A Step Forward: What’s New On The Ferrari SF16-H Formula 1 Car
0Sponsored Links
Ferrari has a better shot at bringing the fight to the dominant Mercedes-Benz team this year than they did in 2015, and a lot of that has to do with their new and improved car, the SF16-H.
The SF16-H may have a 312T-inspired red, white and black paintjob, but that’s far from the only change applied to it when compared to the SF15-T of last year. Formula 1 recently compared the SF16-H and SF15-T, and thanks to illustrator Giorgio Piola, they were able to break down all the differences in a manner simple enough for us mortals.
The most notable change is the nose, which is likely the result of Ferrari’s extra wind tunnel testing it was able to conduct after discovering a loophole with F1 newcomers Haas F1. The short nose will allow for extra airflow underneath the car and is joined by the same front wing and blow front axle seen on the SF15-T.
Other changes near the front of the SF16-H include taller sidepods, which were necessary due to new safety requirements, 10 hot air vents beside the cockpit, a higher airbox with more of an oval-shaped opening and the implementation of pullrod suspension rather than pushrods.
Changes at the back of the car are also extensive. The sidepods are now lower, while a more compact gearbox design has allowed for an extremely narrow rear end and engine compartment. A new wing design is also present, while the new engine cover appears to feature a small inlet for the engine manifold.
The SF16-H is on track today for Formula 1’s pre-season tests in Barcelona and will have the finishing touches put on it before the start of the 2016 F1 season in Australia in March.