Ferrari F2012

[Forza]

Full Scale model is not permitted to test in the windtunnel, IIRC maximum permitted is 60% scale model.

By the regulations they can do it instead of straight line test.

FIA SPORTING REGULATIONS

22) TRACK AND WIND TUNNEL TESTING - 22.4 - section iii) Four one day aerodynamic tests carried out on FIA approved straight line or constant radius sites between 1 January of the current year and the start of the last Event of the Championship. Any of these days may be substituted for four hours of wind]on full scale wind tunnel testing to be carried out in a single twenty four hour period.

[F1.Ru]

Ferrari F2012 - rear wing modifications in Japanese GP

In Japan Fernando Alonso evaluated two different rear wings: the one he tested and then discarded in Singapore and a completely new one. The two solutions differ primarily in the shape of the vertical gills at the bottom of the endplate (see main picture and inset). The endplate's top section is also different. The horizontal gills are no longer totally straight but are slightly stepped between the main plane and the flap's leading edge. Both Alonso and team mate Felipe Massa used a third solution, based on the one raced in Singapore, in qualifying and the race at Suzuka.
http://www.formula1.com/


Some Pic of F2012 in Japanese GP ............................. Right Click > View Image for larger version
All pictures are © Sutton Images provided in http://www.formula1.com/








Side by side comparison of Tire in F2012 and W03


Different Rear Wing endplate grill run By Massa and Alonso..... see how Alonso's one is curving down where Massa's one is horizontal..........

[munudeges]

Pull-rod? IIRC, F2012 was great in Monza on the kerbs, and they are quite big too...

The right hand gives and the left hand takes. They will be losing quite a bit of mechanical tuning in high speed corners.

[smhasan7]

HI guys, I'm apparently just an F1 fan or should I say Ferrari fan and not well informed technically but my oberservation of the weekend is that in the race, we were the 2nd fastest car. It may be partly down to the Mclaren's being restrained by Ferrari's complaint to FIA about their flexi wings. To me Mclaren seemed considerably down to earth after being frighteningly quick since Hockenheim until Singapore which they dominated until Hamilton's retirement.

F2012 in the hands of Massa looked very quick, he was quicker than both Kobayashi and Button so it's safe to assume Alonso would have grabbed it by the scruff of it's neck and bolted even quicker times. So there are reasons to be optimistic for next weekend especially when Alonso should no more be on the defensive now that his lead is all but wiped off.

Here are some quotes from autosport.com where Alonso talks about his car's developement plans for the next few races.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he felt the title was now in the hands of Red Bull, Alonso said: "No, no. It didn't change the situation.

"I think in the next races we will improve the car for sure. I think we did not improve too much in the last two or three grands prix, but there are some good plans for the next races. So sooner or later we will be in a more competitive approach.

"On Sundays we don't feel less strong than other teams. Maybe we lack a little bit of performance over a single lap, but on Sunday I think our team has nothing to fear from anyone."

F2012 proved Alonso right on Sunday by being the 2nd quickest car and awarding an easy podium to Massa.

[ten_marco]

Gentlemen. Do not give up!
Everything depends on us. Missing 5 races to the end of the championship, not 5 rounds. We have all the conditions to win the title and become pilots in 2nd in the constructors. We hope that Alonso does not drop near or alongside Kimi Raikkonen, Romain Grosjea and Pastor Maldonado. Overcoming this, we can reach the Red Bull in the race. We have to keep the difference of 4 points for Vettel to India, improve the car and done it, the championship is ours! Whether we win 1 point of difference for Vettel, what matters is winning.

[dave34m]

Gentlemen. Do not give up!
Everything depends on us. Missing 5 races to the end of the championship, not 5 rounds. We have all the conditions to win the title and become pilots in 2nd in the constructors. We hope that Alonso does not drop near or alongside Kimi Raikkonen, Romain Grosjea and Pastor Maldonado. Overcoming this, we can reach the Red Bull in the race. We have to keep the difference of 4 points for Vettel to India, improve the car and done it, the championship is ours! Whether we win 1 point of difference for Vettel, what matters is winning.

Keep telling yourself that, its not looking good thou

[Mika1]

HI guys, I'm apparently just an F1 fan or should I say Ferrari fan and not well informed technically but my oberservation of the weekend is that in the race, we were the 2nd fastest car. It may be partly down to the Mclaren's being restrained by Ferrari's complaint to FIA about their flexi wings. To me Mclaren seemed considerably down to earth after being frighteningly quick since Hockenheim until Singapore which they dominated until Hamilton's retirement.

F2012 in the hands of Massa looked very quick, he was quicker than both Kobayashi and Button so it's safe to assume Alonso would have grabbed it by the scruff of it's neck and bolted even quicker times. So there are reasons to be optimistic for next weekend especially when Alonso should no more be on the defensive now that his lead is all but wiped off.

Here are some quotes from autosport.com where Alonso talks about his car's developement plans for the next few races.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if he felt the title was now in the hands of Red Bull, Alonso said: "No, no. It didn't change the situation.

"I think in the next races we will improve the car for sure. I think we did not improve too much in the last two or three grands prix, but there are some good plans for the next races. So sooner or later we will be in a more competitive approach.

"On Sundays we don't feel less strong than other teams. Maybe we lack a little bit of performance over a single lap, but on Sunday I think our team has nothing to fear from anyone."

F2012 proved Alonso right on Sunday by being the 2nd quickest car and awarding an easy podium to Massa.

The problem is, that the 2nd quickest car isn't good enough to beat Vettel/RBR without some luck. Ferrari have to improve.

[donskar]

I think the harsh question must be asked: if/when Ferrari does have a trustworthy wind tunnel, do they have the personnel who are talented enough to be able to use it to beat the RBR tech team? I fear that Ferrari has neither an individual who can match Newey, nor a team who can beat Newey's team. I have no answer except to wonder if putting Rory Byrne in charge would make a difference(?)

[Vanja #66]

I think the harsh question must be asked: if/when Ferrari does have a trustworthy wind tunnel, do they have the personnel who are talented enough to be able to use it to beat the RBR tech team? I fear that Ferrari has neither an individual who can match Newey, nor a team who can beat Newey's team. I have no answer except to wonder if putting Rory Byrne in charge would make a difference(?)

Tombazis is a great aerodynamicist, and Fry is a great engineer. One time wind tunel worked good enough (Mugello and Canada update packages), F2012 took strides forward. From then on, it's a strugle. These two aren't geniuses and massive rule exploiters such as Newey, but they did a good job once they had the right equipment. I think that Stefano not being firm enough when it matters is the biggest problem right now. Team is lacking some discipline, Todt-type discipline... Alonso can force them to go a bit further, but it's not his job to do that...

[alogoc]

is there any potential left in F2012 or the car has reached it's full potential some time after Canada or does the car has a fundamental false compared to RB&Mac that Ferrari won't admit?

[adam2003]

I heard they are bringing updates to korea, but will they be flawed are they from the old wind tunnel before it closed, Are they using Toyota wind tunnel atm to validate the updates they will be bringing, maybe not thinking about it only 1 week next race surely isnt time

[amouzouris]

they will be probably bringing updates to every race be it small or big....but with a big upgrade package scheduled for India

[f1316]

Pat Fry:

We brought some reasonably significant updates to the last few races and there’s more to come for the next ones.

It's odd that Alonso says things like there haven't been any updates for 6 races and Fry says this. I think it's clear to see there have been updates, but they may not have added much in the way of lap time.

Still, you would hope these rear wing variations will not go the way of the front wings earlier in the season, and that the chance to have run variations on this same theme for three straight grand prix will have given them to chance to figure it out. If so, I think they could see a decent step.

[Mika1]

Ferrari introduced updates, but they didn't work as expected.

[Vanja #66]

Pat Fry:

We brought some reasonably significant updates to the last few races and there’s more to come for the next ones.

It's odd that Alonso says things like there haven't been any updates for 6 races and Fry says this. I think it's clear to see there have been updates, but they may not have added much in the way of lap time.

Still, you would hope these rear wing variations will not go the way of the front wings earlier in the season, and that the chance to have run variations on this same theme for three straight grand prix will have given them to chance to figure it out. If so, I think they could see a decent step.

He said they are driving the same car, I believe. And he isn't exaggerating much. Spa and Monza have special requirements, so discount them for a moment. F2012 was pretty much the same car in Valencia, Silverstone, Germany, Hungary, Singapore and Japan to some extent. Updates didn't work, and that's the problem. If updates don't work, they aren't really updates, are they?