F1.07 development (+technical drawings)

A Formula One car never stays the same. Depending on the nature of the circuit – featuring long straights such as Monza or tight corners like Monaco – the engineers in the BMW Sauber F1 Team continue to develop the car throughout the course of the season. Willy Rampf, Technical Director of the BMW Sauber F1 Team, describes this evolutionary progress of the BMW Sauber F1.07 with the aid of some technical drawings.

BMW Sauber F1.07 car launch, Valencia, January, general view.

Willy Rampf, Technical Director BMW Sauber F1 Team: “Aerodynamics played a central role in the development of the BMW Sauber F1.07. The aim was to build a car with high aerodynamic efficiency, yet at the same time one that handled well through corners.”

BMW Sauber F1.07 car launch, Valencia, January, front wing.

Willy Rampf: “A transitional version of the front wing was used for the roll-out. We had put a lot of work into the endplates, in particular, with the goal of achieving high downforce even when turning in.”

BMW Sauber F1.07, Grand Prix of Spain, May, stinger wing.

Willy Rampf: “In Barcelona we added an extra multi-piece wing to the rear crash element for the first time in order to increase downforce. This was part of a high-downforce package which we also developed with Monaco in mind.”

BMW Sauber F1.07, Grand Prix of Monaco, May, general view.

Willy Rampf: “In Monaco we raced a version of the F1.07 which had both maximum downforce and maximum cooling, as you can see from the air vents.”

BMW Sauber F1.07, Grand Prix of Monaco, May, brake ducts.

Willy Rampf: “Tight corners like former Loews and Rascasse saw us opt for a new front suspension package in Monaco with modified geometry to allow a sharper turn-in angle. The short straights here mean the brakes hardly have any time to cool, and we therefore used brake ducts with a large inflow area.”

BMW Sauber F1.07, Grand Prix of Canada, June, rear wing.

Willy Rampf: “This new rear wing with modified endplates was the key element in a medium-downforce package we had developed for Montréal and Indianapolis. We fitted this in combination with the extra single-piece wing on the rear crash element in order to achieve extremely high efficiency.”

BMW Sauber F1.07, Grand Prix of Italy, September, general view.

Willy Rampf: “With the four long straights at Monza producing speeds of over 300 km/h, we used a low-downforce package with highly efficient wing combinations to keep drag low. Plus, several additional fins on the engine cover were removed, again in the interests of ensuring low drag.”

BMW Sauber F1.07, Grand Prix of Italy, September, rear wing.

Willy Rampf: “The rear wing for the high-speed Monza circuit differed fundamentally from our other variants, as the main wing was shorter than the flap. In addition it was given a zigzag profile, which ensured both high efficiency and good airflow stability.”

BMW Sauber F1.07, Grand Prix of Japan, September, roll hoop wings.

Willy Rampf: “In Japan we introduced a new version of the additional wing on the roll hoop for the first time. Its optimised form allowed improved air flow to the rear wing.”

BMW Sauber F1.07, Grand Prix of Brazil, October, general view.

Willy Rampf: “The aero elements on the F1.07 at the roll-out in Valencia – the engine cover, front and rear wings, turning vanes and underbody – changed completely over the course of the season.”