Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

Ferrari the latest team to copy McLaren idea

Ferrari might not have won the Singapore Grand Prix, but it had arrived with another significant Formula 1 update to make sure its car was suited to the low-speed street circuit

Ferrari SF71H rear wing, Singapore GP

Ferrari SF71H rear wing, Singapore GP

Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis

Giorgio Piola is the preeminent Formula 1 technical journalist. View our full selection of Giorgio's technical illustrative content

At the rear of the car, the team introduced a new rear wing solution, pioneered by McLaren and previously seen on the Mercedes and Renault this season.

Ferrari flo-vis rear wing technical detail

Ferrari flo-vis rear wing technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

It features large slots in the transitional region of the wing to allow the airflow a more efficient passage for the high-downforce wing level.

Here you can see how McLaren started this trend last year on its Honda-powered MCL32.

McLaren MCL32, rear wing at Bahrain GP

McLaren MCL32, rear wing at Bahrain GP

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Bargeboard tweaks

Towards the front of the car, the bargeboards weren’t an entirely new package. Instead, the already prominent features were tuned to improve flow around their surfaces inline with the air speed they would encounter.

Ferrari SF71H bargeboards

Ferrari SF71H bargeboards

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

These revisions consisted of numerous alterations to the size and geometry of the surfaces, with the forwardmost S-shaped element moved a little further forward (white arrow). The central section of the main bargeboard also featured more pronounced elements (red arrows).

Inline with these changes the elongated floor gills were shortened, highlighting how the airflow’s path is dictated by a daisy chain of surfaces that must all work in harmony with one another.

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article The F1 outcast who became a surprise star in 2018
Next article Ericsson: Leclerc Ferrari deal says "quite a bit" about me

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA