| by David Rider
In Spain, Ferrari surprised the F1 world by showing up with a significantly modified car. With updates on all sides of the car, the Italians hoped to take a big step forward. The most noticeable change was the new one sidepod of the SF-23. Ferrari deviated from its bad model to Red Bull-like sidepods. Ferrari team engineer Jock Clear sees a lot of potential in the new developments and emphasizes that Ferrari has not just started copying.
“We have made significant changes. They are most visible in the sidepodsbut these are not the biggest driver for it performance’said the British Ferrari engineer The Race. “What you see is always just the secondary part. You get the most benefit from the floor and the diffuser. Based on the philosophy of these two parts, you adjust the top of the car.’ The changes at the top are therefore not an isolated development. ‘You don’t look at a car with the idea that you want something different sidepods want or something like that. The change is the result of new regimes on other parts of the car.’
The fact that the adjustments make the Ferrari look more like the Red Bull car does not mean that it was simply copied. “We are not copying anyone. Of course we look at what others are doing and we can learn from that. Everything has to be tested in the wind tunnel and if it turns out that certain parts from others could also work on our car, we will certainly look into that.’ The new philosophy regarding the aerodynamics of the chassis seems to meet these requirements. “We tested it in the wind tunnel and the results were good. Of course we have to follow the science in this and we can’t just mount parts from others on the car.’
‘That’s our Achilles’ heel’
With over thirty years of experience in the sport, Clear also knows that the uniqueness of the cars means that simply copying parts does not work. “If you see something that works for others, it often takes several months for it to be adapted to your car.” Ferrari is looking for more stability and consistency. Both drivers complained about the race speed and unpredictability of the SF-23. ‘We still have a long way to go. Our car is very unpredictable and sensitive at the front. We still have to tame him, so to speak. The upgrade of Spain is a first step in this and we think we can improve a lot within this new philosophy.’
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