2009 Ferrari F60

The F60 is the fifty fifth single-seater built by Ferrari specifically to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship. The name of the car was chosen to celebrate the Scuderia's participation in all 60 editions of the Formula 1 World Championship since 1950 to date.

The project, which goes by the internal code name of 660, represents the Scuderia's interpretation of the regulations that come into force this year, which include very many new elements. As far as the aerodynamics are concerned, these modifications are the result of the work carried out by the OWG (Overtaking Working Group,) set up by the FIA in collaboration with the teams to produce a set of rules aimed at encouraging more overtaking on track: the front wing, which has a neutral central profile, common to all, is developed mainly on its side elements and is much wider than in the past: the bodywork can no longer carry the slotted apertures that had characterised the Ferrari cars over the past few years.

Other aerodynamic devices are also significantly reduced; the rear wing is higher and narrower than in the past; the diffuser has been moved rearward. The combination of changes naturally led the initial design phase down radically different routes when it came to the side pods and protection components: the apertures have been reduced in size and moved rearward, while the upper and rear elements are larger to aid the exit of air.
The new rules regarding aerodynamics have also led to modifications to the suspension, as these elements can no longer be enclosed to the same extent. The suspension system and the whole layout of the car have been redesigned in the light of the new rules in order to achieve the correct weight distribution.

The design also takes into account two other significant changes in the 2009 regulations: the possibility of using a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) and the reintroduction of 'slick' tyres. The KERS on the F60 was designed by Ferrari in collaboration with Magneti Marelli and is centrally mounted on the engine under the rear part of the chassis; its management has involved all departments of the Gestione Sportiva. The return to tyres with no grooves is another element which is down to the work of the OWG, as is the introduction of a flap on the front wing that can be adjusted by the driver when the car is moving.

The software for managing this tool, as well as for the KERS, was designed in Maranello. The transmission has been redesigned to optimise the aerodynamic efficiency of the car. The gearbox casing is again made in carbon and is still positioned longitudinally. The gearbox is fitted with a speed shifter. There is also a new braking system, with callipers designed by Brembo. Other important rule changes for this year stem from the work of FIA and FOTA (Formula One Teams Association) aimed at producing a significant reduction in the teams' operational costs.

As far as the engine is concerned, which retains its longitudinal mounting in the F60 and continues as a load bearing structure, the rules now state that a total of eight engines may be used over the 17 Grand Prix race weekends on the calendar.

Accordingly, the maximum permitted engine speed has been reduced to 18,000 rpm and the distance target for each unit is now around 2,500 kilometres. Furthermore, modifications have been made to the inlet trumpets, the position of the injectors and the configuration of the exhausts. The changes to the regulations mean that, on the reliability front, Shell has played a fundamental role in defining the lubricants for both the engine and gearbox.
As usual, the technical partners have played an important part right from the design and development stage of the entire car. Apart from the aforementioned Shell, a significant contribution has been made by the FIAT Research Centre, especially in the use of its simulation systems and by Brembo, in the development of the braking system. As usual, great attention has been paid to the management and optimisation of the materials used, at the design stage and through quality control, aimed at maximising performance while maintaining the highest possible levels of safety.

Source - Ferrari

Press Conference Stefano Domenicali, Director of the Ferrari Formula 1 Team

Scarperia, 12th January 2009 - 'Hello, everybody and Happy New Year! It will be a very interesting year for all of us as far as our sport is concerned. Let me explain to you why the new single-seater is called F60; it's the fifty fifth single-seater built by Ferrari specifically to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship; it's the 60th edition of the F1 Championship and Ferrari is the only team, which has participated in all 60 editions. The sport is closely linked to the Team. It is a historical date, but with a look to the future. It is a difficult moment 'and it is the moment to look ahead and the goal is that we will have a F120 one day.' These were the first words of Stefano Domenicali, Director of the Ferrari Formula 1 Team, at the press conference on the day of the F60's debut at Mugello. 'Our DNA lets us continue in this sport and we're looking ahead; we're optimistic even in this difficult period for the whole system. I'm convinced that when we manage to pass this critical situation Formula 1 will be stronger than it ever was. This is Ferrari's main task; always in Formula 1.'

Domenicali also spoke about the Team's goals for the 2009 season, which will start 29th March at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit. 'Staying on top. Over the last ten years we have won eight times. The project is extremely difficult now, beyond what we have already planned. Over the last months we introduced several modifications, to find solutions, to limit costs. These modifications had an impact on the car's technical preparations. There will be even more challenges and technical modifications to do in the short term. I think that who will be able to exploit the car the best way possible, will prevail against the other teams; everybody's goal is to maximise the results we have to bring home.'

As far as the internal organization of the Ferrari motor sports department is concerned, the Scuderia's Director spoke about the underlying logic of the past years. 'Ours is a logic of dynamic stability, promoted by our President; the organization's modifications go in this direction. To improve every single aspect of the Team, whilst strengthening the areas, where we didn't give 100% at the same moment.'

As far as the general view of Formula 1 in this very moment is concerned, Domenicali said: 'Ferrari stands in the front row to save Formula 1's scope; I think that under Luca di Montezemolo's presidency there has been a strong input as far as the future scope is concerned. The goals, the structures and the teams realities are different, but we're all working for the good of all; and that is why the teams are very united, which is a new element in this sport, considering that we are in a very particular period. Nobody wants to oppose the FIA, but there is a constructive logic, where everybody wants to have a strong and constructive voice, because we live Formula 1. In 2009 we've seen the impulse given by the teams and we could immediately find an agreement, which is very important. We're just at the beginning and together with the technical development we're working every day on also improving the political aspects of Formula 1. What this sport needs now is great stability and to make clear which direction and future programmes it will take, because those who invest in Formula 1 need to know where Formula 1 is heading. We have sponsors, who have been with us for a long time and who believe in racing. 2009 will be a dense year in terms of sport and politics.

The drivers, Domenicali said, are highly motivated and they are here today to test the new car, which is a different and complex project. At the moment we're analyzing the data and have been out for our first run. We know that it will be a very particular and stimulating season from every point of view.

Referring to the KERS, the kinetic energy recovery system, introduced in 2009, Domenicali said: 'First of all I want to make a political consideration as far as the KERS is concerned: our position, which we discussed with other teams, is, that in a moment, when one has to reduce costs, the introduction of such a system is a contradiction in terms. We can decide if we want to use the KERS in our car and when it's clear that the system will effectively improve the performance, which it seems to do in simulations, it will be our task and technical challenge, to push on with it. Today is a very important day also as far as this system is concerned and we're testing the new system on the track. I don't expect any surprises; but we'll definitely see the problems when it's used on the track. As you know tests are limited to 15,000 kilometres this year and there's no possibility to test after the start of the season. I expect that test stands and simulations will be used much more. As I already said there will be many more problems, but our main objective is reliability. Last year we paid a high price; this year, with a new system as complex as the KERS, our main objective is the verification of the reliability. The car on the track today confirms it; it's fitted with the KERS.'

One of the journalists spoke about the importance of the human error in last year's Championship, asking if in 2009 the protocols as far as quality control and Team are concerned have changed: 'The procedural reliability is part of the overall reliability,' Domenicali §äid. 'Human errors remain a characteristic of the team and the drivers, which gives a certain humanity to racing. We tried to improve the procedures and we introduced people from different areas to improve the procedures and increase concentration. Although human error will always be a part.'
As far as the possibility is concerned that the teams will show up less prepared to GPs, due to new regulations and restrictions, the Scuderia's Director confirmed: 'The new approach will lead to a completely different interpretation of the race weekends. The drivers might have a more important role: if the systems will work at 100% the drivers will have an extremely big delta performance, which will find its expression in tenths of a second; then there will be new tyres and the engine speed will be different; we have to understand how to deal with it the best possible way; and then there is the new wing the drivers have to get used to. The drivers are facing a season, in which they might have to give a bigger contribution I think.'
As far as cost cuts, at Ferrari and the other teams, are concerned, Domenicali said: 'It's difficult to say, because it's different for every team. We're working with the FOTA to determine if and how much we can reduce the costs. At best we can talk about percentages, because the organizational evaluations are different for the teams. Formula One's reorganization must not touch the technological part, but, as in our case, has to relate more to a contribution to production vehicles. The excesses of the past years have to be cut; now we have to understand how.'

In case one of the top teams might see that it hasn't been set up the best possible way, what are the chances to recover during the season? 'This is one of the most important points of the upcoming season. When we're heading for Australia we can't modify much. On Friday we can test what we want to use over the weekend. There will be more test stands and we might have to risk much more. If our car will be competitive right from the beginning, it will be a decisive element in understanding where we are.'
As far as the new engine regulations are concerned Domenicali said that the agreement determines that every driver can use up to eight engines over the season when and where it is suitable. In case a ninth engine has to be used an appropriate penalty has still to be found.

The last questions were about Kimi Raikkonen's new race engineer, delivering engines to Honda and Michael Schumacher's contribution: 'To use Andrea Stella as Raikkonen's race engineer has been decided last year. I want to underline that Dyer will have an important role in the coordination of the race engineers. As far as delivering engines to Honda is concerned this possibility is almost 0 at the moment. Michael is the only one with experience with slick tyres and, together with Luca Badoer, he will give an important contribution.'

At the end of the month Kimi will participate in a rally: 'Traditionally we always have a very open relationship with our drivers; we were criticised when Michael Schumacher played football on the race weekends. Letting Kimi drive a two-day rally is the same approach. We consider it two days of tests for him, although it's not Formula 1.'

Source - Ferrari

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro's technicans first impressions

Scarperia, 12th January 2009 - After the meeting with Stefano Domenicali the press conference of the Scuderia's technicians - Gilles Simon, Nikolas Tombazis and Aldo Costa - was held at the Mugello circuit. First of all the journalists wanted to know more about the regulations concerning the engines: there will be eight engines for every driver over the whole season. But will they be all the same?
Gilles Simon said: 'As of 2009 the engine speed is limited to 18,000 rpm and every driver can use up to eight engines over the 17 GPs of this Championship. Therefore distance target for each unit is now around 2,500 kilometres.'

The F60 is a single-seater which is very different to the previous ones, due to the 2009 regulations. Will Ferrari make more use of the test stands?
Costa: 'The work at the test stands will be more important than in the previous years. We've several facilities to test sub-components and complete groups; that's where we'll do most of the work. The race track is and remains the final test. We'll work a lot before the start of the Championship, just like last year; but this time we'll concentrate our work on one car in five test sessions. During the season we'll have the Fridays to set up the cars for the circuit and for development.'

This year the single-seater is completely different from the ones in the past. Are you happy with the result or did you have to compromise?
Costa: 'Last year we were fighting for the Championship until the last race and we were concentrated a lot on the car's development. Today we presented a complete car, which refers also to the level of the engine speed, fitted with KERS; although we had very short time. I want to congratulate everybody: Gilles, Nikolas and everybody at Maranello. We managed to be the first having a crash test and we have several homologated chassis. We tried as much as possible to cover the time gap between the developments, which have been done on the car at the end of last year.

Do you think that this year, considering the changes, it won't be possible to redo the car during the season to make up an eventual disadvantage at the start?
Costa: 'We're used to thinking that we can still work on a technical level; so as far as we concerned it's possible.'
Tombazis: 'Many rules, as far as the aerodynamics are concerned, are completely new. The speed of development will be the main issue. Whoever knows how to develop faster will be better than the others. We can work on the development in the Fridays at every GP. Before the season there's still some good margin. And if we're ahead at the first race, it means that we can keep our cool.'

What was the Team's reaction in terms of cost cutting?
Costa: 'The rules have been changed recently; we have to rethink our working methods and the programs; this has to be done gradually, without rushing things; we have to evolve the Team's structure.

How will your development program look like now? How many aerodynamic tests will there be this year? And does the car just seem longer than the one last year?

Costa: 'The development program will continue with the five tests we've planned at the race tracks of Portimao, Bahrain, again Bahrain, then Jerez and Barcelona. We can have eight aerodynamic tests this year, which means eight days where we can test as far as this issue is concerned.

Tombazis: 'As far as the single-seater's length is concerned I have to say that the wheelbase is something really overrated. It's not that important at all. But anyway, the fact that the car is longer is only a visual effect.'

Can you confirm today, like you did in the past, that this is the best Ferrari ever built?
Costa: 'There have been some radical changes this year and today, under the light of limitations, the performance will not be higher; the limitations don't allow us to reach the previous performance levels. But I can confirm that the methods improve from year to year, and it also happened last winter.'

Apart from the development, how will the car change from now on until the first GP in Australia? Is McLaren's advantage, due to the MES, gone? Isn't it a contradiction in terms to talk about the importance of the Fridays and the engine management with a limited mileage?



Simon: 'After one year the MES is much more developed and stable. It also seems more balanced than a year ago.'
Costa: 'We have to deal with a shorter coverage; on Fridays we have to think about the development for the specific races, considering that there won't be any tests on the circuits. And then we also have to move on with the development for the Championship; all of this with a limited mileage. It's much more limited.'

Over the last two years a lot of work has been done as far as the tyres are concerned: did the slicks have any influence on the car's development?
Costa: 'The car's general construction philosophy could lead to the benefits we've seen in the past; we try to keep these benefits and develop the part, where we were less strong.'

At what point is the development of the KERS?
Simon: 'The KERS is a very complex system, which we haven't developed on the track yet. There's still lots of work to do; we've lowered the impact of the system on the car to a minimum.'
Tombazis: 'Obviously the KERS' 'nuisance' is remarkable. We're talking about more than 30 kg of weight. We've done a lot of developmental work to insert the system and compensate for it.'

There will be two types of development: one for the race and one for the Championship: will the two drivers have different programs?
Costa: 'I don't know. It's too early to say. We'll see what happens when we're close to the first race.'

Source - Ferrari

Bahrain GP - The 'oasis' of Q3

The fact that getting both F60s into the top ten on the grid is considered a decent result for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, clearly shows the state of play at the moment, but it is an encouraging sign that Felipe Massa, eighth on the grid felt the car had improved slightly. Kimi's tenth place came down to the fact that, in order to make sure of getting into Q3, he had used all his new soft tyres in the earlier parts of the session and had to make his final run on worn ones. With one car already in a points position and the other not far off, the Scuderia tackles tomorrow's fourth round of the world championship in the hope of finally bringing home its first points of the season.

It was even hotter today than yesterday, although a drop of around 5 degrees is currently predicted for race day. Even so, racing in the mid-thirties means that all elements of the package, car, engine, tyres and drivers will suffer in the heat and reliability will be put to the severest of tests. Both Felipe and Kimi went back to using KERS, following an assessment of the 'with and without' comparison test yesterday, having removed it from the cars a week ago in China.

In a season that continues to throw up surprises, which is good for the race fans at least, this time it was Toyota's turn to secure pole, it's third, and indeed make it an all red and white front row: Italy's Jarno Trulli secured pole position for the fourth time in his career, with his German team-mate Timo Glock in second place.


The second row sees China winner, Sebastian Vettel in third place for Red Bull-Renault, with series leader Jenson Button alongside him in the Brawn. The third row features reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton fifth for McLaren-Mercedes, with the other Brawn of Rubens Barrichello next to him.

The session was pretty much trouble free, but Force India's Adrian Sutil has been penalised three places (to 19th spot) on the grid for impeding Mark Webber in Q1.

Massa, the winner here for the past two years and Raikkonen both feel they have a good strategy for tomorrow afternoon's test of endurance. However, the first three races have all seen strategies for the majority of competitors disrupted by rain or other unforeseen circumstances. Hopefully, the Bahrain Grand Prix might see a return to a straightforward but exciting contest. Although inevitably, as has been the case ever since Formula 1 first came to the desert in 2004, there are rumours that a sandstorm could be heading for Sakhir tomorrow afternoon!

Source - Ferrari

Australian GP - A pointless start

Melbourne, 29th March 2009 - The Australian Grand Prix often provides a surprise result and it did so again today, but it was not a pleasant surprise for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, as the team failed to score a single point, with both Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen retiring from the 58 lap race, the Brazilian on lap 45, with a broken nose support and the Finn two laps from the finish with a differential problem, although Kimi was actually classified sixteenth.

Saturday's qualifying produced the unusual result of a new team – Brawn GP – monopolising the front row of the grid, with Jenson Button on pole and Rubens Barrichello second and that is the order in which they finished today, although while Button dominated the race, Barrichello had to recover from a poor start and took second spot on in the final laps, after Vettel and Kubica, running second and third, collided and retired. Joining the Brawn boys on the podium was Jarno Trulli for Toyota. However, he was later penalised for overtaking under a yellow flag, so that although he was on the podium, the points for third go to Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren Mercedes, fourth was Timo Glock in the second Toyota, with Fernando Alonso fifth for Renault. Nico Rosberg ended up sixth in the Williams, while Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi became the 58th driver in the world championship to score points in his F1 debut, finishing seventh, with team-mate Sebastien Bourdais taking the final point for eighth spot.

At the start, world champion Lewis Hamilton was at the back, having changed a gearbox and both Toyotas started from pit lane. Barrichello's poor start led to a few collisions with several drivers pitting for repairs, so that after the first lap, Button led Vettel, Massa third, Kubica, Raikkonen fifth, Rosberg, Barrichello, Nakajima and Piquet completing the top ten. Hamilton was coming up the order fast, while the gap between the two leaders was around the 4 second mark.


At the front, the gap between Button and Vettel has stabilized at around four seconds, the two trading fastest laps. On lap 10 Rosberg passed Raikkonen for 5th place, as the Ferrari men had opted to start on the softer tyres and were struggling, so that Barrichello also got by the Ferrari man so the team brought him in ahead of schedule for new tyres. On lap 12 Massa pitted from third place, with similar problems to his team-mate.

The new strategy, especially in Felipe's case did not work, as the Safety Car appearance on lap 18, after Nakajima's accident did not help the Prancing Horse cars.

After Felipe made his second stop on lap 32 he rejoined in 14th spot. Seven laps later, Kimi came in from fourth place, making a third stop on lap 44. But one lap later, he ran wide and brushed the safety wall, as Felipe slowed right down and limped back to the pits to retire. On lap 56, Kubica in third tried to pass second placed Vettel which resulted in both men crashing out, bringing out the Safety Car again, while Kimi was forced to retire with a faulty differential. So the race actually ended under the Safety Car and yet again, the Melbourne circuit had provided plenty of surprises. The teams immediately began packing up in haste, as Round 2, the Malaysian Grand Prix takes place in just one week's time and, just like the Australian race, it is scheduled to take place in the late afternoon.

Source - Ferrari