As i write this, the new Formula 1 season is a few weeks away, with the first grand prix taking place in Melbourne, Australia on 17th March.
Hopefully, ready to wow the 330,000 people expected to be at Albert Park for the show, will be an evolution of Ferrari’s F2012, the F138. I say evolution because that’s exactly what it is, and unless you are a Ferrari F1 geek, it is likely that you won’t be able to spot many differences between the 2012 car and the one ready to pounce in 2013.
One noticeable difference is the lack of the stepped nose design which most people, including all Ferrari fans I spoke to, hate. This has been achieved with the addition of a ‘vanity panel’ which apparently also makes the car a little more aerodynamic as well. The look though may change slightly over the next few weeks as the team are still working in the wind tunnel to improve the overall aerodynamic package.
The engine fitted to the Ferrari F138 is the Ferrari 2.4 litre, naturally aspirated 056 which has been used by Ferrari since the 2006 rules forced the use of a V8 engine. The FIA’s decision to ‘go green’ from 2014 onwards though means that this engine will be replaced by a 1.6 V6 from 2014.
