Last Updated on March 11 2021, 8:52 am
As Ferrari unveiled its Formula 1 car for the 2021 season on Wednesday, team boss Mattia Binotto said that almost everything about the car had been redesigned in an attempt to put Scuderia Ferrari back in a position to win again.
Although the regulations have remained largely stable this year, Ferrari has had its work cut out over the winter to ensure that the shortcomings of last years SF1000 are erased after a disappointing season (sixth in the championship) without a single win.
At the launch of the SF21 on Wednesday, Binotto explained all the efforts made by the Scuderia this winter to make the car competitive.
“This car was born from last year’s car because of the new regulations. So it was partially frozen, but we tried to improve it in all areas as much as possible. “Binotto explained.
“The aerodynamics have been revised and its livery has also changed. As you can see, the rear end is burgundy similar to the very first Ferrari race car, the 125S. ”
“This is the same colour we used last year at Mugello to celebrate our 1000th Grand Prix. Visually, we have been inspired by our past, but we also look forward to the future, which will always be defined by our Ferrari red. ”
Ferrari’s head of chassis Enrico Cardile added that the SF21’s aerodynamics had undergone a radical overhaul with two goals in mind given the new 2021 rules which reduce downforce around the floor.
“Aerodynamics was one of the areas affected by the regulatory changes to reduce the ability to generate vertical load, so as not to put too much strain on the tyres. ” Cardile explained at the SF21 presentation, confirming in passing that Ferrari had spent its development chips on the rear of the car.
“That’s why, as we started to develop the aerodynamics of the car, we set ourselves two objectives: to recover more aerodynamic downforce than was lost by the regulations and to reduce drag. ”
“We opted for the rear, designing a new gearbox and suspension system. This, in addition to the efforts of our powertrain colleagues, has led to a much tighter rear end. ”
“Due to the regulations, less drastic changes were possible at the front of the car. So we developed a new front wing that works in conjunction with a new nose design, but the chassis itself and the suspension are borrowed from last year’s SF1000. ”
Ferrari’s head of power units, Enrico Gualteri, meanwhile, explains that the engine was also one of the biggest jobs for the Maranello engineers over the winter.
“Together with our colleagues on the chassis side, we worked a lot on the powertrain configuration, to make the overall design of the car as efficient as possible. “He explains.
“With the internal combustion engine, we focused on increasing its level of thermal efficiency, in collaboration with our partner Shell, and this has produced an improvement in lap time that we estimate to be more than a tenth of a second. ”
The SF21 will make its track debut this Thursday in a day of filming, a day before the start of the 2021 winter test in Bahrain
Translated with http://www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
