Ferrari to look more like Sauber in the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix – Formula 1 news
Rumours of an updated Ferrari F2012 are rife and it is being speculated that the car is going to follow Sauber.
Ferrari has been on the receiving end of criticism and disappointment as the new F2012 has been below par so far in terms of pace, handling and reliability.
“No doubt about it,” Fernando Alonso said after winning the Malaysian grand prix, “they (Sauber) were quicker than us.”
Ferrari Technical director has been trying to work out the problems behind the cars dismal performance. So far the team has not been able to find remedies, and even though Alonso showed some remarkable skill to eke out an improbable win at the Malaysian
Grand Prix. The car remains far from being where it needs to be.
Autosprint magazine revealed that the tweaks Ferrari are looking to make in the car are very similar to Sauber. They even went so far to call it the “Ferrauber” and mentioned that the rear is very similar to Sauber’s C31.
The Sauber exhaust was being questioned over its legality but FIA has deemed it safe and now Ferrari are the first ones looking to copy it.
“We are not in a position to be able to say exactly how much aerodynamic influence each individual system has,” said the governing body’s technical delegate Charlie Whiting.
“Hence, it’s impossible for us to say ‘That’s too much, or that’s ok’. The aim of the new regulation was to ensure that we don’t have to do that,” he explained.
Another speculated tweak is the gearbox of the car which the magazine reveals will be narrower than before again much like Sauber.
Ferrari will be going into the Chinese Grand Prix with some positive energy after winning the last race. The camp however will be wary of the fact that McLaren and Red Bull are still the grid leaders, with Lotus and Mercedes yet to show their true potential.
Sauber’s impressive show has also made things a lot more exciting this season.
It will be interesting to see how Ferrari fare as the season progresses. The Shanghai race is scheduled for April 15, 2012.
Tags: