From F1technical.net

Ferrari have once again introduced a completely new concept in Formula One, now by cutting open the nose cone and creating a channel through the nose itself. Although the idea is not new and has been discussed in the F1technical forum extensively, it is the first real implementation.

The idea originates from the fact that the nose cone obstructs the front wing's upward air stream. In the centre of the wing, the airflow previously hit the underside of the cone, creating extra drag and also reducing the efficiency of the front wing itself.
Yet, the new Ferrari design allows for that upward air to flow through a channel in the nose. It exits above the nose, just ahead of the front suspension components. Despite its negative drag effect on top of the nose, the improvements under the nose are substantial. Not only will the upward airflow be smoother, it will also create a lower pressure area under the nose. As a result, molecules tend to fill that void and flow faster along the front wing, further improving the efficiency of the front wing.

Some Pics:

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l201/martinsalkow/ferrari-nose-principle.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l201/martinsalkow/ferrari-nose-bar.jpg

from F1-live.com:

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l201/martinsalkow/massa-test-z-15_140408.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l201/martinsalkow/massa-test-z-14_140408.jpg

To a simpleton like myself.. it seems to make sense.... lets see how many other teams follow Ferrari's lead...

They've been using this idea in SuperGT (JGTC) for years. Suprised it's take so long to implement it. It will get implemented quickly though, the same as wheel covers, and the ever impending shark fins.

and it wouldn't be F1 if there wasen't drama attached to this:

Again from F1-live.com

The appearance of Ferrari's radical new nose innovation at the Barcelona test on Monday confirmed that espionage could still be a factor at the Italian team.

Alleged Ferrari spy Nigel Stepney no longer works for the Maranello based team, but the technical secret about the 'hole nose' nonetheless emerged in the pages of an Italian magazine some ten weeks ago.

Autosprint broke the story about the nose, including sketches of the innovation, in its pages in February, raising suspicions that the leaking of confidential and sensitive design data has not stopped, notwithstanding Stepney's firing and McLaren's $100m fine.
According to the Swiss newspaper Blick, Technical Director Aldo Costa was 'horrified' about the leak, confiding that 'very few' Ferrari workers even knew about the nose solutions when they were being tested in the wind tunnel.

Blick claims that an internal investigation into the leak is in progress.

I like it, it looks good on the car, and it serves an important purpose. If Ferrari win again in Barcelona, you can guarantee that McLaren, BMW, and Renault will look into using this "holy nose" (:D)

I really hope, though, that there isn't ANOTHER espionage scandal again this year, because I don't really want to hear about somebody else taking from Ferrari yet again...

I just assumed no one had done it before because of regulations. Its wierd how they havent. Anyway, every team will probably have something similar by the end of the year, just like the wheel covers on Ferrari, and McLaren's wing over the top of the nose.

They've been using this idea in SuperGT (JGTC) for years. Suprised it's take so long to implement it. It will get implemented quickly though, the same as wheel covers, and the ever impending shark fins.
anyone can tell me wat are wheels cover for?ty

^^directing air away from the wheels, which would cause drag.
It also apparently helps with brake cooling

More pics:
http://images.worldcarfans.com/2008/4/14/9080414.014/9080414.014.Mini5L.jpg
http://images.worldcarfans.com/2008/4/14/9080414.014/9080414.014.Mini6L.jpg

The new nose and the slicks made the Ferrari 2,7 seconds faster on the tests.
Forza Ferrari (:

Interesting for the slicks to be having a slight chance of coming back next season. The only main problem is that they're also removing the tire warmer devices which would really suck a big one when it comes to grip.

It appears that this nose cone will be very important in 2009 also. I've been looking at the testing pictures, and michael schumacher has been running a 2009 spec car, and it is running without barge boards, which are extremely important in channeling air around the car, and into the side pods. Without them, there could possibly be a lot of wash out at the side of the car, so, channeling the air out over the nose, potentially on to the airbox, on to the winglet diffusers, is going to be an extremely important feature. Banning tyre warmers is just danagerous more than anything else.

Hey I don't care what Ferrari do, we all know they can get away with murder but aslong has Kimi is in a cometitive car I don't care :D !

It actually looks pretty neat :) !

Found this vid on it...
anyone understand Italian??

http://mediacenter.gazzetta.it/MediaCenter/action/player?uuid=d9bf2fb0-0b8d-11dd-858f-00144f486ba6&navName=2&idCanale=Motori

Also, i heard today that Ferrari will remove the MArlboro logos from their cars. Is this true?

^^^Yes, the only branding of Marlboro will be the barcodes.

It is likely that a cigarette brand will never again be outwardly visible on the livery of a formula one car.

Other teams - notably Renault, McLaren and Honda - farewelled their tobacco-fuelled dollars a couple of years ago, as anti-advertising laws swept Europe and the world.

Ferrari, however, opted to renew its association with Philip Morris, and until recently has been displaying Marlboro logos where possible, including in places like Monaco and China.

But at the recent Bahrain grand prix, where local laws theoretically would have allowed Ferrari to run tobacco branding, the two F2008 cars instead displayed the so-called ‘barcode’ livery - reminiscent of the Marlboro signage but using white markings instead of letters and logos.

According to Autoweek magazine, Ferrari has confirmed that Marlboro logos “will no longer appear on its cars”.

Reportedly, Philip Morris, owned by Altria Group, decided that the ‘barcode’ livery should be permanent.

The first Marlboro branded cars were the BRM and Iso Marlboro-Fords in 1972, before the long and famous associations with McLaren, and subsequently Ferrari, began.

Marlboro’s current Ferrari contract, estimated to be worth around $1bn in total to the Italian team, expires in 2011. A blanket ban on all tobacco sponsorship in F1 will come into effect in 2009. (GMM)

The only main problem is that they're also removing the tire warmer devices which would really suck a big one when it comes to grip.

Banning tyre warmers is just danagerous more than anything else.

OH YES

Banning tire warmers is the best thing to happen in F1 for ten years - no more pit-in/pit-out as if nothing has happened, these guys now actually have to think about how much grip(heat) they have, think about maintaining it, recovering heat lost while cruising, etc.

No more driving-miss-daisy out-laps w00t!!1!1

They have to do that regardless, because obviously heat is lost. The start of the race, where accidents are most prone, is not where you want cold tyres, where you have the least grip.

They have to do that regardless, because obviously heat is lost. The start of the race, where accidents are most prone, is not where you want cold tyres, where you have the least grip.
perhaps they don't have the skill to drive with less grip....OH WAIT THIS IS THE TOP OF THE FREAKING MOTORSPORT TREE.

F1 drivers: MAN THE F*#K UP!!!111

^ agreed
they should get the cars from the 90s and 80s when they weren't the safest things to drive and refit them to be at least a little bit safer and race those cars nowadays.
they wonder why they're losing interest in the sport....

^ agreed
they should get the cars from the 90s and 80s when they weren't the safest things to drive and refit them to be at least a little bit safer and race those cars nowadays.
they wonder why they're losing interest in the sport....

While I agree about the whole "they can't really drive" idea, I don't think bringing back the 80s or 90s cars would be a good idea...

F1 drivers: MAN THE F*#K UP!!!111Good job, you're yelling at exactly the right people. Everyone knows the drivers are the ones doing all the engineering, and regulation of the specifications.

But with no traction control anymore F1 became much much more interesting, huh? We all saw that some mistakes at the track are harder to be fixen now (Massa for example). You can really see when someone drives well today or not.

So if no warming is safe enough why not?

perhaps they don't have the skill to drive with less grip....OH WAIT THIS IS THE TOP OF THE FREAKING MOTORSPORT TREE.

F1 drivers: MAN THE F*#K UP!!!111

If you want less grip, watch a lowlier racing series ? That would make more sense to me.

Driving a car at speeds of up to 220mph, going around corners where if they potentially lose GRIP, they can crash into a wall with a force of 100G............yeah, they are like girly nuns.

Good job, you're yelling at exactly the right people. Everyone knows the drivers are the ones doing all the engineering, and regulation of the specifications.

But it's the drivers who need to start realising that they are supposed to be able to drive like gods at this level of motorsport - if they need every bit of help that there is then they shouldn't be allowed on the track.

If a NASCAR driver said he'd be faster with TC, he'd have ten pounds of carp slagged outta him.

Obviously if the drivers aren't complaining, then it's gonna get pushed through a lot easier...

If you want less grip, watch a lowlier racing series ? That would make more sense to me.

Driving a car at speeds of up to 220mph, going around corners where if they potentially lose GRIP, they can crash into a wall with a force of 100G............yeah, they are like girly nuns.
1/ You clearly haven't seen a good race withou tire-warmers. Whereas in F1 now the pit is done and forgotten, the pits in (for example) V8 supercars change the course of about 3-4 laps. The in-lap has to be much more on-edge, the stop itself much faster, leaving pit-box is harder, the exit to pit-lane is made more difficult, and the driver actually has to think about the lack of heat, and worry about the pack of monsters behind him with nice toasty tires. Variable grip increases overtaking (Oh, that's why F1 doesn't want it, can't have overtaking in F1 can we now), and really puts pressure on drivers at different times.

2/If I wanted to watch cars crash as 220mph I'd watch some of those indycar (whataretheycallednow) go around the ovals. Like I said, if the drivers aren't smart enough to drive to their car's ability, they shouldn't be allowed into the sport.

Frankly I think that's stupid. One, your criticising drivers before you've seen them do what your talking about. You are actually calling out F1 drivers because they use tyre warmers. What, would you prefer it perhaps, raikkonen came into the pit box one day and said, boys, boys, this may be the vodka and three women talking, but, those tyre warmers, lets leave them today. Lets cut back on our electricity resources.

Of course not, that is utter stupidity. If they can't handle a car when tyre warmers are taken away, then feel free to criticise.

Secondly, not once have I mentioned the racing. Personally I think the lack of tyre warmers will make racing no different, and as I said in my previous post, I'm talking about safety. You've heard them always banging on about how they have no heat going into the first corner and how dangerous it is. Well, with no tyre warmers that will only personify the problem, and that for me, isn't worth the risk in racing.

If you want less grip, it's coming next year, as they are practically halving aero levels.

I think we are looking at it two ways, you are looking at a purely racing perspective, and I'm looking at a safety perspective. The aero degrade will probably bring the best of both worlds.

The funny thing is, is that the cars are probably as hard as all hell to drive with or without tyre warmers. Keeping mind that they are always on edge, it's not like they have it easy-peasy. Thinking like that is just plain stupid.

I think some of you are forgetting that F1 is the pinacle of international motorsport :).

I mean just look at what the drivers do, they put their bodies through huge amount of G's, sitting what 6 inches away from the engine, I personally don't think they need to 'man up' lol.

Although I do think the sport can be less 'controlled' but like I said above they don't need to 'man up'. I mean just look at what the lack of TC has done its made a difference for both the drivers & the fans but come on these machines need to be tamed some shape way or form wether you like it or not :).

perhaps they don't have the skill to drive with less grip....OH WAIT THIS IS THE TOP OF THE FREAKING MOTORSPORT TREE.

F1 drivers: MAN THE F*#K UP!!!111

Considering the drivers are the ones that drive the car, I like to listen to they're concerns, because they seem to know what's going on. The fact that they are driving in those cars in the first place demonstrates to me that they are pretty hard to begin with (as Nemphis explained).

Some driver accounts on the situation:
Schumacher expressing concerns (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/66683)
Rosberg, Barichello, de la Rosa (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/66663)

But, I might add, those safety concerns are true. You loose tyre warmers, you loose grip, you increase risk of accidents, you increase risk of major accidents. Don't read this as a doomsday scenario, whereby the non use of tyre wamers will be the death of F1, but it will have an effect.


they should get the cars from the 90s and 80s when they weren't the safest things to drive and refit them to be at least a little bit safer and race those cars nowadays.
they wonder why they're losing interest in the sport....

The average F1 viewer doesn't know the bare bones technical aspects that the more devoted fans do, and it is these bare bones technical aspects that the sport rides on. It is what makes it what it is, and what sets it apart from other series below it (or along side it).

The reason why interest is seemingly decreasing is because know one wants to watch a car win from lights to flag unchallenged for 90% of the time. Because they have no idea of what goes into the cars, and what is really going on in the total context, they don't see the point in watching.

In other words, they want to see the quickest, most famous racing cars battle it out neck-and-neck with charismatic drivers from all over the world piloting them. Take away the neck-and-neck challenges, and take away the driver-to-fan approach (as F1 tends to do), and they aren't left with much. People also watch F1 for the spectacle. They know it's regarded as the pinnacle of motorsport, and they know that the pilots are seemingly the best of the best of the best, so it's all a big show for those who don't know a lot about it.

But take this common misconception: When some people talk about the top speed of the car, there has been many a time when I've heard them say "Wow, this is faster than an F1 car!" as if to suggest that it has surpassed that of the fastest cars known to man. However, F1 cars have never ever been known for their top speed, and yet people still compare top speeds to the series. Therefore, they acknowledge the presence of the sport, which draws them in, but don't fully understand what is going on.

But it's the drivers who need to start realising that they are supposed to be able to drive like gods at this level of motorsport - if they need every bit of help that there is then they shouldn't be allowed on the track.

It's not that they 'need' tyre warmers. Like SpArKy explained, drivers don't choose to use tyre warmers because they feel safer in them, they use them because it enables quicker lap times at the start of stints.

1/ You clearly haven't seen a good race withou tire-warmers. Whereas in F1 now the pit is done and forgotten, the pits in (for example) V8 supercars change the course of about 3-4 laps. The in-lap has to be much more on-edge, the stop itself much faster, leaving pit-box is harder, the exit to pit-lane is made more difficult, and the driver actually has to think about the lack of heat, and worry about the pack of monsters behind him with nice toasty tires. Variable grip increases overtaking (Oh, that's why F1 doesn't want it, can't have overtaking in F1 can we now), and really puts pressure on drivers at different times.

But V8 Supercars and F1 cars are two different beasts though, right?

In 2009, F1 cars will have slicks, but will also have reduced aerodynamic performance, reducing overall grip available to the driver. Now, the main problem isn't drivers being unskillful and spinning their cars on cold tyres, but is the speed difference between a car with cold tyres and a car already up to tyre temperature.

Even with the reduction of aero, the cars are still going to be quick, and with slicks, mechanical grip differential is going to be of some concern, especially considering that F1 tyres are pretty high performing tyres to begin with.

We need to look at this from the driver's perspective. You are driving a high powered, almost bare-bones car, and you've just done a pitstop. How would you feel in tis situation, where you have a pretty damn slippery car to handle, while at the same time, act like a mobile chicane while those who are up to operating tyre temperature try to navigate around you?

It's all good and all for the TV viewer to say 'Oh, well, they're awesome drivers who have proven themselves, so no biggy, right?', but since none of us have experienced just how hard it is to drive an F1 car, it's not so easy to come out and suggest that the problem lies with the drivers.

Some time ago, Richard Hammond (yes, the Top Gear guy) drove a Renault F1 R23 or R24. This was with traction control, with tyre warmers, the lot. Now, he ain't no F1 driver, that's for sure, but he struggled to get those tyres up to temperture, something F1 driver's these days have no trouble at all doing. Imagine how he would have gone if the tyres weren't pre-warmed? Starting at ambient, and having to reach 90ºC just so the tyres can get sticky enough to work properly.

Perhaps Richard's plight wasn't the best example, but it shows how hard it is for anyone to drive an F1 car. And that was just to get the tyres up to temp! Imagine with no TC, and aero performance reduced by an estimated 40-50% how hard it will be to get temperature in those tyres, considering that engine and internal performance stays the same.

ALTERNATIVELY, there is another side to this coin, and it describes the pointlessness of banning tyre warmers for the sake of cutting costs. As Schumacher explained in the earlier news article, why ban something that all the teams have anyway, and is not such an expensive thing to have around?

Whatever happens happens I suppose. The drivers, the FIA, and all involved know what they're doing, and will reach a compromise if need be. The drivers won't stop driving (unless safety is really put at risk), and the championship will continue to race on.

I'd just like to point out also something you hinted at in your post there.

F1 car's actually have terrible mechanical grip. That is grip ordinary terms such as the likes of you and I have. If you strip the aero, the grip is dramatically reduced anyway, not to mention the fact their tiny weight does not help them at all throught the corner.

Now, I know I'll probably get somebody telling me that I'm an idiot because I'm saying weight is a disadvantage, but, you think about it, when you have no aero, your backend ways roughly 300kg, and you are trying to transfer 800hp down to the ground, how hard do you think that is to control ? Case in point, a 911. Engine at the back, excellent traction.

It seems that slicks are going to be as much a necessity as a welcome icon back to the motor world of formula 1. It would be a serious shame to see those tyre warmers go also.

I'd just like to point out also something you hinted at in your post there.

F1 car's actually have terrible mechanical grip. That is grip ordinary terms such as the likes of you and I have. If you strip the aero, the grip is dramatically reduced anyway, not to mention the fact their tiny weight does not help them at all throught the corner.

Now, I know I'll probably get somebody telling me that I'm an idiot because I'm saying weight is a disadvantage, but, you think about it, when you have no aero, your backend ways roughly 300kg, and you are trying to transfer 800hp down to the ground, how hard do you think that is to control ? Case in point, a 911. Engine at the back, excellent traction.

It seems that slicks are going to be as much a necessity as a welcome icon back to the motor world of formula 1. It would be a serious shame to see those tyre warmers go also.

Indeed, they do haver bad mechanical grip, and I believe it is one of the reasons why overtaking is so difficult (apart from the 'dirty air' principle that occurs). at low speeds, there isn't much grip to utilise as the majority of all the aero's gone, and like you said SpArKy, they just don't have enough weight to push down on the tyres, no matter how stiff the suspension may be.

So, in the event of a low speed overtake, the overtaker needs as much confidence in making that move, or he risks either going into the other guy, or stuffing up his chance completely. Slicks are much welcomed step forward in this aspect, as it will give more confidence to the drivers in low speed overtaking maneuvers.

I think the "dirty air" principle spells out my point ideally. Listen to what the drivers say about how the car handles when it has no front downforce. They say it is extremely hard to handle, and the understeer is ludicrous.

That is why I welcome back slicks, but see no need to get rid of tyre warmers.

I think the "dirty air" principle spells out my point ideally. Listen to what the drivers say about how the car handles when it has no front downforce. They say it is extremely hard to handle, and the understeer is ludicrous.

It's as plain as day to see it on track. You can just see how much a driver is struggling while following another car, and get no way closer to them. What was once a smooth corner with specific steering inputs now becomes a simple matter of taking the right line and not loosing it due to understeer.