Mark Hughes examines Ferrari’s downforce configuration at Silverstone. Ferrari went the most extreme with their low-downforce package.

Mark Hughes examines Scuderia Ferrari’s downforce configuration at Silverstone that contributed to the Maranello team’s somewhat improved pace:

“Ferrari went the most extreme with their low-downforce package, as befitting their shortfall of horsepower. The flap is physically smaller than the others but there they retained a small gurney flap. The optimum wing level for lap time will always be lower when the car has less horsepower to push it through the air. Because the drag squares with speed, the last few km/h come at a disproportionately high cost in drag and therefore a less powerful engine will tend to suggest a small rear wing. Ferrari’s rear wing was the smallest at Silverstone – and this moved them up from their previous solid last place in the trap speeds to about halfway. It proved a good solution for the team and helped Charles Leclerc qualify on the second row, the foundation of his drive to third in the race.

Mercedes chose probably the second-lowest wing level of the top teams. With the most powerful engine, they were still top of the speed trap. The previous T-wing has been deleted and the flap no longer carries the gurney flap that boosts low-speed downforce but costs drag at higher speeds.”