I can hear the conspiracy theorists now! http://www.planetf1.com/driver/18227/7651800/Ferrari-to-launch-the-Ferrauber- Ferrari will be unveiling the front half of a F2012 and the rear half of the Sauber C31 when they launch their B-spec car at Mugello next month. Although Ferrari clinched the victory last time out in Malaysia, in dry conditions their 2012 car is sorely lacking compared to its rivals - even the Sauber if the latter stages of the Malaysian GP are any indicator. As a result, Ferrari are set to unveil a dramatically altered car at the only pre-season test at Mugello at the start of May. According to reports, the 'new' car will look very similar to Sauber's C31 at the rear so much so that Autosprint have dubbed it the 'Ferrauber'. Incorporating Sauber's exhaust layout, rear solution and sidepods, the two models will not only share looks but also engines and gearboxes as Sauber use Ferrari's. The B-spec Ferrari, though, will stay retain its current front-end design. The car is expected to be unveiled on the first day of a three-day in-season test at Mugello on May 1st.
Hey, at this point, whatever it takes. I'd hate to see a driver of Alonso's caliber not win a championship with Ferrari ala Prost.
Then Ferrari will need some time to get their hands around how that setup works. Red Bull is currently having issues with it and tire management for Seb. They'll all work it out, but the F1 season clock is ticking away
+1 and its too bad all the new people there cant build a car that wins without copying or splicing something together from another team. FAIL! Not impressed. Its funny actually and sad. I expect better from the red team. They have the money and we get hack surgery. Id rather see them copy the Mclaren. At least it looks good.
Just heard that Ferrari are not copying Sauber's system from a QA session with Ferrari: Byrne still is working in evolution of F2012? -Rory is working mainly on a new road car project and he is keen to give suggestion to the racing team, as usual There are a lot of talk about the new 'Ferrauber' being launched in Mugello. How far is it true? "-Very far..." Is any chance of podium in China with dry conditions? -In all honesty, it will be difficult but let's see if something has changed during these last weeks
So they're only going to fix half the problem? Maybe by August they will fix the front half and ditch the stupid pull-rod front suspension!
There's been no proof that there is anything wrong with the front end. They were forced to change the exhausts at the last minute and that's what screwed up the car. Copying the Sauber makes all the sense in the world. It's a known solution that already incorporates the Ferrari drive train. The idea that teams don't copy winning design concepts is naive.
I have no problem with Ferrari copying the Sauber side pods and rear; Red Bull already did that with their heavily revised RB8 introduced at the final pre-season test. However, there have been plenty of suggestions, if no external "proof" beyond all the trackside observations about the evil handling of the F2012, that the pull rod front suspension is a dead end that should have died with the Arrows that was the last car to use it. Former tech director, now BBC Analyst, Gary Anderson suggested that the pull-rod design does limit the capacity to tune the front suspension to the same extent offered by the normal push rod design.
An amazing number of experts know things that aren't so. A modern F1 car is a system. Every part and system effects every other part and system. A radical change such as the one made to the exhausts will upset the balance In ways that may not be apparent. In cars much less sophisticated handling issues at one end of the car are often caused by settings at the opposite end. While its tempting to blame the newest design variation for the problem I find it much more likely that the issue is caused by the recobbled exhausts.
It's long been the Ferrari tradition to leave the innovation to others. We're lucky they have disc brakes and mid engines.
Nah, a Subari has 4WD and therefore is banned from F1. I know, I joke, I kid. I'm six years old. There once was a Saubari: When Sauber used not only the engine but the entire rear end (gearbox, suspension) of the Ferrari.
They did bring the short lived transverse gearbox to F1. Aside from that, its a wonder they are also even using an independent suspension.
Similar to the Suvari, both have a very high front end, but decent body........ Image Unavailable, Please Login