Ferrari is the benchmark for teams at the start of the 2022 F1 season after seeing those in red dominate the time tables throughout the first few days of testing.
There is talk in the paddock of the radical design of the Mercedes W13, but the Italian team is setting the pace at the moment, and they finished the first day of testing at Sakhir close to the lead with both of their drivers with ease.
The red car is basically the same as the one we saw in Barcelona, but they have modified the lower part. Those from Maranello have worked hard in these two weeks prior to Bahrain to solve the famous porpoising on the straights, aware that whoever finds the solution will have many chances to dominate.
Ferrari F1-75, detail of the bottom
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Detail of the sides of the Ferrari F1-75
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
We have discovered a third solution in the background of the F1-75 , and it seems that the Italian engineers are not too shy about copying the ideas of the competition.
Giorgio Piola’s photo shows us the new Ferrari single-seater without the belly bodywork, but it is not in this area where you have to look, but in the back, where they have adopted a concept that McLaren introduced in Barcelona.
Detail of the bottom of the McLaren MCL36 in Barcelona
The MCL36 that could be seen in Montmeló turned out to be the one that suffered the least from the setbacks of porpoising, a sign that the horizontal profile slightly raised with respect to the curb with four supports is capable of limiting the forces generated at high speeds.
Ferrari has also widened the front cooling following the design developed by James Key’s team.
Detail of the double Ferrari splitter
Photo by: Ferrari
Aston Martin AMR22, detail of the splitter
Photo by: Aston Martin Racing
The Scuderia have no qualms about taking on their rivals’ philosophy if it can work. Already at the unveiling, team boss Mattia Binotto admitted the aerodynamicists didn’t have too much trouble copying the Aston Martin AMR22’s double ‘tea tray’ profile.
The flow diverter has remained in the single-seater, a sign that it is useful, and if Maranello has opted for this type of solution, it is because they will be able to find performance in what the rest converge on. Now it only remains to be seen if Ferrari will be able to make the leap that they have been looking for so much in recent seasons, and the first litmus test will come next weekend in Bahrain.
