Ferrari - what is new on the SF21

Ferrari

Ferrari - what is new on the SF21

The 2021 challenger has a new PU for starters

Ian Parkes

Wednesday 10 March 2021 14:56 Updated: 15:30

Ferrari has unveiled its new car for 2021 which has undergone numerous changes over the course of the winter in a bid to return the Scuderia to a more challenging position.

Aside from a new livery with accents of burgundy at the rear to reflect the first Ferrari, the 125S, the SF21 also houses a new power unit and revised aerodynamics.

Team principal Mattia Binotto claims the car "was born from last year" due to the new regulations which have resulted in it being partially frozen.

Binotto adds, however, the team "has tried to improve it in all of its areas wherever possible".

Explaining the changes further, power unit boss Enrico Gualtieri said: "Last season on track produced a clear picture of where we were and that was our starting point.

"It was that awareness, combined with our determination, our skills and those of our partners that led to the creation of the 065/6 power unit for the 2021 season.

"Along with the chassis engineers, we have worked considerably on the layout of the power unit, trying to make the overall project for the car as efficient as possible.

"We continuously worked on the internal combustion engine, aiming to increase its thermal efficiency, with help also coming from our partner Shell, which has led to an advantage estimated at over one-tenth of a second per lap.

"The turbocompressor has been revised to meet the needs of the engine, at the same time we plan to increase efficiency in the recovery of exhaust fumes.

"We are also working on the hybrid system, on the electronics, trying to revise all its components and optimising them.

"We have put enormous energy into the project but at the same time we are already working hard on the power unit for 2022 that will debut next year and will be even more important because it will be with us for at least three years of races."

Like all teams, Ferrari has had to adapt to the changes in the new aerodynamic rules that have been introduced to reduce downforce for safety reasons.

It is estimated the cars will revert to a downforce level similar to 2019, although all teams have worked to claw back the deficit as much as possible.

In this respect, head of chassis Enrico Cardile said: "When we began the SF21 project, our first task was to identify which area of the car we should focus on in order to achieve a radical change.

"We opted for the rear end, designing a new gearbox and new suspension system. In addition to the efforts of our power unit colleagues, this has led to a much tighter rear end.

"We also looked at the cooling system, increasing the effectiveness of the central radiator and designed the body with more 'downwashing'.

"Aerodynamics was one of the areas affected by the regulation changes aimed at reducing the ability to generate vertical load, in order not to put too great a strain on the tyres.

"That’s why, as we began developing the car’s aerodynamics, we set ourselves two goals: recovering more aerodynamic downforce than was lost through the regulations and reducing drag.

"Because of the regulations, less drastic changes were possible at the front end of the car.

"So we developed a new front wing which works in conjunction with a new concept nose, but the chassis itself and the suspension is off last year’s SF1000."