For many popular car companies, simultaneously running road car programs and a successful motorsport team can work out for the very best. Yet there are very few companies that have taken it in stride like Ferrari.
Ferrari is a premier manufacturer of extremely fast cars for the road. As a complete brand, they inspire a level of excitement in motorsports that other teams could only dream of.
Though it’s not always been that simple for Ferrari, they have had many groundbreaking and innovative ideas through the years that have pushed them out on top.
For that exact reason, and due to their reliability as a brand, many people enjoy keeping an eye on sports betting spreads to bet on Ferrari.
With everything considered, these are the top Ferrari F1 cars ever made.
1. Ferrari F2002
We had to kick off this list with one of the greatest and most dominant Ferrari F1 vehicles of all time, the Ferrari F2002.
This masterpiece was designed by the early-2000s dream team of Aldo Costa, Rory Byrne, and Ross Brawn. The F2002 took previous knowledge from its predecessor, the F2001, and added some much-needed new tech.
Specifically, the F2002 had a seven-speed clutchless gearbox built from titanium, a new traction control system, and a four-valve-head engine. It also saw a revision of front and rear suspension from the F2001 and was powered by an impressive 3.0-liter V10 engine.
The Ferrari F2002 managed to win 15 Grand Prix in just 19 races in both 2002 and 2003, nine of which resulted in 1-2 finishes.
2. Ferrari F2004 (2004-05)
This was the fiftieth car built by Ferrari to compete in F1.
The F2004 doesn’t share the longevity of the 312T series, but that’s mainly because of the F1 instead of the car itself. The F2004 was the peak of the remarkable Brawn, Byrne, Costa, and Michael Schumacher Ferrari partnership during the early 2000s.
The V10-engined vehicle was so fast during pre-season testing that the team thought they had made an error somewhere. The main parts of the car were revised to achieve maximum performance levels from the Bridgestone tires and the 053 engine.
In addition to an impressive 15 wins from 18 2004 Grand Prix races, Ferrari also scored eight 1-2s.
3. Ferrari 312T
The Ferrari 312T is undoubtedly one of the most successful F1 cars of all time. Built by Mauro Forghieri, the 312T was a radical shift for Ferrari but one that completely changed the perception of what they could do.
It combined aluminum panels with an extremely lightweight space frame, a pretty common feature for different F1 racers at this time.
The car was powered by an extremely reliable flat-12 engine that produced over 510PS. Yet the biggest highlight of this Ferrari car was its transversely mounted 5-speed gearbox. This helped to iron out any handling issues that may have plagued its predecessor.
During its active years, the 312T won four Constructor’s Championships, three Drivers’ Championships, and 27 races.
4. Ferrari Tipo 500
This iconic Ferrari car was created by Aurelio Lampredi and used by Ferrari during the 1952 and 1953 seasons.
Due to the time, it was manufactured, the Tipo 500 was not built according to F1 regulations but that didn’t slow the car down even the slightest bit!
This Ferrari car was powered by an impressive inline-4 cylinder engine that was mounted directly behind the front axle. It also had a much better weight distribution than previous models which enabled it to humiliate its opponents.
It was so fast that it helped renowned driver Alberto Ascari to win all but one race during the 1952 season. This led to his first-ever world championship.
It also won two consecutive F1 championships and failed to win only one race that it entered during the two seasons of F1 racing.
5. Ferrari 156 (‘Sharknose’)
Built in 1961, the Carlo Chiti-designed Ferrari 156 ‘Sharknose’ remains one of the most dominant Ferraris in world championship history. This mainly concerns its speed and overall pace.
This vehicle had a nostril grill that gives it its nickname. This car shape is also one of Ferrari’s most iconic designs. It was also virtually unbeatable thanks to a very powerful V6 engine. In 1962, Ferrari was prepared to make the switch from 2.5-liter to 1.5-liter F1 engines.
Thanks to a tube-frame chassis, the Ferrari 156 could minimize air resistance with much less power to push the car. In order to maximize this advantage, Chiti flattened the ‘vee’ to 120°. The vehicle’s radiators were also fed via nostril air intakes.
This was the first Ferrari F1 car to win the constructors’ championship and also took Phil Hill directly to the 1961 title after the death of team-mate Wolfgang von Trips.
Summary
This article features just a couple of the greatest cars in terms of their overall performance, appearance, and legacy in the F1 world. It’s pretty safe to say that Ferrari has produced some of the fastest and highest-quality cars in F1 history, and will continue to do so as the motorsports industry grows.
Leave a Reply