Ferrari F138

[wesley123]

Probably just bumps for clearance.

[granite]

What is the purpose of the bulge just before the exhaust ramp and also on the floor?
does it reduce some boundary layer? and attach some air?
is it the same thing which some teams run under their nose? to remove boundary layer?
http://i.imgur.com/1YarXxW.jpg

I would say its simply blisters to get a minimum clearance between the exahust primaries and the bodywork.

[Cuky]

I believe that one above exhaust is used to better direct airflow which generates downwash effect on exhaust gasses as they are not allowed to have winglets there. As for one on the floor, I think it is there just to house sensors monitoring rear tires

[steh2o]

Hello, two questions deriving from the pics of Alonso's car after the front wing detachment:
1) What are the four wires going through the wing pylons? Are there sensors of some kind in the front wing?
2) What is the white material that we see at the breaking point of the wing pylons? I tought everything there was carbon fibre?
Thanks

[bhall]

I think...
1. Camera wiring
2. The "modesty panel" has a specified lay-up that includes Nomex and carbon fiber. On the F138, this panel also covers the front of the wing pylons in order for the car to have an effectively higher nose and remain in compliance with the regulations (one-piece panel, minimum curvature radius, etc).

[bhall]

Malaysia

Australia

via Craig Scarborough

[performergr]

this pic i have post is from maybe barcelona tests.(capture from official team video)

[Crucial_Xtreme]

In this photo the exhaust outlet(metal bending down) looks almost exactly like the exhaust solution tried last year at Mugello. Of course it stuck out of the Acer Duct but it's interesting they brought it back.

2013


Mugello 2012

[Kalsi]

Finally the car seems good since the old 2008 2010 and we behave like that in decisional situations???
All this nice speculations, analsys, theorycrafting and technically rich pics, and in particular the incredible work done on the f138 are a total waste if the "strategic" decisions of the team are like the ones we saw in the whole Malaysia weekend. Come on... when i saw Alonso pass nearby the pit entrance with the FW in that conditions i have already knew he wont have finished the lap... very similar thing hapened more than once in the last years, it wouldnt took too much "brain" to understand that at some point the FW would have gone under the car and make Alonso go straight at the first corner, totalling a -22 points in the championship just at the second race.... that risk was just useless
The strategy part of the team is the one that mostly needs a rework now...

[sucof]

I think that strategy wise the team is OK, only the system of making a decision lacks, since there should have been a small chain of people who all should have say OK for leaving Alonso out. And this chain should have included somebody from the chassis department who would say that the wing will not stay there and he could veto this silly decision.

[wesley123]

Making such a decision is never possible imo. That you need to make such a decision in an instant is just not feasable to do, since there are so many variables to take care of, making a decision then is more based on luck than actual knowledge. And then, if the decision had worked out, the team would be a hero for that, however when it doesnt work out, they suck.

[Kiril Varbanov]

I'm quite impressed with the consistency of the car, actually, I argued with many fans that Alonso would have won this race (Malaysia) easily. Seems like car is gentle on the tires as much as this is possible, it's very drive-able and has a pretty good traction. Also, it may also allude that it's a generic good simple car with no excessive tricks inside, as it fits Massa's driving style, which, IMHO, hasn't changed much.

More races are needed to actually back this opinion of mine with facts.

[sucof]

Making such a decision is never possible imo. That you need to make such a decision in an instant is just not feasable to do, since there are so many variables to take care of, making a decision then is more based on luck than actual knowledge. And then, if the decision had worked out, the team would be a hero for that, however when it doesnt work out, they suck.

As I know every mayor team has a group of people back home, watching live the race and all the telemetry. They are there to help making strategy decisions. The theory behind this is that because they are not at the actual race are able to make decisions with a "cold head". So I can not understand how this complicated decision making system has no chassis guy who could veto these kind of decisions based on his better knowledge. BTW, I still did not read or hear any comments other than: "I was sure they will change his front wing in the first lap".

[Lycoming]

I think you greatly underestimate the difficulty of determining the integrity of a composite structure in such a condition from the information that they would have had at the time.

[F1.Ru]

Malaysian GP technical round-up

Ferrari

Ferrari's diffuser has gained a new channel under the rear crash structure.

Modified diffuser for Ferrari © XPB

For better reference >>>




Much like the Mercedes solution, this is a way to circumvent the rules that limit the diffuser to a 125mm height and the ban on openings in the diffuser.

In the middle of the diffuser, a dipped channel is visible. The scoop formed by this dip is legal as its opening is formed by an extension of the starter motor hole.

Above this scoop, the diffuser rises to about 200mm, far more than the 125mm maximum height. The scoop masks this height and forms the surface that meets the height regulations.

To make this duct produce downforce, airflow needs to pass over it. This is probably the flow that passes tight against the sidepods, coke bottle shape and up over the middle of the diffuser.

Although this duct creates a little more volume in the diffuser, it isn't another form of double diffuser. The potential of the extra duct is limited by the crash structure mounted above it. So this diffuser channel is not likely to become a must-have addition for all teams.

And another interesting things that it seems Alonso and Massa used different engine cover in the Malaysian GP. Alonso with additional cutout for Vertical Rad cooling and Massa has no additional cutout for cooling other than the new engine cover exit.

Alonso


Massa