theprancinghorse.co.uk - News Features / 248 F1 Updates For China

Ferrari's recent strong form has been largely attributed to aero and tyre improvements, but development of the 056 engine - the most reliable V8 in the second part of the season - has also been key and will again play a vital role in China. Shanghai is a stop-go circuit, with plenty of acceleration and heavy braking at either end of the two long straights, plus an almost Indianapolis-like infield. Top speed along the back straight will be paramount, as will low-end torque in the twisty section. As a result, the 056 will sport many subtle changes for China, aimed at improving both top-end power and driveability at lower revs. In combination with suspension revisions, these will help with effective tyre-wear management, and should prove one of Ferrari's main strengths.

Another Ferrari strength in China will be the 248 F1's suspension package, which along with improved engine driveability, will greatly assist tyre-wear management - in combination with Bridgestone tyres featuring a low degree of hysteresis. This means the rubber is better able to adapt to variations in asphalt roughness - the lower the hysteresis, the lower the tyre wear and the higher the top speed. Such tyres work well with the 248 F1's suspension, which was revised in the summer to better exploit the tyres' potential performance and to enhance their durability. Front and rear suspension follow the same principle, with a central transverse damper, plus horizontal rotational dampers, coupled with torsion bars (see detail). Not only is this layout extremely compact, it means stiffness settings can be changed extremely quickly - very useful in rapidly determining the best set-up, especially during qualifying.

New for China, as part of Ferrari's never-ending aero development, but already seen on other cars such as the Renault and the Honda, is this additional device - part of the airflow management in the crucial area in front of the sidepods. These elements' function is to split the airflow in two parts, the upper part directed towards the rear wing, and the lower part directed onto the lower section of the sidepods and the car's stepped bottom. This helps reduce turbulence, generate some additional downforce, and improve the whole aerodynamic efficiency of the car's rear end.