Ferrari: the elongated diffuser teases the competition

The first open-door test session guarantees extensive photographic coverage of the new cars, revealing solutions that have remained hidden in recent weeks. This is the case, for example, of Ferrari, which shows a very particular diffuser, already the subject of the attention of the competition. In the meantime, the first package of developments is awaited, with the SF-26 destined to change its skin before its competitive debut in Melbourne. The diffuser of the SF-26 The first images of the rear of the new Ferrari arrive from Bahrain, where the solution designed for the diffuser stands out. In Maranello they carefully read the regulations, taking advantage of the available volumes to lengthen the extractor, with two small central extensions that climb up the sides of the impact structure. The geometry helps to enhance the extraction of flows from the diffuser, increasing the load released from the bottom. Furthermore, the appendages are closer to the upper wing, being more affected by the opening of the straight-moving profiles. The rear end of the SF-26 has aroused the curiosity of the competition since the tests in Barcelona. Replicating the solution does not appear difficult from a structural point of view, as it simply involves adding two carbon flaps, but it will be less immediate to make it work. In aerodynamics, in fact, each component is interconnected to the other, even those very distant from each other, which is why we will need to see what measures are necessary to make the elongated diffuser work. Other curiosities The photographs of the SF-26 engaged in Bahrain offer a better view of another solution glimpsed in the shakedown in Fiorano and then in Barcelona. These are the vents of the side radiators, shaped in the lower part, until they are flattened near the frame. This is an important area not only for cooling efficiency, but also for the channeling of flows under the sides and the pressurization of the environment at the sides of the passenger compartment, creating a high pressure area useful for rejecting turbulence from the wheels. Finally, the rear three-quarter view offers a new perspective of the multilink front suspension, with the steering placed between the two lower elements as on the McLaren 2025. There has been talk, rightly, of Ferrari’s greater design aggression in this area compared to the recent past, finally tilting the upper triangle to guide the flows coming from the wing. However, one cannot help but observe how the front end of the SF-26 is less pushed than its direct rivals, especially with regards to the rear rear arm, which is not as extended backwards as on its rivals. In any case, the Cavallino car has its points of interest, waiting to evaluate those of the updated look.