Ferrari has managed to get its latest Formula 1 upgrades ready for the Spanish Grand Prix as it bids to bounce back from its Canada struggles.
Even before the team’s changes are formally confirmed in the FIA submission document ahead of opening free practice, the modifications to its sidepods, 'Cobra' winglets alongside the cockpit and rear wing have stood out in visual terms.
The push comes just a fortnight after Ferrari’s hopes of hauling itself back into championship contention suffered a blow with a lacklustre showing in Canada that ended in a double DNF.
In terms of the alterations made to the sidepods for Spain, it appears the team has done most of its work in reshaping the undercut and the beltline thereafter, with more space afforded between them and the upper surface of the floor.
This will likely improve performance in its own right, but it also offers a platform for the team to build upon when a new floor that is in development arrives a few races from now.
The 'Cobra' winglets beside the cockpit have been optimised as part of the update too. These are now much taller than before, extending up around the rear leg of the halo’s fairing, which will reposition the horizontal upper flap section and therefore adjust the course of the airflow and vortices that spill from it.
Ferrari has also added a medium-high downforce rear wing into its pool at Barcelona, as it looks to find the right balance between the specifications already seen at Monaco and Imola.
The mainplane and upper flap design sit between the high downforce variant used in Monaco and the medium downforce one used at Imola.
However, while it is clear that these elements support the right downforce level, there will also be an impact on the performance of the DRS, when it is in operation.
Furthermore, there’s continued development when it comes to the shape of the mainplane and endplate radius, which also aligns with the alterations that have been made to the tip section, the position of the outer flap support and the endplate cutout.
