Ferrari SF15-T Pre-Launch Speculation Thread

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I wont go much ahead but if Ferrari got better in PU elements and its software can they come close to Williams or Redbull in a straight fight. As we also presume they can also get ahead with development on both sides (PU and Chassis)

On tracks where the engine isn't super important/deciding factor the F14T was right there with the RB10 and better than the FW36. This indicates to me the Aerodynamics of the F14T were pretty good and finally not the teams weakest link. With a better PU, ERS and mapping I think the Ferrari can be a much better car. Only time will tell.

[FoxHound]

*with a better PU, ERS and mappin?
Big ask no?

[Harsha]

I wont go much ahead but if Ferrari got better in PU elements and its software can they come close to Williams or Redbull in a straight fight. As we also presume they can also get ahead with development on both sides (PU and Chassis)

On tracks where the engine isn't super important/deciding factor the F14T was right there with the RB10 and better than the FW36. This indicates to me the Aerodynamics of the F14T were pretty good and finally not the teams weakest link. With a better PU, ERS and mapping I think the Ferrari can be a much better car. Only time will tell.

That bold part is most interesting one as i read some where that Ferrari got it wrong with ICE as well. But lets hope they can fix it in 2015 if it were true

[Harsha]

*with a better PU, ERS and mappin?
Big ask no?

Very big ask if you ask me

[Pedrolito]

I heard the car will feature pushrod front suspension.

[turbof1]

Sorry guys, I forgot this topic was opened in the first place. I merged the new one into here.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

*with a better PU, ERS and mappin?
Big ask no?

Yes and no. The Ferrari PU is arguably the worst on the grid, so making it better shouldn't be too difficult as there's tons of room for improvement. Making it the best Power Unit or equal to the Merc PU is indeed a very big ask. Talk amongst knowledgeable F1 ppl is that Renault(Red Bull) most likely has the best ERS on the grid. I'm not sure where Ferrari's ranks but no doubt there is room for improvement. Software mapping has never been the teams strong point, remember OTB and the intricate maps used? Ferrari definitely lagged behind the others there, though word was the engine was the limiting factor not the teams ability to write the complex maps.


My personal opinion is the 2015 Ferrari will be twice the car the F14T is/was. If for no other reason than it was that bad of a car. Time will tell.

[MOWOG]

Ferrari's biggest challenge will come from Sergio Marchionne's demand for instant performance gains and his willingness to fire everyone within a 2 kilometer radius of Maranello if he doesn't get it.The Brawn/Todt/Schumacher cabal took three years to produce a winning car.

I seriously doubt that Marchionne will wait that long. I expect the first major firing to take place before Silverstone, He is a very wealthy individual, but that does NOT mean he is all that bright!

[Blackout]

*with a better PU, ERS and mappin?
Big ask no?

Yes and no. The Ferrari PU is arguably the worst on the grid, so making it better shouldn't be too difficult as there's tons of room for improvement. Making it the best Power Unit or equal to the Merc PU is indeed a very big ask. Talk amongst knowledgeable F1 ppl is that Renault(Red Bull) most likely has the best ERS on the grid. I'm not sure where Ferrari's ranks but no doubt there is room for improvement. Software mapping has never been the teams strong point, remember OTB and the intricate maps used? Ferrari definitely lagged behind the others there, though word was the engine was the limiting factor not the teams ability to write the complex maps.


My personal opinion is the 2015 Ferrari will be twice the car the F14T is/was. If for no other reason than it was that bad of a car. Time will tell.

You're not the first one here to say that. What are your sources?

[Juzh]

Talk amongst knowledgeable F1 ppl is that Renault(Red Bull) most likely has the best ERS on the grid.

So what you're saying is merc's massive advantage lies entirely in ICE and ICE alone.

[NathanOlder]

Yeap, they have a Bosch freezer, so they get better ICE from it. Merc had a better Chassis too dont forget.

[trinidefender]

My understanding and just observations about the Ferrari is that it has quite high total downforce numbers however these numbers are not consistent. It appears as though in some corners the Ferrari was fast when it's balance was kept and then in other corners it just seemed off balance.

It honestly doesn't look like a very easy car to drive but when driven carefully it can be fast simply by the raw downforce it produces. Makes me think that is one of the reasons Alonso was able to to exceed expectations it in while Kimi never got a hang of the on again off again nature of the downforce levels of the car.

Also it never really looks stable when under braking. Many seem to underestimate the importance of stability under braking. If your car is unstable under braking then you have to brake earlier, as you cannot be as confident in the car as to how far you can push its braking capability. Bad stability under braking also means it is much harder to set yourself up going into a corner which I think goes some way into what I have observed of it being fast in some corners and all over the place in other corners.

It also appears that the F14T was a very hard car to set up well. Whether this was due to the pull rod, the rear suspension, the aero or what have you it quite often seemed like the car never had quite the ideal set up for each track.

To summarise, F14T had I am sure decent peak downforce numbers but was inconsistent. Combine this with a tricky setup and you have a car that has the potential to be fast, barring the engine, but is tricky to drive.

For the 2015 season. If Ferrari are able to get 3 more points of downforce while at the same time making the downforce more consistent and increasing the stability, making the operating window of the car larger so it is easier to set up and finally improving their engine then I think they can have a half decent car.

For now I am not to concerned about the peak downforce numbers as I believe that peak downforce numbers are not this years cars pitfall so if the rumour of 3 more points of downforce is correct then that is just a bonus.

[wuzak]

Also, next years Ferrari will definitely not be called 'Ferrari 666'. I even doubt that it's even the current code name for the project. You simply can't to that in a country as catholic as Italy.

The 666 is the code for the 2015 car project. None of teh F1 cars have been known for their code - the F2004 was 655 and, I guess, the F14T was 665.

I hope they choose the name 166T - for 1.6l 6 cylinder turbo, as they once did in F1.

[Forza Ferrari]

Reportedly, a Ferrari engineer said to Leo Turini : "we should already apologize to VET and RAI for the car we'll give them next season"......

yet again, a season to write off for Ferrari... sad end of career for Kimi though

[giantfan10]

I agree with Pierce that the chassis & Aerodynamics of the F14T were its strong points. I believe Ferrari is finally on top of its Aero game, as unlike in previous years, all Aerodynamic updates this year were tried in free practice and used in Quali and the race. Something that hasn't happened in years.

I believe the poor balance of the car and at times its lack of traction is due to the poor Power Unit, the poor ERS, and poor mapping software. Hopefully progress is made on all three phases in 2015.

i agree completely...lack of traction due to erratic power delivery on corner exit along with lack of power down the straight along with MGU harvesting issues would pretty much spells game over for any manufacturer.
add to that more engine grunt means you can run more downforce with a smaller top speed deficit
there is a substantial amount of the engine that can be changed this offseason contrary to popular opinion
i think i also need to add that NOTHING on the engine could be "fixed" during the 2014 season so what exactly was Ferrari expected to do with their obvious engine issues other than fiddle around with electronics?
imagine the uproar if ferrari with its offseason upgrades create a more powerful engine than mercedes....it is possible