Ferrari is reportedly preparing a major aerodynamic redesign for its 2027 Formula 1 car, internally known as project 679, with one of the most recognisable features of its recent single-seaters set to disappear. The Maranello team is expected to abandon its traditional triangular airbox in favour of a larger oval intake, moving towards a design philosophy more closely associated with Mercedes and McLaren.
The change represents much more than a visual departure from Ferrari’s established identity. The revised airbox is intended to improve cooling, engine breathing and airflow towards the rear of the car, forming part of a broader technical overhaul that will also influence the engine cover, sidepods and internal cooling architecture.
Ferrari’s 2027 F1 car will adopt a new aerodynamic philosophy
The next Ferrari, currently identified as project 679, is expected to feature a noticeably different aerodynamic package while maintaining continuity with the SF-26’s highly regarded chassis characteristics. Although the underlying platform has provided a strong foundation, several major areas of the car are being reconsidered for 2027.
A substantial proportion of Ferrari’s development resources will be concentrated on its new power unit, which must deliver the horsepower needed to compete with Mercedes. That objective forms part of the team’s wider 2027 power-unit development programme, which is expected to introduce a more fundamental change in engine philosophy.
Temperature management will be another central consideration. Ferrari is planning a completely revised cooling layout that will influence the external bodywork and provide its aerodynamicists with new opportunities to shape the vehicle.
One of the most significant reported decisions concerns the airbox above the driver’s head, a component whose familiar triangular appearance has become closely associated with Ferrari’s recent Formula 1 machinery.
Ferrari to replace triangular airbox with larger oval intake
According to an exclusive report from AutoRacer.it, Ferrari’s 2027 car will feature a crucial redesign of the airbox area. The triangular intake, used at Maranello for many years, is expected to make way for a larger oval opening that brings the Italian team’s approach closer to those adopted by McLaren and Mercedes.
The decision is understood to be driven by several technical considerations rather than appearance alone. Cooling requirements are among the most important, but Ferrari is also pursuing a different aerodynamic efficiency balance around the upper bodywork.
The larger intake could offer advantages for turbocharger operation by supplying a more consistent airflow and reducing pressure losses at the inlet. The revised geometry may also help limit local aerodynamic load losses caused by airflow separation as air travels towards the rear wing.
This does not necessarily mean the existing triangular design is fundamentally inferior or superior. Rather, the two layouts represent different approaches to managing cooling requirements and controlling airflow around the upper section of the car.
The proposed oval airbox could also contribute to more responsive turbocharger behaviour, particularly during acceleration at lower engine speeds.
Why Ferrari is abandoning a design used since 2019
Ferrari has maintained its triangular airbox philosophy since 2019, with a notable exception in 2021 when additional lateral flaps were fitted around the roll hoop. Despite that variation, the triangular concept has remained a consistent feature of the team’s aerodynamic architecture.
In his technical analysis for AutoRacer.it, Giuliano Duchessa explained that the airflow characteristics of the existing design had to be compensated for through the engine-cover fin. Referring specifically to the SF-26, he noted that its pronounced stepped surfaces were designed to generate vortices that protect the rear wing from turbulence in high-speed corners and crosswind conditions.
The move towards an oval intake is therefore intended to address more than the volume of air available for cooling. Ferrari is also seeking cleaner airflow separation along the upper bodywork, reducing disturbances in the streams of air travelling towards the rear of the car.
According to the reported computational fluid dynamics analysis, the revised configuration could reduce turbulence in the upper wake by as much as 10–15 per cent.
Such an improvement could be particularly valuable when following another Formula 1 car. More stable airflow in disturbed aerodynamic conditions may help preserve rear-end performance, an increasingly important consideration for the planned 2027 configuration, with thinner rear wings and reduced aerodynamic surfaces.
How Ferrari’s new airbox could improve cooling and power-unit efficiency
The larger oval intake is also expected to provide greater flexibility in directing air towards the intercooler and auxiliary radiators. The reported cooling potential includes an increase of approximately 15–20 per cent, which could reduce temperatures by several degrees.
Improved thermal management could, in turn, help the power unit operate more efficiently and potentially allow more aggressive engine maps. These benefits would be particularly relevant as Ferrari continues working towards reducing its performance deficit to Mercedes.
The new airbox would also give Ferrari’s engineers greater freedom when designing the engine cover and upper ducts. This could make it easier to find a more effective compromise between aerodynamic performance, cooling requirements and the supply of air to the engine.
Internal airflow channels are also expected to be optimised. By separating the air streams serving the combustion engine, hybrid system and electrical components more effectively, Ferrari could reduce interference between the different cooling and intake requirements, limiting associated efficiency losses.
The sidepod inlets would consequently need to be adapted to the revised balance, making the oval airbox part of a much wider redesign rather than an isolated change.
This emphasis on thermal management follows Ferrari’s existing work on the SF-26 cooling system and its associated technical architecture, although the 2027 project is expected to introduce a substantially different overall layout.
Ferrari targets a more efficient 2027 car to challenge Mercedes
While the airbox may appear to be a relatively minor component compared with the chassis or power unit, its dimensions and geometry affect several interconnected areas of Formula 1 car performance.
Ferrari’s reported move towards a more conventional oval solution could therefore unlock improvements in airflow management, cooling capacity, turbocharger response and rear aerodynamic stability. The expected benefits will need to be achieved without compromising the strengths already established by the SF-26.
At the same time, Maranello is continuing to pursue aerodynamic improvements with its current machinery, including the latest Ferrari SF-26 development programme, as it attempts to remain competitive against its main rivals.
For 2027, however, the changes are expected to be considerably more extensive. The planned disappearance of Ferrari’s triangular airbox would mark the end of a long-standing design characteristic, with a larger oval intake forming part of the team’s effort to extract more performance from its next Formula 1 car.
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