Ferrari made the decision to alter the design of its wastegate layout for the second test, switching the two-outlet configuration for a larger, singular exit
A close up of Ferrari’s front brake duct, which is indented when compared to how the rules considered the vertical fence, allowing for the collection of winglets on the lower portion (arrowed).
Sebastian Vettel’s 3rd paddle is a handbrake
A Ferrari secret that was constantly mentioned throughout last season has been revealed: Sebastian Vettel has kept the mysterious paddle positioned over the shifting paddle, which is activated by the German’s right hand, on the SF90’s steering wheel.
But what is it for? Maranello, of course, has always remained quiet on the matter. Someone in the paddock circulated the possibility that it could be useful to blow the exhaust gases of the 6-cylinder Turbo even when the engine is not accelerating, to ensure the minimum blowing that can be used to improve the efficiency of the lower part of the rear wing and improve the extraction of air from the rear diffuser. But it is nothing of the sort: it is a much simpler solution and not at all as convoluted. Sebastian has developed with the Scuderia technicians a sort of handbrake that the German has learned to use, while it has always been rejected by Kimi Raikkonen. The paddle is located above the gearbox balancer and has an ergonomic shape to be easily operated with the minimum effort of the index finger.
This solution was kept hidden until Sebastian, who conquered the pole in Bahrain 2018, had detached the steering wheel to get out of the car and had placed it on the bodywork leaving in plain sight precisely the part that Maranello wanted to keep hidden.
Charles Leclerc is much more likely to use Sebastian’s solution, because the young Monegasque driver wants to try to exploit the full potential of the SF90.
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