F1: New Ferrari To Be Called F2012

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Ferrari’s new car was unveiled online Friday after snow forced the cancellation of the official launch.

The car is to be called the F2012, although its internal code number is 633. The project has been led for the first time by British technical director Pat Fry. Like other cars seen so far, it has a dramatic stepped nose.

Launching the car, the team gave an interesting detailed description of its development:

“Practically every area of the car has been fundamentally revised, starting with the suspension layout. Both the front and rear feature pull-rods, aimed at favoring aerodynamic performance and lowering the center of gravity. The front wing is derived from the one introduced on the 150 Italia in the final part of its racing life and has been evolved from there. Further evolutions are planned in this area for the opening races of the season.

“The nose has a step in it that is not aesthetically pleasing. With the requirement from the regulations to lower the front part, this was a way of raising the bottom part of the chassis as much as possible for aerodynamic reasons. The sides have been redesigned, through modifications to the side impact structures, the repositioning of the radiators and revisions to all aerodynamic elements.

“The lower part of the rear of the car is much narrower and more tapered, a feature achieved partly through a new gearbox casing and a relocation of some mechanical components. In recent years, the area of exhausts has been crucial in terms of car performance and much effort was expended on this front, based on changes to the regulations introduced this year.

“The rear wing is conceptually similar to the one used in 2011, but every detail of it has been revised and it is now more efficient. Naturally, it is still fitted with DRS (a drag reduction system,) which is operated hydraulically. The front and rear air intakes for the brakes have been redesigned and work was carried out in collaboration with Brembo to optimize the braking system.

\"The engine in the F2012 is an evolution of the one that powered last year’s car, which is inevitable given that the technical regulations forbid any modification to internal components aimed at increasing performance. Furthermore, much effort has gone into improving its installation in the new chassis, so as not to penalize the aerodynamics of the car.”