How innovative have Ferrari been?

Lotusonpole · 1 Jun 2010, 07:50 (Ref:2702321)

While watching the Turkish GP, I wondered just how innovative have Ferrari been over the years?

Without dioubt they have made many fine cars, but have they ever been truly innovative?
(e.g. Ground effect, side radiators, difusers, high/low nose, etc?)

Have they simply picked up other teams ideas and fed them into their development system for later that season or the next season's car or, as some cynics may suggest, simply canvassed to have other teams good ideas banned?

P

Super Hans · 1 Jun 2010, 07:57 (Ref:2702326)

I can't think of any Ferrari innovations but then I'm no expert when it comes to technical things. Enzo was initially against rear-engined cars, stating that one never saw a cart pulling a horse, so there was a lack of innovation and foresight in that instance.

Lotusonpole · 1 Jun 2010, 08:02 (Ref:2702328)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Hans

I can't think of any Ferrari innovations but then I'm no expert when it comes to technical things. Enzo was initially against rear-engined cars, stating that one never saw a cart pulling a horse, so there was a lack of innovation and foresight in that instance.

Thanks SH.
Echoes my thoughts exactly. For the life of me I can't think of anything truly innovative either, which is why I've asked the question just in case someone knows otherwise. Just to straighten the record of course.

P

Super Hans · 1 Jun 2010, 08:06 (Ref:2702330)

Hang on I've thought of a couple from recent seasons. 1) Those hub cap things and 2) That little slot half way between the front wing and the cockpit. Still, those are refinements rather than the game-changing innovations of Chapman, Murray and Newey.

Dani Filth · 1 Jun 2010, 08:10 (Ref:2702335)

transverse gearbox in the 312T ??
semi-automatic transmission in the early 90s .. ??

F.O.F. · 1 Jun 2010, 13:16 (Ref:2702502)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dani Filth

transverse gearbox in the 312T ??
semi-automatic transmission in the early 90s .. ??

Yep, I think that the F189 was also the first with a 7 speed 'box. I can't for the life of me think of anything else. Maybe their rumored spray-on electrically activated aerodynamic coating stuff a few years ago. Pretty innovative but highly impractical.

Francis Albert · 1 Jun 2010, 09:22 (Ref:2702372)

yeah semi automatic gearbox was the first thing that came to my mind.

How about the periscope exhausts? Or am I getting confused on this one?

GolddustMini · 1 Jun 2010, 09:47 (Ref:2702385)

the quickly banned flexifloor?

Wims · 1 Jun 2010, 10:06 (Ref:2702398)

Flexing front wings

browney · 1 Jun 2010, 10:48 (Ref:2702416)

The box tyre warmers, mirrors on stalks that are actually aerodynamic devices, lollypop with lights (although this didn't seem to work for them in the end).

If Ferrari aren't inovators then how come it has been said so many that "if Ferrari wasn't doing it, it would be banned"?

Marbot · 1 Jun 2010, 13:00 (Ref:2702493)

Ferrari were first with the semi-auto boxes in F1 (or rather, John Barnard was). But they certainly weren't the first semi-auto boxes in motorsport (Porsche got there first I think).

Ferrari have been very 'innovative' with logo's just lately.

Apparently, they have a huge update for Valencia, which will probably involve having spent lots of hours in a wind tunnel.

Lotusonpole · 1 Jun 2010, 13:10 (Ref:2702497)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

Ferrari have been very 'innovative' with logo's just lately.
Apparently, they have a huge update for Valencia, which will probably involve having spent lots of hours in a wind tunnel.

I knew I could rely on you Marbot.

P

Marbot · 1 Jun 2010, 13:27 (Ref:2702508)

Rumour has it that the update will also include some 'go-faster' stripes (white) and yet another variation on the engine cover logo, which isn't in anyway supposed to attract anyones attention. The car may even be a slightly different shade of red, and again, this isn't to draw attention to something else.

In the meantime, Ferrari will be unable to continually pound around various test tracks like it used to do, (which was the one thing that it was really good at) despite having enough money to build ten more.

phoenix · 1 Jun 2010, 22:26 (Ref:2702855)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

Rumour has it that the update will also include some 'go-faster' stripes (white) and yet another variation on the engine cover logo

802?

fourWheelDrift · 1 Jun 2010, 18:08 (Ref:2702683)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

Ferrari were first with the semi-auto boxes in F1 (or rather, John Barnard was). But they certainly weren't the first semi-auto boxes in motorsport (Porsche got there first I think).

Ferrari have been very 'innovative' with logo's just lately.

Apparently, they have a huge update for Valencia, which will probably involve having spent lots of hours in a wind tunnel.

Bit of a turn around since Enzo himself is supposed to have said "Arodynamics are for people who cannot build good engines"

Pingguest · 1 Jun 2010, 19:19 (Ref:2702730)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourWheelDrift

Bit of a turn around since Enzo himself is supposed to have said "Arodynamics are for people who cannot build good engines"

The late Enzo was very right about that one!

Lotusonpole · 1 Jun 2010, 13:44 (Ref:2702516)

Quote:

Originally Posted by browney

The box tyre warmers, mirrors on stalks that are actually aerodynamic devices, lollypop with lights (although this didn't seem to work for them in the end).

If Ferrari aren't inovators then how come it has been said so many that "if Ferrari wasn't doing it, it would be banned"?

I think you are right with the tyre box warmers (ovens).
But didn't they get banned eventually?
Or at least written out of the rules?
I can't remember just how long they were used before being outlawed?

P

Marbot · 1 Jun 2010, 13:49 (Ref:2702517)

So that's it then, Ferrari made toasters.

Lotusonpole · 1 Jun 2010, 14:07 (Ref:2702528)

;

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marbot

So that's it then, Ferrari made toasters.

Fresh pizza anyone. It might have a hint of release fluid and burnt rubber but...

Idea...They may have already been recycled as book cookers.

Kempi · 1 Jun 2010, 14:45 (Ref:2702555)

Quote:

But they certainly weren't the first semi-auto boxes in motorsport (Porsche got there first I think).

Are you referring to the Porsche PDK, a double clutch gear box in the 962? I am not sure that was a semi automatic, but it certainly was the first double clutch box out there.

Marbot · 1 Jun 2010, 15:33 (Ref:2702576)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kempi

Are you referring to the Porsche PDK, a double clutch gear box in the 962? I am not sure that was a semi automatic, but it certainly was the first double clutch box out there.

Yes. But! (from wiki):

"In Formula One, the first attempt at clutch-less gear changing was in the early 1970s, with the system being tested by the Lotus team."

So, not Ferrari anyway, according to that.

Semi-auto boxes were around in road cars for a few decades before F1 got hold of them.

ASCII Man · 1 Jun 2010, 15:41 (Ref:2702582)

Hmm...

In 1994, when everyone had to make an opening in the airbox to lower engine power, Ferrari made the opening on the sides of the airbox instead of on the back of it like all the others, giving them a (minute) advantage.

Didn't last long, though.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

But hey, their V12 engines!
Didn't they sound great?

Marbot · 1 Jun 2010, 15:59 (Ref:2702590)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

But hey, their V12 engines!
Didn't they sound great?

Yeah, but again, not a Ferrari innovation. Many WW1 aeroplanes had V12 engines. Renault produced one of the first ever V12s for aviation use, just before they became popular for some 'high end' road cars.

ASCII Man · 1 Jun 2010, 16:36 (Ref:2702620)

I never said they were their innovation, they just sounded great.

Marbot · 1 Jun 2010, 19:17 (Ref:2702729)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

I never said they were their innovation, they just sounded great.

So you did. And you're right, they did sound great. Now I have to watch 'Superleague' to hear the same noise.

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