Tech Analysis: Spyker F8-VII

The newly named Spyker (nee. Jordan, nee. Midland) team unveiled their blinding liveried F8-VII to the press last week and despite the changes of team ownership and branding, the car actually bears huge similarity with the M16 which the team raced last year.

The car is, however, different in several areas, most specifically some subtle aerodynamic tweaks and a change from a Toyota engine raced last year to the Ferrari V8 which the team will be using this time around.

After leaving Jordan to join Renault and then later Toyota, Mike Gascoyne rejoins the remains of his old team as chief technical officer and beneath him many of the technical staff that were with the team when he left more than six years ago still remain. James Key retains the role he undertook last year as technical director, with Jordan long-termer John McQuilliam still chief designer and Simon Phillips continuing in his role as head of aerodynamics.

This stability in the core staff allows the team to make well-judged decisions on the development of the car for this year. That said, with the late confirmation of the Ferrari engine and the Spyker ownership in its infancy the team still struggles with the same lack of certainty, funding and resources. As a result the new car is very much a development of the old car, which was fortunately a big departure in design from the 2005 car.

At this stage Gascoyne's influence on the car has been limited, but he has already worked to improve the team's resources. He has gained more funding for the aero department and setting up a relationship with the Italian company Aerolab for aerodynamic development. Part of the Fondmetal group, Aerolab are a complete aerodynamics facility and can design and build models and test them inside their own wind tunnel.

Started by ex-Tyrrell aerodynamicist Jean Claude Migeot (of the high nosed Tyrrell 019 fame), Fondmetal's tunnel was once used heavily by Renault and to a lesser extent Minardi. With these teams no longer making so much use of the tunnel, Spyker have a deal to effectively use it as a second tunnel alongside their own tunnel in Brackley.

This return to previous suppliers and ideas is very much a trademark of Mike Gascoyne, his previous work with Migeot and Aerolab dates back to both his time at Tyrrell and Renault.

Newey-esque bargeboards sprout from the zero keel (yellow) © Scarborough (Click image to enlarge)

With out the resources to build a completely new car, the team has had to focus on the weak spots of the old car as well as accommodate the revised regulations. Improving the car's quality, creating more flexibility for ballast and creating more potential with the aerodynamics were the aims James Key earmarked for the project.

After two years with Toyota engines, firstly V10 and then V8, the Ferrari change marks the third major new installation in as many years, although the 2006 V8 engine rules mandating engine lengths and crank heights have aided this process this time. The Ferrari engine demanded larger radiators but there is less space inside the sidepods this year because the 6mm-thick anti-intrusion panel needs to be bonded to the monocoque, so Spyker have had to create taller sidepods to accommodate the larger coolers.

Having always managed their own Chassis ECU to control gearbox, differential and traction control, the integration with the Ferrari engine ECU has gone smoothly, according to Key. As the car employs basically the same basic monocoque and gearbox, the layout has not altered significantly and only a small change in wheelbase was created due to the length of the Ferrari engine.

One of the other major changes to the car has been in the aerodynamics. Last year's car sported a raised monocoque with a twin keel design, the sidepods were heavily revised and during the year a new front wing was developed. However, the car stuck to the same Jordan format bargeboards used for over five years. These were forward-mounted boards, sitting with in the front suspension. Although the board was in one piece, it twisted to form three different surfaces. This year the twin keel and bargeboards have been completely changed.

Previously, the front wishbone mounted to a metal extension sprouting from the monocoque's lower edge. This year the wishbone appears to mount directly underneath the monocoque, creating a zero keel design. In the same area the bargeboards follow an Adrian Newey philosophy (appearing both on his McLarens and the new Red Bull). The device is formed at the wishbone mount and sweeps down to form turning vanes (yellow in the illustration), followed by larger bargeboards and small supplementary vanes added to the floor fin.

Although bargeboard design is hard to define into different types, there is a feeling amongst aerodynamicists that forward mounted vanes work best with a larger rear board. As such, Spyker have followed this trend to the letter.

The sidepods now feature deeper undercuts, although the pod wing and chimney arrangements are similar to the 2006 car. At its launch the car still wore the old rear impact structure, so a new diffuser can be expected to arrive when a new lower impact structure is fitted.

Familiar sidepod treatments belie the car's roots in the 2006 car © XPB/LAT (Click image to enlarge)

Mechanically, changes to the car are largely in weight reduction and adapting to the new engine and tyres. The gearbox appears to be the same cast aluminium case with its Sachs rotary dampers and within the gearbox a conventional shift arrangement is retained. Spyker do have a seamless project underway, but this is not expected to debuted any time soon.

As has been his usual approach to F1 design, Mike Gascoyne has already announced a B-spec car, scheduled for appearance at the Turkish Grand Prix, some way into the season. The B Spec is expected to comprise a new gearbox and revised aerodynamics.

Again, the limited funding for the team means that only new designs with a large improvement in performance can be afforded. Other teams will spend the money for any gain, but just as with Jordan and Midland before it, the cost/benefit equation is more finely balanced for Spyker. As a result, the pre season upgrade to its wings and floor will be the only major updates, only small add on items will be introduced before the B-Spec car.

With Toro Rosso and Super Aguri expected to run what are effectively customer cars, Spyker's chances with their little-altered car can only be expected to leave them at the back end of the grid in 2007.

Their car is not enough of a step, compared to the testing pace of Super Aguri for example, and even the late season upgrade to the car cannot be expected to alter their fortunes. They will have to hope that the long term commitment shown by Spyker will allow them a step up in fortunes for 2008 and beyond.