Ferrari Power Unit Hardware & Software

[zibby43]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/team ... n/4597036/

So... we are back to oil?

I recently learned (and maybe it has already been discussed in this thread and I missed it) that Ferrari uses a special synthetic liquid in their cooling systems (whereas all the other teams use water).

I think I read graphene, but someone with further knowledge is more than welcome to chime in.

Yeah, it seems that Ferrari is using a new coolant based from the Australian FlexeGRAPH company. It`s based on using carbon structures called graphene - the toughest material made by human up to date. As a secondary benefit due to their special tubular structure, graphene a has much higher heat/thermal capacity hence a much better heat transfer. The said that: "FlexeGRAPH has developed nano-fluids with graphene as the active ingredient. FlexeGRAPH nano-fluids feature suspended graphene particles that conduct heat 10,000X better than water. This provides a significant improvement in thermal conductivity over standard liquid coolants and has applications across many industries., according to their site: https://flexegraph.com/

They also say their new coolant allows up to 60% improved heat exchange compared with market-leading materials.

Thank you so much for sharing that detailed information. Fascinating stuff.

[atanatizante]

I recently learned (and maybe it has already been discussed in this thread and I missed it) that Ferrari uses a special synthetic liquid in their cooling systems (whereas all the other teams use water).

I think I read graphene, but someone with further knowledge is more than welcome to chime in.

Yeah, it seems that Ferrari is using a new coolant based from the Australian FlexeGRAPH company. It`s based on using carbon structures called graphene - the toughest material made by human up to date. As a secondary benefit due to their special tubular structure, graphene a has much higher heat/thermal capacity hence a much better heat transfer. The said that: "FlexeGRAPH has developed nano-fluids with graphene as the active ingredient. FlexeGRAPH nano-fluids feature suspended graphene particles that conduct heat 10,000X better than water. This provides a significant improvement in thermal conductivity over standard liquid coolants and has applications across many industries., according to their site: https://flexegraph.com/

They also say their new coolant allows up to 60% improved heat exchange compared with market-leading materials.

Thank you so much for sharing that detailed information. Fascinating stuff.

My pleasure ...

Imagine such advance Ferrari has on ICE cooling hence running in higher modes both on qualy and the race...
This is something Merc has lacked this year and particularly with their 3rd spec engine and in retrospective, their last 3 wins worth more consideration...

But more important is that cooling hampered Merc not only for allowing them not to run in higher PU modes but also indirectly stopping Petronas` new fuel updates, something that brings the bigger gains nowadays both from HP increase side and higher PU race modes side point of view ...

[izzy]

Ferrari use 3 distinctly different fluids in their cooling systems, I'd like to know what the other two are, or were

[turbof1]

Yeah, it seems that Ferrari is using a new coolant based from the Australian FlexeGRAPH company. It`s based on using carbon structures called graphene - the toughest material made by human up to date. As a secondary benefit due to their special tubular structure, graphene a has much higher heat/thermal capacity hence a much better heat transfer. The said that: "FlexeGRAPH has developed nano-fluids with graphene as the active ingredient. FlexeGRAPH nano-fluids feature suspended graphene particles that conduct heat 10,000X better than water. This provides a significant improvement in thermal conductivity over standard liquid coolants and has applications across many industries., according to their site: https://flexegraph.com/

They also say their new coolant allows up to 60% improved heat exchange compared with market-leading materials.

Thank you so much for sharing that detailed information. Fascinating stuff.

My pleasure ...

Imagine such advance Ferrari has on ICE cooling hence running in higher modes both on qualy and the race...
This is something Merc has lacked this year and particularly with their 3rd spec engine and in retrospective, their last 3 wins worth more consideration...

But more important is that cooling hampered Merc not only for allowing them not to run in higher PU modes but also indirectly stopping Petronas` new fuel updates, something that brings the bigger gains nowadays both from HP increase side and higher PU race modes side point of view ...

It is a bit more complicated than that. Of course Graphene will bring an advantage regarding conducting heat, but the heat also still needs to displaced to air flowing towards outside the car. Just having the graphene fluid sucking up the heat is not enough.

Just saying this RE mercedes issues. It will certainly not be the only thing Ferrari does better regarding cooling.

[LM10]

Thank you so much for sharing that detailed information. Fascinating stuff.

My pleasure ...

Imagine such advance Ferrari has on ICE cooling hence running in higher modes both on qualy and the race...
This is something Merc has lacked this year and particularly with their 3rd spec engine and in retrospective, their last 3 wins worth more consideration...

But more important is that cooling hampered Merc not only for allowing them not to run in higher PU modes but also indirectly stopping Petronas` new fuel updates, something that brings the bigger gains nowadays both from HP increase side and higher PU race modes side point of view ...

It is a bit more complicated than that. Of course Graphene will bring an advantage regarding conducting heat, but the heat also still needs to displaced to air flowing towards outside the car. Just having the graphene fluid sucking up the heat is not enough.

Just saying this RE mercedes issues. It will certainly not be the only thing Ferrari does better regarding cooling.

What's interesting is that Ferrari's cover opening at the back is much bigger than for example the one of Mercedes. Based on pure optics you would tell that Mercedes' cooling is at least as good.

[ncx]

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/team ... n/4597036/

So... we are back to oil?

I recently learned (and maybe it has already been discussed in this thread and I missed it) that Ferrari uses a special synthetic liquid in their cooling systems (whereas all the other teams use water).

I think I read graphene, but someone with further knowledge is more than welcome to chime in.

Yeah, it seems that Ferrari is using a new coolant based from the Australian FlexeGRAPH company. It`s based on using carbon structures called graphene - the toughest material made by human up to date. As a secondary benefit due to their special tubular structure, graphene a has much higher heat/thermal capacity hence a much better heat transfer. The said that: "FlexeGRAPH has developed nano-fluids with graphene as the active ingredient. FlexeGRAPH nano-fluids feature suspended graphene particles that conduct heat 10,000X better than water. This provides a significant improvement in thermal conductivity over standard liquid coolants and has applications across many industries., according to their site: https://flexegraph.com/

They also say their new coolant allows up to 60% improved heat exchange compared with market-leading materials.

That would explain why Ferrari uses oil as a coolant, for graphene is hydrophobic (it wouldn't disperse in water).

[hollus]

Graphene is often used in a very broad sense. F.ex. from "graphene" and "tubes". Glups!
For an application like cooling enhancement, they would probably use graphene oxide (marketed as graphene because it sounds so sexy). It is basically "graphene with impurities", but much cheaper and "soluble" in water.

[loner]

nice try RBR HAHA.
https://twitter.com/tgruener/status/1195432788192878599

[Dr. Acula]

If a car is a little bit faster or is faster in an area you know you have done a poor job then I think nobody will be raising the cheating alarm. The problem for Ferrari is they went too far.

By that I mean they should have used the 'trick' on the fuel sensor to gain a bit of extra speed, not a crazy amount. When somebody makes a huge step in an area that is at a high stage of dininishing returns then alarm bells ring and people get accused of cheating.

And to add another dimension lets not forget when there were oil burning accusations the ONLY team that had a second oil tank was Ferrari. So maybe Ferrari are known to just be cheaters and that is why they get things like this said/directed at them.

Sooo, i just wonder now, how does Ferrari cheat now in your opinion? Because apparently it wasn't by manipulating the FFS. The superior topspeed is still there.
Do they burn Unicorns before the start of any session to appease the gods of speed or what?

[zibby43]

https://twitter.com/SmilexTech/status/1 ... 28384?s=20

"PL2 always very similar: Ferrari at the top on the dry lap, to "settle" on the race pace. However, important doubts remain regarding the use of the various PUs. Some numbers ➟ VET Vs BOT: -0.16 +7 kmh in S1, +0.07 +3 kmh in S2, -0.07 +8 kmh in S3"

[djones]

If a car is a little bit faster or is faster in an area you know you have done a poor job then I think nobody will be raising the cheating alarm. The problem for Ferrari is they went too far.

By that I mean they should have used the 'trick' on the fuel sensor to gain a bit of extra speed, not a crazy amount. When somebody makes a huge step in an area that is at a high stage of dininishing returns then alarm bells ring and people get accused of cheating.

And to add another dimension lets not forget when there were oil burning accusations the ONLY team that had a second oil tank was Ferrari. So maybe Ferrari are known to just be cheaters and that is why they get things like this said/directed at them.

Sooo, i just wonder now, how does Ferrari cheat now in your opinion? Because apparently it wasn't by manipulating the FFS. The superior topspeed is still there.
Do they burn Unicorns before the start of any session to appease the gods of speed or what?

Probably best we judge when the other teams are turning their engine up.... not FP1 and FP2. To get giddy now and start quoting comments from days ago is akin to getting giddy about pre-season and we all know how that confidence swiftly came to and end.

That said... I suspect Ferrari will still be fastest on the straights, don't get me wrong. Their low downforce concept will see that happen.

[loner]

so Marko said Ferrari turned up the PU in Friday...

[sosic2121]

so Marko said Ferrari turned up the PU in Friday...

Considering his previous statements, that means they haven't turned it up

[hollus]

Please refrain from posts that can be summarized as my team is better than yours or pointing at other users and saying ha, ha! A few posts have already been removed.

As you probably know, the PU threads are moderated a bit more closely than other threads.
Thank you for focusing on what the Ferrari PU is or is not doing and how and for keeping the team politics out of this thread.

[loner]

so Marko said Ferrari turned up the PU in Friday...

Considering his previous statements, that means they haven't turned it up

i didn't want to reply before qualy ends coz it really seems that Ferrari not so mighty since this TD was put into in Mexico so i do think that Ferrari was benefiting from that fuel flow grey area which FIA restricted.