The 2023 Formula One season is almost upon us, so much so that the factories of the various teams have already been at work for a couple of months, at full speed and fully focused on the cars for 2023.
In fact, within the racing departments of the teams, the new single-seaters have already been approved, at least in terms of basic concepts: the first chassis are in production to withstand the crash tests imposed by the International Federation (which usually take place between the end of December and the beginning January) and the aerodynamic concepts are in full development and refinement.
Among the teams that will be called upon to do their best and aim for the championship is undoubtedly Scuderia Ferrari which, in addition to the great pressure deriving from its history and the passion surrounding the team, will be expected to compete for victory in the World Championship given a 2022 Formula 1 campaign which was clearly better than the previous seasons, with four race wins.
In Maranello, after a season that ended with a second place in both the drivers’ and constructors’ standings, they will have to produce a car capable of at least fighting for the title right up to the last round of the championship. A car that is being designed in a delicate moment for the Maranello team, which in these days is also having to deal with the transition within the top management of the team, following the departure of Mattia Binotto on December 31st.
It is increasingly likely that the Italian manager will be replaced by Frederic Vasseur, the current Alfa Romeo team principal, according to several reports in the German media.
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
A car that, according to what the Ferrari Racing Division has begun to leak in recent weeks, seems to provide very encouraging signs and should not encountered the problems seen in 2022. The 675 (to date the new car is known by its internal design code), heir to the F1-75, seems to be developing well, so much so that the first results from the wind tunnel and from the simulations relating to the downforce and efficiency points would have impressed the Maranello technicians.
The data is more than positive, but is not the result of a revolution as compared to the F1-75 car concept (which had many positive aspects), but would be the result of a deep and meticulous refinement work, practically on every single area, of last year’s car.
So the new weapon from Maranello, in spite of certain rumors that emerged during the summer, should represent a profound revision compared to the 2022 challenger. In fact, the aerodynamic concept of the large sidepods with the flare in the upper area will be maintained on the 675 (not going towards to slim philosophies such as Red Bull and Mercedes) and, consequently, also the arrangement of the very inclined radiating masses with the gills with variable opening. Still speaking of aerodynamic elements that have the goal of producing performance, each element has been revised to reduce weight and seek efficiency by working on their aeroelasticity (weak point of last year’s car) and, in all probability, there will be a floor with a layout similar to the one tested by Robert Shwartzman during the first free practice session at Yas Marina (which had a curl in the rear area).
Regarding the suspension, the engineers directed by Enrico Cardile are carrying out a revision of the kinematic mechanisms of the rear suspension, housed in a gearbox that has been redesigned in its shape and with a new carbon skin both, precisely, for the revised suspension and to increase the efficiency of the rear diffuser (perhaps sacrificing the Coca Cola zone).
At the front, the push-rod scheme will be maintained (and corrected) which, in synergy with the new specifications of the Pirelli 2023 tyres, should help Ferrari eliminate the heavy tire degradation suffered in the recently concluded world championship.
The new 675, which is not a secondary aspect, will also present innovations on the power unit, not referring to the layout or arrangement of various elements (factors for which the regulation has imposed a freeze until 2026), but in relation to some components that have suffered excessive wear and the materials with which some parts are made and treated.
Enrico Gualtieri’s staff, taking advantage of the regulation derogation that allows teams to work on reliability, managed to increase the life of the power unit on the test bench, allowing the Italian side to extract the maximum power from the engine, no longer using conservative mappings to avoid technical failures. A move that should make it possible to extract more power that should be the equivalent of around 20-25 horsepower.
In short, in Maranello they seem to have sharpened all the weapons available to do well in the next championship, now we just have to wait for the presentation of the single-seater, the first feedback from the track and the first battles with direct rivals to understand if 2023, after a long time, will be the right year to finally celebrate a Formula 1 world title.
Leave a Reply