, however, as a team that tends to struggle with rule changes, the limited regulation changes affecting the chassis could play into their hands with the all-new F2007 machine.

However the team developed the car the focus was always going to be on how the new technical structure, with the absence of Michael Schumacher, Ross brawn and to an extent Rory Byrne, would live up to previous success.

Now headed by Aldo Costa, the technical department is headed by staff promoted internally within the organisation and the team will take encouragement from the fact that many of the key bodies have proven themselves in the shadows of their predecessors.

Costa was largely responsible for the past two Ferraris and Gilles Simon has worked on the engines for many years. Aerodynamicist Nick Tombasis has rejoined the team after a brief spell at McLaren as Chief Designer and John Iley retains the head of aerodynamics role.

So despite the changes the technical dept retains a great deal of stability and the evolutionary approach to the car reflects that.

The front of the Ferrari F2007 © Ferrari (Click image to enlarge)

In terms of the machine itself, Ferrari have opted for a longer car this year, up by 85mm to 3,135mm, and this provides more space to package the aerodynamics, rather than being changed for weight distribution reasons.

Aerodynamics dictate the front of the car, where the front suspension goes from Ferrari tried and trusted single design to a zero keel. The front lower wishbone now bolts up through the flexure into the bottom of the monocoque.

Although the geometrical limitations of zero keels are a problem, the improvement in aerodynamics by having the wishbones raised so far above the floor gain more in lap times. No doubt Ferraris long standing relationship with Bridgestone will have aided their decision to accept this compromise.

The sidepods feature slightly revised inlets and undercuts, with the permanent addition of pod wings on the top shoulders. The distinctive stalk mounted mirrors are retained and further back the chimneys are now like more turning vanes, although larger versions with more cooling capacity will no doubt appear in due course.

The majority of the cooling appears to come from louvered panels atop the sidepods, despite these having fallen out of favour since the V8 engines were introduced as they are believed to produce more drag.

At the rear the sidepods coke bottle shape is typically tight and integrated into the gearbox. Above the gearbox where the sides of the engine cover meet is small outlet which appears to house a small radiator, presumably for the gearbox oil.

The rear impact structure has been altered to meet the new rules, but still splits the beam wing into two and has the tall diffuser wrapped around it. Curiously the rear suspension features a high mounted lower wishbone, which raises the wishbone clear of the top the diffuser. This might be part of a strategy to drive faster air over the side diffusers and pull even more air from under floor, thus creating more potential for downforce.

The rear of the Ferrari F2007 © Ferrari (Click image to enlarge)

Indeed the gearbox is all new for this year, the cluster now featuring a Ferrari developed seamless shift which sees the faster shifting mechanism sitting within a new casing made from a cast titanium skeleton with carbon fibre skins bonded to fill in the 'windows' created by the metal frame. This is still regarded as metal gearbox, as opposed some other teams whose primary structure is carbon fibre with metal only used to support the bearings.

As the engine rules demand, the specification was fixed as from the end of the last season. This only allows the engine team to revise small details to accommodate the retuning to the maximum 19,000rpm. Hence Gilles Simon has only been able to make small changes to the combustion chamber, the pistons, the inlet/exhausts and crank.

So despite the new all-red livery misleading the eye on some details, the new car is very much a progression from the 248, as the new team is a progression from its predecessors. The major areas tackled by the team are similar to most of their rivals' developments - largely layout, suspension detail and gearbox - and only time will tell whether the new stars can sparkle as well as the old.