Ferrari Unveils Their 2023 Car in Style
Ferrari presented their F1 challenger for the 2023 season on February 14. A lot of anticipation has been building up to this date. It finally came, and the Scuderia from Maranello certainly delivered. We witnessed one of the best launches in many years. The whole team certainly did not spare any expense, and made quite a pompous event.
At the Pista di Fiorano everyone from the Scuderia Ferrari team was bathed by the red sea of Tifosi in the stands. Newly appointed team principal Frédéric Vasseur was present, alongside drivers Charles Leclerc, and Carlos Sainz Jr.
It has been quite common for teams to unveil their new ‘cars’ by just updating the livery and putting it on last year’s car, or showing a computer render of what the car would look like. Ferrari, having organized such a grand event, it was pretty clear that they would go above and beyond, and introduce the whole thing: brand new livery and car.
Just seeing the new car was an exciting thing to look at. It was incredible when we saw both drivers take it for a spin at the Pista di Fiorano in Maranello. The car looks beautiful with its red matte livery, and the black details. A more aggressive design compared to last year.
Beyond looking beautiful, the car, in terms of design and structure, looks fast. Its lines are more aggressive and determined. It looks ‘meaner’, compared to last year’s design. Ferrari’s CEO Benedetto Vigna said that it’s a: “single-seater that will be unprecedented in terms of speed”
The car is an “...an evolution of the one we raced last year,” said the head of chassis Enrico Cardile. In terms of design philosophy, it is quite evident that the car has evolved on the outside. What about the inside? Ferrari changed the suspension according to Cardile: “The most obvious changes are in the area of the front suspension where we have moved to a low track rod.”
Suspension
This basically means that Ferrari completely redesigned their suspension from scratch. They have been working with a push-rod type suspension usually mounted at the top. For this season they will be working with a pull-rod mounted at the bottom.
Both philosophies pretty much serve the same purpose, however, push-rod suspensions allow for better stability at greater speeds. Car “geometry and center of gravity” are the main reasons to choose one or another.
A pull-rod suspension will allow Ferrari to move all of its “components closer to the ground, and lower the chassis of the vehicle, and lower the center of gravity.” This translates to improved efficiency in cornering
Wings
The front wing has suffered major changes as well. They have implemented a flatter wing with those slot gap separators that the FIA allowed only for structural reasons last year. It seems the FIA is allowing the separators to aid aerodynamically this year.
Mercedes tried running a wing with slot gap separators, but were forced to remove them because FIA determined they were aerodynamically aiding the car.
Side Pods
Last year Ferrari grabbed all the attention because of their side pod design, specifically the baby bath design and fins above the structure. This year the side pod is an evolution of last year. The curves are less pronounced, and there seems to be a fin structure, and more aerodynamic devices.
Engine
There is very little to say about this aspect because of the FIA engine freeze of 2022. Ferrari did not want to dive further into this matter. Teams cannot work on the engine to improve its performance; however, they can work on components that will aid reliability.
The FIA follows any work done on the engine very closely so it is difficult for teams to find loopholes in the rules that will help them increase performance by working on reliability issues.
It is a good thing that the main 3 manufacturer teams are more or less equal in terms of power and performance engine-wise.
The car officially rolls
Rolling the car around the track started Ferrari’s journey to the 2023 season. Ferrari had a 100-kilometer program split between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr.
These programs really don't test anything in terms of performance. They serve to check everything is in order and to see if the sensors and comms work. We will see more in terms of reliability and pace once the Bahrein tests begin. Even so, teams do not fully push their cars.
Certainly, the event was something I have not seen in a while. Perhaps the history and gravitas the team has in this sport allows them to do something this grand.
What are your thoughts on the new SF-23 car? Do you like the design and overall lines? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy racing.
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