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In 2022, the Ferrari F1 team had much to strive for in terms of achieving success. Although the team secured 12 pole positions and won four races, they ended the season more than 200 points behind Red Bull and only 39 points ahead of their rival Mercedes, who finished in third place.
There were many commendable achievements, but it was far from the golden era of the Maranello-based team. From 2000 to 2008, Ferrari claimed seven Constructors' Championships and six Drivers' titles. Last season, Charles Leclerc won two of the first three races on F1-75. The team secured two more victories, with Carlos Sainz Jr. at Silverstone and Leclerc in Austria. It seemed that the team should have been competing for both championships - constructors and drivers.
However, this is a misconception.
While Red Bull easily clinched titles, Ferrari experienced nine DNFs, including a double DNF in Baku, the third-highest among all teams. For much of the second half of the year, the team had to turn down their engine merely to finish races, preventing them from fighting for top results. This might explain why they spent more time addressing reliability issues during the off-season rather than developing their 2023 car, the SF-23, which they unveiled on Tuesday.
The SF-23, with a name format returning to the Scuderia Ferrari initials followed by the year of competition, features only minor exterior changes. Most of the work has been directed towards the power unit, focusing on resolving reliability issues that hindered the team from ending the season triumphantly.
"Preparing for a new season is usually one of the busiest times of the year, and this winter was no exception. The power units (DPUs) are frozen from last year, including fluids, oil, and fuel, and the only permitted changes relate to reliability, which was our weak point last season," said Enrico Gualtieri, the head of the power unit department. "We focused on the internal combustion engine and electric motors. We also maximized the experience gained on the track last season and examined all the feedback and weak points of the PU components we used. We also reviewed assembly procedures.
"We sought to understand the root causes of the problems we encountered on the track and used all available resources to address them. This involved all areas, from design to experimentation, to try and test new solutions as quickly as possible. The work never stops; it is based on continuous improvement of components to achieve the required level of reliability."
Adjustments have also been made to the chassis.
"Our 2023 car is an evolution of what we used last year, but it has actually been completely redesigned," said Enrico Cardile, head of the chassis department. "On the aerodynamic side, we increased the vertical resistance to adapt to the new aerodynamic regulations and achieve the desired balance characteristics. The suspension has also been redesigned to support aerodynamics and increase the number of adjustments that can be made during a race.
"The most noticeable changes concern the front suspension, where we switched to a lower wishbone. The front wing has also changed, as has the nose design, and the bodywork has become a more radical version of what we saw last season."
The SF-23 appears somewhat sleeker than the F1-75, maintaining the 'bathtub' curves on the upper part of the sidepods with an indentation to direct airflow towards the rear wing. Similar to other cars unveiled recently, a portion of the radiator area has also been repositioned outwards and elevated around the vehicle's shoulders.
A potential controversy may arise with the front wing design. The SF-23's front is somewhat flattened, featuring front wing slots and gap separators that could be generating air vortices. Last season, Mercedes attempted a similar front wing with comparable gap separators. However, the FIA introduced revised technical regulations modifying the statement requiring gap separators to serve 'primarily' mechanical, structural, or measurement purposes.
The separators on the SF-23, unlike Mercedes' previous design, may now adhere to the regulations by providing a "structural connection" and possibly granting legality and an aerodynamic advantage. It is yet to be seen if Mercedes will incorporate any form of gap separators in their new car, which they will debut on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Ferrari showcased the new vehicle to around 500 fans at their Fiorano circuit. It remains uncertain whether the car's appearance, particularly the front, will remain unchanged and whether it will keep Ferrari competitive in the 2023 title race. The first race of the season, the Bahrain Grand Prix, kicks off on March 5, with teams eager to show their prowess on the track.
There were many commendable achievements, but it was far from the golden era of the Maranello-based team. From 2000 to 2008, Ferrari claimed seven Constructors' Championships and six Drivers' titles. Last season, Charles Leclerc won two of the first three races on F1-75. The team secured two more victories, with Carlos Sainz Jr. at Silverstone and Leclerc in Austria. It seemed that the team should have been competing for both championships - constructors and drivers.
However, this is a misconception.
While Red Bull easily clinched titles, Ferrari experienced nine DNFs, including a double DNF in Baku, the third-highest among all teams. For much of the second half of the year, the team had to turn down their engine merely to finish races, preventing them from fighting for top results. This might explain why they spent more time addressing reliability issues during the off-season rather than developing their 2023 car, the SF-23, which they unveiled on Tuesday.
The SF-23, with a name format returning to the Scuderia Ferrari initials followed by the year of competition, features only minor exterior changes. Most of the work has been directed towards the power unit, focusing on resolving reliability issues that hindered the team from ending the season triumphantly.
"Preparing for a new season is usually one of the busiest times of the year, and this winter was no exception. The power units (DPUs) are frozen from last year, including fluids, oil, and fuel, and the only permitted changes relate to reliability, which was our weak point last season," said Enrico Gualtieri, the head of the power unit department. "We focused on the internal combustion engine and electric motors. We also maximized the experience gained on the track last season and examined all the feedback and weak points of the PU components we used. We also reviewed assembly procedures.
"We sought to understand the root causes of the problems we encountered on the track and used all available resources to address them. This involved all areas, from design to experimentation, to try and test new solutions as quickly as possible. The work never stops; it is based on continuous improvement of components to achieve the required level of reliability."
Adjustments have also been made to the chassis.
"Our 2023 car is an evolution of what we used last year, but it has actually been completely redesigned," said Enrico Cardile, head of the chassis department. "On the aerodynamic side, we increased the vertical resistance to adapt to the new aerodynamic regulations and achieve the desired balance characteristics. The suspension has also been redesigned to support aerodynamics and increase the number of adjustments that can be made during a race.
"The most noticeable changes concern the front suspension, where we switched to a lower wishbone. The front wing has also changed, as has the nose design, and the bodywork has become a more radical version of what we saw last season."
The SF-23 appears somewhat sleeker than the F1-75, maintaining the 'bathtub' curves on the upper part of the sidepods with an indentation to direct airflow towards the rear wing. Similar to other cars unveiled recently, a portion of the radiator area has also been repositioned outwards and elevated around the vehicle's shoulders.
A potential controversy may arise with the front wing design. The SF-23's front is somewhat flattened, featuring front wing slots and gap separators that could be generating air vortices. Last season, Mercedes attempted a similar front wing with comparable gap separators. However, the FIA introduced revised technical regulations modifying the statement requiring gap separators to serve 'primarily' mechanical, structural, or measurement purposes.
The separators on the SF-23, unlike Mercedes' previous design, may now adhere to the regulations by providing a "structural connection" and possibly granting legality and an aerodynamic advantage. It is yet to be seen if Mercedes will incorporate any form of gap separators in their new car, which they will debut on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Ferrari showcased the new vehicle to around 500 fans at their Fiorano circuit. It remains uncertain whether the car's appearance, particularly the front, will remain unchanged and whether it will keep Ferrari competitive in the 2023 title race. The first race of the season, the Bahrain Grand Prix, kicks off on March 5, with teams eager to show their prowess on the track.
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