The Ferrari F1-75 immediately proved to adapt perfectly to the Silverstone circuit, and the fact that Carlos Sainz finished Friday free practice with the fastest time is clear proof of this.
Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto said Red Bull would go for a major upgrade package for the British GP, but on closer inspection it’s fair to say the F1-75 has changed more than the RB18, although perhaps it doesn’t look that way visually.
The aerodynamic engineers at Maranello are continually developing the car in search of maximum aerodynamic efficiency, as they know they have a car capable of generating a large amount of downforce by its very nature.
Both cars were expected to feature the new, more down-to-earth rear wing that Charles Leclerc was able to test in advance at the Canadian GP, but the changes to the F1-75 reflect a revision of this aerodynamic concept, attempting to combine two specifications into one.
In the first place, they seek to improve aerodynamic efficiency to reduce the difference with Red Bull on the straights, with a higher top speed; while secondly, they try to increase the reliability of the power unit, changing the pattern of hot air outlets.
The energy drink team has very hollow aerodynamics on both sides of the Honda engine, creating a sort of McLaren-esque box. At Milton Keynes they try to direct the flow running through their RB18 from the top to the bottom and, above all, by focusing it on the beam wing, which is now running on more clean air.
At Maranello , on the other hand, they seem to have gone in the opposite direction: the engine cover is a little more profiled and surrounds the central exhaust of the F1-75 , whereas before there were two outlets on each side of the exhaust pipe to remove hot air. of the single-seater.
The hood-shaped rear of the chassis does the most to eliminate heat generated by the 066/7 power unit, in addition to the shark-shaped vents that adorn the tops of the sidepods and engine cover. . It is an optimization that Alpine has copied and that supposes an increase in the general aerodynamic efficiency of the car.
Below the ground, the flare of the underside has been increased, increasing the flow of air past the underside: this is a modification that goes in the direction taken by Adrian Newey on the RB18 , proving that by now of the season we are beginning to see a convergence of solutions in search of maximum performance.
The wing mirror mounts have also been modified: the vertical mount has been moved from the outside of the wing mirror to the inside, with the appearance of two small vortex generators.
All in all, the Maranello team has done rigorous development work with no visible revs, which is obviously a good sign as it shows that the current concept is a good one and still has ample room for evolution.
