Formula One car development blog

Ferrari have appeared at Brazil with a new diffuser modification, introducing its own version of an open fronted diffuser. As marked, the diffuser is now open where it meets the floor, allowing exhaust gases to flow through this opening into the lower deck. Red Bull debuted this type of diffuser, and many teams followed quickly. It is thus surprising that Ferrari comes up with development with just 2 more races to go, especially as this design feature will be outlawed on 2011.

Techn... Read more

Ferrari have raced a new version of their exhaust blown diffuser at Spa. The team did not change anything on it since the exhaust blowing principle was copied from Red Bull and introduced at Valencia. The team decided to learn it as they ran it, and now is the first update on the concept.

As marked in the image, the profile of the lower and upper deck have been changed to improve downforce generation by means of the complex flow from the floor, the exhaust and around the sidepods.

Just as rumours suggested in recent days and weeks, Ferrari's aerodynamic update at Valencia includes a revised exhaust system that mimicks the Red Bull's design. Rather than exiting the exhaust gases through the upper side of the sidepods, the pipes are now relocated to push gases out just above the car's flow, ahead of the rear diffuser.

At the same time, Ferrari also shielded its lower wishbones to protect them from the heat while strips are added to measure the exact temperature... Read more

Although not exactly an F-duct, Ferrari are testing their version of a blown rear wing at Chinese free practices. The F10 sees the addition of a channel up in the shark fin that runs through into the rear wing, with the known rearward slots in the upper deck.

While the shark fin element is now considerably thicker than it previously was, there is at this time no evidence that the driver has any input in this, contrary to McLaren's F-duct design. Air is fetched just behind the airbox... Read more

As the cars completed all the testing that is allowed, the crew on track and at the factory have been practicing pitstops without refuelling the car. While previously the tyre changers were not the critical path of a pitstop procedure due to the longer refuelling time, they certainly will be now.

Williams have stated a 3.5s stop will be "decent", but rumours from Red Bull claims pitstops of under 3 seconds. To optimise this process, most of the experienced teams have designed specia... Read more