Ferrari is an exclusive brand and owning one is already something special. But for those who must have ultra exclusivity, the company’s Special Projects programme will create a ‘One-Off’ model that is literally one-of-a-kind in the world. Each of these unique Ferraris will take around 2 years from start to finish and the latest example is the SP51.
Commissioned for a customer in Taiwan, this latest addition to Ferrari’s One-Off series was designed by the Ferrari Styling Centre and sits on the 812 GTS platform. The front-engined V12 spider’s most striking characteristic is its total absence of a roof, making it an authentic roadster in every respect.
Although it seems like every carmaker has a SUV today, that’s not really been the case. Ferrari did not jump on the SUV bandwagon like Lamborghini but even they have to offer customers such a car. And as with some other carmakers, they have tried to disassociate their new Purosangue as ‘another new SUV’ but rather, another new Ferrari.
Porsche tried that same line too when they launched the Cayenne as their first SUV, referring to it more as ‘another new Porsche’. And Rolls-Royce, perhaps feeling ‘Sport’ and ‘Utility’ are not appropriate for the brand to be associated with, chose to initially refer to their Cullinan as ‘a high-bodied car’.
But ‘SUV’ has become so embedded today, after having been in use since the `1990s’, that carmakers trying to call their SUVs something else have eventually had to call them that. Some try to use crossover which refers to a blending of SUV and passenger car, with a bit more of the latter.
Anyway, here it is – the first ever SUV in Ferrari’s 75-year history. Just as Volvo took a long time to come out with its first SUV because it had to be satisfied that the important issues of safety were fully addressed, Ferrari has also taken time to ensure that the driving dynamics and performance of allow the Purosangue to have the Prancing Horse on its bonnet.
Ferrari has unveiled its 2023 contender, the 296 GT3, at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium ahead of this weekend’s TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa race. The 296 GT3 was developed with extreme use in mind, typical of the Pro classes, but also for gentlemen drivers, for whom racing is first and foremost about having fun.
The entire Ferrari 296 GT3 project concept emerged in 2020 and went live with the first simulations and simulator models. Then came the indoor testing, which defined the car’s aerodynamic shape in the wind tunnel, the bench-tuning of the engine and rigidity testing the chassis. The car finally completed the endurance tests in Maranello’s 4WD Dyno. Since the first shakedown at the Fiorano track on April 12, 2022, the new Ferrari has completed tens of thousands of kilometres preparing it for racing.
This is the first modern-day Ferrari GT that has been designed and developed completely in-house and is the mid-engined successor to the 488 GT3 Evo 2020. ORECA will put together the 296 GT3 as well as provide parts support for customers.
The Ferrari 96 GT3 grew out of the 296 GTB, the latest evolution of the company’s two-seater mid-rear-engined sports berlinetta concept. It’s a new approach in terms of design, car management at all stages of a race weekend, electronics, and even the engine architecture, a 120° turbocharged 6-cylinder (600 ps/710 Nm) – in compliance with the new GT3 regulations.
6-cylinder-engined Ferrari returns to track
This new model marks the return to the track of a 6-cylinder-engined Ferrari even though, in compliance with technical regulations, it doesn’t have the electric unit featured in the 296 GTB. Like its road-going twin, the positioning of the turbos is inside the vee. All this brings significant benefits in terms of compactness, lower centre of gravity and reduced mass
The gearbox of the 296 GT3 is new and specially developed for this car. The designers opted for a single-disc clutch unit with 6 gears, arranged transversely for better aerodynamics and weight distribution. Clutch actuation is now electronic and can be controlled from the steering wheel, rather than mechanical via the foot pedal, while the gear change is electrically actuated.
Connection to production car
The car’s design, minus the aerodynamic devices or features specific to the racing version, has retained its connection to the production model. The Ferrari engineers have been able to define an aerodynamic configuration within the homologation performance window by reducing ride height sensitivities with the aim of improving handling and driveability. This precise and detailed work on the shapes yielded a gain of 20% in downforce on the car over the previous generation.
Development of the cabin design was done without neglecting essential aspects such as safety and comfort. In endurance racing, performance depends on these features. The cabin was completely redesigned over the 488 GT3, in response to input from factory drivers and customers. The result is a cockpit that allows its occupant to quickly and effectively find the best driving position, with the main functions always within easy reach.
F1-inspired controls
Many controls and functions have moved to the new Formula 1 single seater-inspired steering wheel, while the position of the Sabelt seat provides optimal visibility, both day and night. It also adds a new level of comfort for drivers of different sizes and statures who can use the adjustable pedals and steering to find their best position in the car. The air conditioning system and airflow inside the cabin were designed to provide adequate ventilation in all conditions, helping the driver to concentrate during every stage of a race.
While the 296 GT3 chassis draws on the experience of the 488 GT3, it is entirely new and is made of aluminium. It allows the car to exploit the grip potential offered by the tyres without compromising their integrity in just a few laps, benefiting performance and repeatability. The chassis’ extreme lightness, which in the 296 GT3 also allows better and more efficient ballast management, contributes to this. The safety structure has been carefully designed using the most sophisticated simulations and innovative technologies and research, especially in alloys and materials.
Suspension differences
The 296 GT3 has a longer wheelbase than its road-going counterpart, within the regulatory limits, and a different suspension design to the 488 GT3, with dedicated kinematics and structures. The double wishbone arms in the front and rear suspensions are designed to offer maximum grip even at high speeds, limiting stress on the tyres as far as possible, to the benefit of tyre life, performance and reliability. The suspension, like the anti-roll bars, features the widest possible range of settings providing drivers with the best possible setup.
Ferrari is still working on the pricing which will be available towards the end of the year. The first customer teams will get their cars late in the year but in time for them to prepare for the debut race which will be the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Just a few months after its global debut, the Ferrari 296 GTS – the ‘topless’ version of the 296 GTB – is in Malaysia, with its Southeast Asian premiere held at the Sepang International Circuit recently. Apart from the allure of being a berlinetta spider, this is the first ever Ferrari spider with a rear-wheel drive-only PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) architecture in which the engine is integrated with a rear-mounted electric motor. The hybrid drivetrain is derived from Ferrari’s Formula 1 racing cars and another example of racing technology being transferred to road cars.
Plug-in hybrid powertrain
The 296 GTS uses the new 663 ps 120° 2992 cc V6 coupled with an electric motor capable of delivering a further 167 ps, the same unit found in the 296 GTB. With the additional power generated by the electric motor, total system output from the powertrain is 830 ps/740 Nm, of which 165 ps comes from the electric motor. This allows it to achieve a new specific power output record for a production car of 221 ps/litre.
Hybrid powertrain technology used in Ferrari’s Formula 1 racing cars has been brought to the 296 road car.
The powertrain assembly comprises the engine that powers the rear wheels via the 8-speed DCT and E-Diff, and the MGU-K located between the engine and the gearbox. A clutch is set between the engine and the electric motor to decouple them when in electric-only eDrive mode.
Sound-wise, the V6 engine rewrites the rulebook by harmoniously combining two characteristics that are normally diametrically opposed: the force of the turbos and the harmony of the high-frequency notes of a naturally-aspirated V12. Even at low revs, inside the cabin, the soundtrack features the pure V12 orders of harmonics; at higher revs, there is that typical high-frequency treble. This Ferrari’s soundtrack matches its performance, creating a sense of unprecedented involvement even with the top down.
Power with efficiency
Being a PHEV gives the 296 GTS the best of both worlds – lighting quick performance and also zero emissions motoring which can be up to 25 kms in all-electric eDrive mode. As was the case with the SF90 Stradale, customers who want to take the car further, especially on the track, can specify the Assetto Fiorano package which includes lightweight features and aero modifications.
The innovative top
With the RHT (retractable hard top) in use, the silhouette remains very similar to that of the 296 GTB. When it is stowed away, a sleek, sporty design is created. The lightweight RHT takes 14 seconds to retract or deploy at speeds of up to 45 km/h.
The need to stow the RHT inside the engine compartment required the creation of a new tonneau cover design. As a result, the folding roof splits into two sections that fold flush over the front of the engine, thus maintaining the engine bay’s thermal dissipation characteristics and the balance of the overall design. This also allowed the designers to introduce a window in the rear section of the engine cover through which the new V6 is clearly visible.
When the top is retracted, the cabin and the rear deck are separated by a height-adjustable glass rear screen which guarantees optimal passenger comfort even at high speeds. The separation line between the car’s body and the roof is above the B post.
Redesigning the 296 GTS’s engine bay to seamlessly integrate the RHT means that the engine has the same rich tone and intensity as the 296 GTB when the roof is up. The exhaust resonator system (Hot-Tube) has been optimised for the new cockpit geometry. The dropping of the top creates a direct, completely unobstructed connection between the cockpit and the sound produced by the single tailpipe exhaust line.
Radical aerodynamic solutions
The 296 GTS adopts several radical and innovative solutions in aerodynamics. The aero choices have turned the active aero paradigm, introduced from the 458 Speciale onwards, on its head. On the 296 GTS, an active device is being used not to manage drag but to generate extra downforce. The LaFerrari-inspired active spoiler integrated into the rear bumper allows the 296 GTS to generate a high level of rear downforce when required – up to a maximum of 360 kgs at 250 km/h.
The aero development work done on the 296 GTS means that even in low-drag configuration, the car can deliver more downforce than previous applications. In high-downforce configuration, there is an additional 100 kgs in downforce, thanks to the active spoiler.
The brake cooling system was developed around the Aero calipers that debuted on the SF90 Stradale, with ventilation ducts integrated into their castings. This cooling concept requires a dedicated duct to correctly channel cool air coming in through the air intakes on the front bumper through the wheelarch. In the case of the 296 GTS, the intake has been integrated into the headlight design.
This made it possible to push the design of the car’s underbody to new extremes, increasing the cooling capacity of the underbody without having to adopt any active front aero mechanisms. The signature aerodynamic element at the front of the 296 GTS is the ‘tea-tray’, a concept widely applied to single-seater racing cars. The rear surface of the bumper works in synergy with the upper surface of the tea tray to create a high overpressure field, which counteracts the depression field that characterises the underbody.
High levels of driver engagement
The car’s dynamic development focused around boosting pure performance and delivering class-leading levels of driver engagement. The targets were achieved by honing the architecture and keeping all the main vehicle components as compact as possible, as well as managing energy flows and their integration with the car’s vehicle dynamic controls.
The 296 GTB’s chassis was redesigned and optimised to improve torsional rigidity and bending stiffness compared to previous spider applications. From a chassis perspective, at 2600mm, the wheelbase is 50 mm shorter than previous Ferrari mid-rear-engined berlinettas to the benefit of the car’s dynamic agility. Other solutions that enhance the car’s handling and performance include the brake-by-wire system, the ‘Aero’ brake callipers, electric power steering, the rear active aero device and SCM-Frs magnetorheological dampers.
Meticulous attention was paid to reducing weight to ensure the car’s balance and delicacy of handling. The added weight of the hybrid system was offset by a number of different solutions, including the new V6 which weighs 30 kgs less than the V8 unit used on previous berlinettas.
Digital interface for cockpit
The 296 GTS’s cockpit was developed around the new concept of an entirely digital interface. This interior layout draws on the latter’s stylistic coherence for its forms. While with the SF90 Stradale the designers wanted to highlight the presence of the advanced technology and underscore a clear break with the past, in the case of the 296 GTS, the idea was to clothe that technology to sophisticated effect.
The cabin has the concept of the formal purity of the functional elements. When the engine is off, the onboard instruments go black, underscoring the minimalist look of the cabin. Exclusive Italian leather trim to the seats and trim is further enhanced by the noble technical materials used on the functional components. Aerodynamic flaps have been integrated into the rear trim structure to reduce buffeting and increase comfort in open-top driving.
The sculptural door panel is a seamless continuation of the dashboard in terms of both materials and colour. On the central medallion, the styling cue is a deep lozenge-shaped scoop, a three-dimensional element. This type of architecture makes the entire door panel look extremely light and integrates the theme that connects it to the rear trim.
“The convertible version of Ferrari’s first 6-cylinder road-going car takes driving thrills to new heights. Subtly restyled to accommodate the open top, the Ferrari 296 GTS adds a sense of freedom to the fun of every journey. At the wheel of the 296 GTS, you get to enjoy the result of Ferrari’s exploration into electric technology and also have the ability to make the most of the weather and your mood, maximising driving pleasure,” said Damien Woo, General Manager, Ferrari Malaysia, Naza Italia Sdn Bhd.
With Ferrari’s 7-Year Genuine Maintenance programme, the 296 GTS is priced from RM1,448,000 (before duties, customization options, taxes and insurance) from Ferrari Malaysia.
After a wet qualifying session the day before, the weather was dry though windy as the drivers took the places on the starting grid, with a 20% chance of rain being forecast. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, Jr. occupied pole position for the first time in his F1 career, but Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen in P2 would be preparing to get to Turn 1 first. In fact, the Red Bull driver even slipped ahead during the formation lap! Sainz’ team mate, Charles Leclerc would also be looking for a way to cut through both drivers from his P3 position.
As the lights overhead went out, Verstappen was able to take the lead right away, displacing Sainz to second place. Mercedes-AMG’s Lewis Hamilton managed to get through ahead of Leclerc to grab an early third place.
But further back, there was a lot of drama – and when the cars stopped bouncing around, out came the red flags suspending the race even before the first minute had passed. At least 5 cars were involved and damaged – Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, Williams Racing’s Alex Albon, Scuderia Alphatauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, Alfa Romeo’s GuanYu Zhou and Mercedes-AMG’s George Russell.
The Mercedes-AMG, which started from P8, appeared to collide with the Alfa Romeo which was sent upside down and sliding off the track for some distance with sparks flying. The Chinese driver was extracted from his car (which had gone over the barrier and was stuck against the fencing) and carried on a stretcher. Zhou as well as Albon were taken to the medical centre for examinations.
There was also a rather silly episode after the red flags came out as a group of people attempted to get onto the track, apparently to stage some sort of protest by lying down. Track security managed to remove them right away and passed them over to the police.
It was 56 minutes after the 2022 British GP had originally started that the race resumed. However, Russell was not allowed to rejoin the race as FIA rules state that he cannot continue racing if he had received mechanical assistance (for a puncture) during the race. It was unfortunate for the British who had jumped out of his car the moment it stopped spinning and ran over to where Zhou’s car had ended up to try to help.
As the race had not even completed its first lap when it was suspended, the restart was done with the same positions as the original grid based on qualifying times. That put Sainz back in front of Verstappen as the cars followed the green Aston Martin Safety Car around the track to a standing start.
This time, Sainz managed to stay ahead of Verstappen, as Leclerc and Sergio Perez, the other Red Bull, other duelled behind. Leclerc managed to pull away and tried to pass Verstappen and contact occurred between the cars at Turn 6, with the Red Bull car getting some damage on the front wings. The Ferrari may also have got some slight damaged climbing the kerb. Perez meanwhile dropped to the back after returning to the pits to replace his wing, which was also damaged.
Hamilton would not have his team mate as wingman for this race and had to keep McLaren’s Lando Norris from displacing him from fourth position. While keeping an eye on Norris, he was also closing in on Leclerc. It took 4 laps before Verstappen finally passed Sainz on lap 10 as the Ferrari driver made a mistake and slipped off onto the grass. On lap 10 too, the two Alphatauris had a strange coming-together which saw Yuki Tsunoda going into a spin. The Japanese driver would later get a 5-second penalty for causing the incident.
Verstappen’s lead was brief as his car appeared to slow down and Sainz shot past him. Fortunately, it was a puncture and not a powertrain fault and he was able to get back to the pits for a quick replacement. When he rejoined the race on lap 12, he was down in sixth place and would have to work hard again. He was also unhappy (saying it was ‘100% broken’) as his car seemed to have some other damage that was preventing him from pushing it harder.
Lewis Hamilton was up higher than usual (for this year) in third place but still 5 seconds behind Leclerc who was following Sainz, the race leader. Porpoising or not, the 7-time world champion was putting in quick lap times in front of the home crowd, hopeful that he could add another Silverstone victory to his collection.
There was tension between the two Ferrari drivers up front. Leclerc was eager to get past Sainz to get away from Hamilton, who was closing in. But the team did not seem willing to ask Sainz to ease off; in fact, they were urging him to push harder. Verstappen was still holding sixth and could not push harder.
On lap 20, Sainz gave up his lead to Leclerc as he headed into the pits for new tyres. When he rejoined, he was behind Hamilton who was about 3 seconds behind Leclerc. Meanwhile, the second Alfa Romeo driven by Valtteri Bottas was out.
Verstappen was not having a good day and even after coming in again for hard tyres, he was finding that the grip was poor. Team mate Perez was two positions ahead in sixth which the Dutchman had held for a while.
A loud cheer went up as Hamilton moved into the lead at the British GP when Leclerc pulled into the pits on lap 25. He may have had bad luck all year but at the race which has has been won 8 times, he was in the lead. It was crucial for Leclerc to stay in touch so even though he had a damaged wing, he was asked to stay in the chase. He was within sight of his team mate and was given the go-ahead to compete for the second position with Sainz. But by lap 31, the team decided that Leclerc had the edge and asked Sainz to let him through. There was still an 18-second gap to reach the Mercedes-AMG.
On lap 32, Ocon skipped past Williams Racing’s Nicholas Latifi to slot into ninth place and then came right behind – and passed – Verstappen. But he was then pursued by both Haas F1 drivers. Mick Schumacher was eager to secure a position in the top ten to collect his first points in Formula 1.
On lap 38, Hamilton began to feel vibrations and he was asked to come in to get new tyres. 4.3 seconds at standstill and off he shot to rejoin in third place. He would need a little while to get his tyres warmed up before going after the Ferraris that were 4 seconds ahead.
Ocon leading the world champion Red Bull driver was a short pleasure the Alpine driver then had to pull over 3 laps later to retire from the race when his fuel pump failed. This brought out the Safety Car on lap 40. Sainz and Hamilton took the opportunity to come in for soft tyres but Leclerc remained running to gold on to the lead.
After 2 laps, the Safety Car pulled in and racing resumed. Leclerc was on hard tyres but the 4 cars behind him had moved to soft tyres. It was lap 42 and of the 20 cars that started, 6 had retired.
Perez had been ready for the restart and managed to get past Hamilton at Turn 5. Leclerc was forced to go wide by Sainz as the Spaniard got ahead of his team mate at Turn 6. As Sainz pulled away, Perez and Hamilton were getting closer even while fighting each other. Top Gun Maverick Tom Cruise, who was among the spectators, would have appeciated the ‘dogfights’ taking place.
Hamilton’s pursuit of Leclerc and Perez was distracted by the presence of Alonso and Norris coming up behind as well, so it was getting to be an intense race as 5 laps remained. On lap 47, Hamilton got past the Ferrari and began to go for Perez who was 3 seconds ahead. Further back, Schumacher was trying hard to get past Verstappen and get extra points by the finish line.
And on lap 52, Sainz managed to keep his lead to take the chequered flag for very first F1 win, after having also started from pole position for the first time as well. Try as he did, Hamilton just could not close the gap with the Red Bull driver in time, but at least got to stand on the podium as well to wave at the home crowd.
Race starts at 3 pm in Britain time/10 pm in Malaysia
The British Grand is one of only two events that have been constantly on every season’s calendar since the inception of Formula 1. This weekend’s Round 10 of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship will be the 73rd British GP, and the 56th time Silverstone has hosted the race. The other venues have been the Aintree Circuit in Liverpool and Brands Hatch.
Silverstone, built on a former Royal Air Force base 74 years ago, is a true power circuit, and drivers will spend 80% of each 5.891-km lap racing at full throttle. The layout, with 18 turns, is very tough on tyres, especially on left-front tyres which have huge loads imposed on them in Turns 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 15.
“Along with Suzuka in Japan and Spa in Belgium, Silverstone places the highest energy demands on tyres all year, which is why the hardest tyres in the range have been nominated: C1 as the P Zero White hard, C2 as the P Zero Yellow medium, and C3 as the P Zero Red soft. This is the third time that this combination has been nominated all year,” said Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsports Director.
Suzuka, which will be back on the calendar later this year (in early October), puts even greater demands on tyres but distributes the loads equally to all 4 tyres as it is the only track on the calendar in the shape of a figure eight. At Silverstone, putting down the car’s energy is firmly focused on
Pirelli’s choice of its hardest compounds to cope with wear rates is based on past experience. However, with the new 2022 racing cars, the tyres are designed to provide less overheating, more stability, and increased driveability within a wider working window. “This year, the compounds and structures are completely different, and there’s no sprint qualifying either – which was a factor in the strategy last year,” Isola added.
The gears and cornering speeds of the Mercedes-AMG racing cars.
According to Brembo technicians, the Silverstone Circuit makes little demand on the brakes, in contrast to the tyres. This does not mean that the brakes are not important on this track. Grip is critical and depends on both the weather conditions and the number of consecutive laps run. As the grip increases, so does the braking power transferred to the ground.
The biggest risk at Silverstone is glazing of the friction material caused by problems bringing the carbonfibre discs and pads to the minimum operating temperature. However, the Brembo material has been specially designed to prevent this problem. There are 9 turns where the brakes are used for a total of 13.5 seconds per lap which amounts to 15% of the whole race.
The hardest one is on turn 6 because drivers come onto it with the throttle full on after turn 5 and reach a speed of 324 km/h. They use the brakes to reduce speed by 50% in 2.4 seconds and cover a distance of 142 metres. To do this, their leg must apply a load of 127 kgs on the brake pedal and undergo a deceleration of 4.2g.
Fittingly, Lewis Hamilton has been the most successful driver in the history of the British Grand Prix, the team’s home race. He has won 8 times, which puts him in the same league as Michael Schumacher for the most wins at the same event; the German driver’s record is for the French Grand Prix. Hamilton also has 8 wins at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
A non-British team – Scuderia Ferrari – has won the event the most times. Since its first F1 win in the 1951 British GP, it has won the event 17 times. Current drivers who have contributed to the string of victories are Sebastian Vettel (2018) and Fernando Alonso (2011).
Thanks to a victory in Canada, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen starts at Silverstone with a 46-point lead over team mate Sergio Perez. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who has started the season with so much promise, seems to have had a string of bad luck, dropping him to third place, 3 points behind Perez.
Consistent wins by Verstappen and Perez have boosted Red Bull racing’s lead in the Constructors Championship to 304 points, 76 ahead of Ferrari. The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team is in third place, 40 points behind the Italian team.
Race starts at 3 pm in Azerbaijan/7 pm in Malaysia
After the tight and twisty streets of Monaco in the previous round of the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship, the teams again face the challenge of any urban circuit. It’s the Baku City Circuit for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Round 8 of the championship, which has been a venue every year since 2016 except in 2020 when the event was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Like Monaco, Baku is also along a coast, in this case by the Caspian Sea. Its Old Town has twists and turns and the close barriers of a regular street circuit, which is one type of challenge for the drivers. Then there are also long and wide open boulevards which feed into a number of 90˚ corners, offering many overtaking opportunities.
The cornering speeds and gears used by the drivers of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS racing car at the Baku City Circuit.
The length of the high-speed straight, however, pushes teams towards a low-downforce set-up, potentially making the streets of the Old Town section even more treacherous. Setting up a racing car for Baku is therefore a tricky task. Teams will look for a compromise in the setup, similar to Spa-Francorchamps, where reducing drag without losing too much downforce is a key consideration.
The tarmac on the Baku City Circuit is very smooth, and some sections of it are re-laid annually to completely cover the old town’s cobblestones. Furthermore, the tight confines of the buildings around the circuit mean that there are alternate areas of light and shade, varying the track temperature quite a bit around the lap.
Getting tyres up to temperature can be tough due to the very low average steer angle, which results in very little energy being put into the tyres. Teams have to rely more on the heat from braking to keep tyres warm since not as much energy is generated in the corners as at other circuits.
For this round, Pirelli has brought the three softest tyres in its range. This is the same selection as was made for the same event last year, but the compounds and constructions are completely new for 2022.
“Until Jeddah came along, Baku was the fastest street circuit of the year. But the demands of this city track are still relatively low, as none of the corners take a huge amount of energy out of the tyres due to the low levels of abrasion and contained lateral loads – which means that we can have the same nomination as Monaco,” said Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director.
Since the track is 6 kms long with 10 braking sections, the brakes are used for 20.5 seconds per lap: this may sound a lot but is only 20% of the entire race compared with 21% of the Monaco GP and 22% of the Singapore GP.
In the Drivers’ Championship, third place in Monaco means Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has a 9-point lead over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who finished fourth in the last round. Victory in Monaco has put Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s team mate, just 6 points behind Leclerc. In the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull, with 235 points, now lead Ferrari by 36 points.
Since the first race (as the European GP) in 2016, Mercedes-AMG has won 3 times, making it the most successful team in Baku. Red Bull is next with two wins. No driver has managed a repeat win in Baku and last year’s winner, Sergio Perez, will certainly be aiming to go to the top of the podium again.
After the Spanish Grand Prix a week ago, Formula 1 is in Monte Carlo this weekend for the seventh round of the 2022 World Championship – the Monaco Grand Prix. This is among the oldest events and this year is the 68th time the event has been held as a championship round. It was on the original calendar in 1950 and has only been cancelled once – in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced authorities to stop all public gatherings.
The Monaco GP is probably the most famous race of each season and for a while, its major attraction was being a street circuit. Because it uses public roads, the track is narrow with many tight turns. It is a challenging track with no run-offs, just concrete walls and barriers. Overtaking is nearly impossible, putting the emphasis on qualifying – but the drivers have always loved it.
Somewhere in there is the Formula 1 racetrack that has been used since 1950.
There is a high risk of incidents, and the Safety Car has often influenced the race outcome at this track in the past. However, as with the other tracks so far, the new generation of F1 racing cars this year will also present new challenges as their behaviour and performance will be different.
“Winning a race there in 2008, I felt like I was at the top of the highest mountain of the world,” said Mercedes-AMG’s Lewis Hamilton. “So many different things need to come together for that to happen and it is a track where you just can’t leave anything on the table.”
“Usually after that race, you are mentally destroyed for a good couple of days,” Hamilton said. Other tracks require a mix of physical and mental strength but, in Monaco, the focus is much more on the mental side, due to the levels of concentration needed to lap the circuit.
“Monaco is a circuit that’s probably the highest in concentration and mental focus,” he explained. “The street circuit nature, the fact it is quite short and there are not very long straights. It’s not a massively physical circuit because we are not doing really high speeds through corners and pulling the g-forces you would somewhere like Barcelona. But your mind is having to work so much faster.”
The cornering speeds and gears used by the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team drivers.
Over just one lap in Monaco, there’s little time for drivers to rest, taking multi-tasking to the next level. Balancing the brake, throttle, steering, dealing with the forces and feeling what the car is doing through their body, and also paying attention to their surroundings – there’s a lot for drivers to deal with over a lap that is just 3.337 kms in length.
And then you have to consider the drivers making switch and steering wheel changes as they lap the track, too. With few straights, there aren’t many opportunities to take their hand off the wheel and make those adjustments. So teams have to really consider whether it’s worth the risk of drivers making switch changes, and also ensure they head out on track each time with the correct settings, to minimise the workload.
When it comes to the track layout, the circuit is dominated by slow and medium-speed corners, including some of the lowest corner speeds on the calendar. The slippery street asphalt (which is opened up to traffic each evening) and slow speeds mean that the energy going through the tyres is low, with minimal wear and degradation, but quite a high degree of track evolution each day.
All this means that a one-stopper is the norm in Monaco, but there’s quite a wide pit-stop window and the timing of the stops can be influenced by Safety Cars, which are very likely around the tight confines of the circuit.
The cars run a special high-downforce configuration for Monaco in order to maximise grip at low speeds, with combined grip generated both mechanically from tyres and aerodynamically from downforce. This is obviously the first time that the new generation of 18-inch Formula 1 cars has raced at Monaco though, so the teams will have a lot to learn about how they react in these unique conditions, with the weather on the Mediterranean coast sometimes hard to predict at this time of year.
“Monaco is often described as one of the most unpredictable races of the year,” said Pirelli’s Motorsport Director, Mario Isola. “We might see some different strategies this year, with some drivers picking harder compounds to begin the race to target running a long first stint, given the difficultly of overtaking. Others may choose a more traditional approach by starting on the softest compound, at a race where strategy can make a real difference.”
A Ferrari is already an exclusive machine when it leaves the factory but virtually none are ‘stock standard’ as every owner will want to personalise their car in some way. After all, when you have paid that much, what’s a little bit more to add something to make it unique? That’s what Ferrari’s bespoke Tailor Made department offers – an exclusive programme for those who wish to customise any element of their car.
Many of the cars that the Tailor Made department works on are not publicised as the owners may prefer the privacy, but there are also some cars that do become public and this one-of-a-kind Roma model is one of them. Crafted with exquisite traditional Japanese-inspired detailing while retaining the clean, sophisticated elegance of the original car.
This particular car’s story began when Evan Orensten and Josh Rubin, the founders of the American publication COOL HUNTING, were offered, and accepted, the opportunity of customising a Ferrari Roma. The idea was to explore how far Ferrari’s bespoke personalisation programme could go and really push the boundaries.
The project started off two years ago with the first of several research trips to Japan where they immersed themselves in the country’s traditional crafts and artisanal methods. Then they proposed bringing some of those ideas and unique materials into the Tailor Made journey as envisioned by COOL HUNTING, and conveyed this to Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari’s Chief Design Officer, at the Ferrari Tailor Made showroom in New York.
Manzoni and his team were inspired by the parallels between Italian and Japanese culture and design philosophy: a single-minded devotion to quality, an emotional involvement with the client, and exquisite skills in craftsmanship that have been passed down from generation to generation.
An idea formed – to create a Ferrari featuring some of the unique materials developed from traditional Japanese techniques while employing Ferrari’s customary innovation to modify them to accommodate the requirements of durability and functionality that a modern high-performance car demands.
Traditional Japanese indigo dyes inspired the Roma’s colour scheme, particularly the vivid blue exterior paint which was specially developed for this car and named Indigo Metal. This vivid colour perfectly enhances the purity of the Roma’s shape – light appears to flow over its bodywork, accentuating its lines through highlights and shade.
Indigo features prominently in Japanese design culture, and the traditional dye is produced naturally. COOL HUNTING had visited Toyama, one of only 5 remaining indigo farms in Tokushima, Japan’s traditional indigo-growing region. They learned that the dye comes from a green plant which, when harvested and fermented, becomes sukumo, traditional dried Japanese indigo that is mixed with lye, sake and limestone powder to create authentic Hon-Ai indigo dye. Because of its anti-microbial properties, it was traditionally used for linens, bedding and clothing.
The same colour palette is used to tie together the vehicle’s exterior and interior into one subtle, holistic statement. The indigo shade is also found in the sakiori fabric used for the seat trim inserts and the carpets.
Sakiori is one of the world’s oldest examples of upcycling, dating from the 1700s when cotton and silk were available only to Japan’s nobility and the very wealthy. Worn-out kimonos were disassembled, their fabric cut into strands and rewoven with new fibres, creating a material that was both warm, comfortable and durable. The word comes from the Japanese saku (to rip up) and oru (to weave).
An innovative solution was identified in making sakiori a viable material. Two vintage kimonos originally made in Amami Oshima, an island in Japan’s southern archipelago were used — an indigo-dyed kimono approximately 75 years old and one approximately 45 years old, dyed in both indigo and the island’s celebrated Amami Oshima Tsumugi mud-based dye.
The indigo theme is carried through to the Roma’s headlining – a beautifully detailed piece of craftsmanship and design which is exclusively experienced by those sitting in the car. It is made up of two indigo-dyed hides made – one with a unique solid colour crafted to match the car’s colour scheme, and a hand-painted hide using a method which can be traced back to the 8th century.
The hides were then sent to Italy, where they were cut into strips and hand-woven by Italian artisans in a process called intreccio, forming an elegant one-of-a-kind work of art.
The Roma’s interior door handles also take their inspiration from Japan – they are enclosed in tightly hand-woven strips of black leather in an homage to tsukami, the ancient art of wrapping the grips of Katana swords.
The COOL HUNTING team were further inspired by a visit to Kaikado, a Kyoto-based family business known for its iconic copper tea canisters. Now made by the fifth and sixth generations of the family, the canisters are so skilfully crafted that they form a vacuum seal as the lid gently falls onto the body. The copper also adopts a unique natural patina with use.
Inspired by this, copper plating is found in details on the Roma’s gearshift gate surround and levers, which were plated in Japan. The outline of the dual cockpits, the wheel rims and the kamon are also made in this colour.
The unique crest on the car’s dedication plate on the central armrest and door sills is a custom-made ‘kamon’, a symbol passed down from generation to generation in Japan. Designed by Kyogen, it represents a wheel from an ox-drawn carriage (popular transportation among aristocrats during the Heian period between 794 and 1185) combined with the 8 pistons of the Roma’s V8 engine forming its spokes. The numeric theme is continued in the eight wave crests that encircle the wheel – symbols of good luck, power and resilience.
Race starts at 3:30 pm in Miami on Sunday/3:30 am on Monday in Malaysia
In its quest to grow interest in America, Formula 1 has been actively looking for new venues to hold races. It has been helped by the Netflix series, Drive to Survive, which has been giving audiences worldwide a behind-the-scenes look at the sport so Americans are more familiar with the championship. There have been F1 races before and Miami will be the 11th location in the USA. The other circuits have been at Riverside, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix, Indianapolis and the Circuit of the Americas (Texas).
While the Indianapolis 500 was a part of the World Drivers’ Championship between 1950 and 1960, the first F1 race in America was in Florida in 1959 at Sebring. Miami has never had F1 races before, it has had Grand Prix (not F1) racing in 1983 and 1984. They were not really successful and promoters went back to putting their money into more locally-flavoured motorsports like the IMSA and NASCAR series which the American audience could identify with. But with Formula 1 now having American ownership, there is strong support to push F1 to higher levels.
This year, the city gets a F1 race and although the original idea was to have the track near the water (like Monaco), that has not been possible and a specially-constructed 5.4-km track has been constructed around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The new complex is known as the Miami International Autodrome and just a couple of months ago, residents were trying to stop the race as they felt the noise would be too great. However, they lost the court case and so the event can go ahead.
Miami will present a new challenge for all the drivers and teams as the circuit is brand new. There is no data from previous races to refer to, so that will be an equalizer. There are 19 corners, most of them low and high-speed corners but not very many in the mid-range. There are also several long straights and three DRS zones. The contrasting demands of the high and low speed ends, and the two long straights should pose a set-up dilemma.
“We are basically going blind into the race, and I think most people are in the same boat as us. For qualifying, we had more of an idea but things can change very quickly with the weather around here. There isn’t much grip off the racing line on this track and it feels very gravely out there too. It is a shame because I think racing will be hard due to that. Saying that, I think it is going to be an interesting race because all of us don’t know exactly where we are!” said Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez.
Because this is a brand new track, the surface is also fresh and to ensure that there is good grip for the tyres, the composition has a high amount of limestone (not normally found on other circuits). The drivers have noticed its unusual characteristic and it seems to be doing its job so far with no on complaining.
“The brand new surface is likely to lead to a high degree of track evolution, especially at the start of the weekend, with the Porsche Challenge and W Series as support events. The weather could be unpredictable, with ambient temperatures of around 20 degrees and quite a high risk of rain and wind on the Florida coast at this time of year,” said Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Motorsport Director.
“The track has some similarities to Jeddah, although there are some parts that are slower and more technical than in Saudi Arabia (especially the section from Turns 11 to 16). The rest is a very quick layout, running anti-clockwise, which puts the emphasis on the tyres on the right-hand side of the car. We’re expecting the usual rapid track evolution and a smooth surface with the new asphalt, but the track has been jet-washed at high pressure, which means that it should offer quite good grip from the beginning,” Isola explained.
“Because it’s a fast track the cars are likely to run a low to medium downforce set-up, which could lead to a bit of sliding in the high-speed corners on the hard compounds in particular. For any new track our choice tends to be on the conservative side, so it will be interest to confront the simulations with real data,” he said.
Without past data, Pirelli has had to rely on simulation data to come up with the tyre nominations. It has chosen three tyres in the middle of the range: P Zero White hard is the C2, P Zero Yellow medium is the C3, and P Zero Red soft is the C4. This combination is the most commonly-used one all year, and also the most versatile.
The fact there are three long straights each with DRS zones and each leading into slow corners, means there are good overtaking opportunities. Turn 11 and Turn 17 will likely be the key places to watch out for. But the track is also quite narrow in some places, compared to permanent tracks. While this does make it harder to race side-by-side, it may prove important in terms of strategy and the opportunity to make places because cars and debris will be harder to clear. The likelihood of a Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car is high.
“Expectations can be very different to reality and wheel-to-wheel racing isn’t something we can simulate in our pre-race preparations, so we’ll have to wait and see how things progress over the race weekend,” said Mercedes-AMG’s Toto Wolff.
The BWT Alpine F1 Team was missing one driver – Esteban Ocon – during Qualifying as he had a bad crash in FP3 and the car was too damaged to be repaired in time. However, he will start the race from the pitlane.
The cornering speed and gears that will be used by the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Team drivers.
Like Pirelli, the Brembo people who supply brake systems also don’t have any data to work with. According to Brembo technicians, the Miami circuit will have a medium level of difficulty for brakes. Although there are 19 turns, the drivers only have to really use the brakes in 4 places around the track. However, 3 of those 4 braking moments are extremely demanding: in those sections, the drops in speed exceed 200 km/h, the braking distance 115 metres and the braking time is just 2.4 seconds.
