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Old 01-26-2004, 05:25 AM
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The Ferrari F2004...

Byrne Outlines F2004 Changes
Monday January 26th, 2004
Conducted and provided by Ferrari's press office.

Rory Byrne, Ferrari's chief designer:

Although the fundamental design philosophy of the F2004 is the same as its predecessors, in terms of optimising aerodynamic efficiency, lowering of centre of gravity height and maximising performance available from the Bridgestone tyres and 053 engine, every area of the car has been revised in order to make a further step forward on performance, so almost every component has been redesigned.

In addition all the systems have been reviewed to maximise performance and service ability with the new race week-end timetable and procedures.

To summarise, there have been less fundamental but more detailed changes made. I will explain in more detail:

1. Aerodynamics

The engine cover and rear wing assembly have had to be fundamentally revised to comply with the new 2004 regulations. In order to continue to make a step forward in aerodynamic performance, every area affecting the aerodynamics has been further developed and many new components will be introduced during our test programme in February so the car we will race in Melbourne will look different in many areas to the one you see here.

2. Transmission

A new approach to the use of materials for the gearbox casing and the rear crash structure has resulted in a considerable weight saving. The transmission internals are a development of F2003GA with many detailed refinements including a further optimisation of gear profile and lubrication system.

3. Chassis

Although there are no fundamental changes to the chassis construction, it is completely new in term of shape, which is a result of the cars aerodynamic requirements.

4. Suspension and Steering

There are refinements to the power steering system to improve assistance and driver feel. Another year of close collaboration with Bridgestone has improved our understanding of the interaction of track surface, tyre and car, and enabled us to make more detailed refinements to the suspension to optimise performance more specifically for each circuit. Almost all of the components have been redesigned and some have manufactured using new materials and methods to optimise structural efficiency and save weight.

5. Systems

New regulations requiring manual starts and gear shifting as well as the requirement to send information to the new FIA data acquisition system have required an extensive revision to the electronic hardware and software. The water system as well as engine, transmission and hydraulic oil systems have again been substantially revised for improved efficiency and suit new engine requirements.



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Brawn: Stability Key for Success
Monday January 26th, 2004


Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn says stability within the team is the key to their success in the past few years.

"One of the reasons we are able to progress each year is stability," said Brawn during the launch of the new F2004 in Maranello. "It is a stability that bonds the team during difficult periods, such as in 2003. But it also a stability that allows us to grow from within.

"For the past few years our objective has been to develop key members of our staff so that they will become the Rory Byrnes or Ross Brawns at Ferrari in the future."

Brawn, along with managing director Jean Todt, chief designer Rory Byrne, engine expert Paolo Martinelli, and drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello form Ferrari's 'dream team'. They are all signed until the end of 2006.

Ferrari, who have won the last five Constructors' Championships, announced a number of changes to their internal structure.

Schumacher's race engineer Luca Baldisserri will now become Ferrari's chief race engineer, with responsibility for race engineering activities, including race strategy. Engineer Aldo Costa will take more overall responsibility for this year's car than previous Ferraris, a trend that will continue for the next few years.

Briton John Iley, who joined as head of aerodynamics, is now responsible for all aerodynamic activities.



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Schumacher Ready for Action in New Ferrari
Monday January 26th, 2004
By Alan Baldwin


Michael Schumacher declared himself ready for battle on Monday when Ferrari unveiled the car that could take him to a record seventh Formula One title.

"I am ready. We are ready for the new challenge and the new year," the German said, joining teammate Rubens Barrichello and test driver Luca Badoer in showing off the F2004.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, whose team start the new season in Australia on March 7 chasing a sixth successive constructors' title, applauded his brevity.

"When drivers don't say much it's a good sign. When they talk too much they invent things," he declared. "How they drive is what matters."

There were no surprises with the new car, which looked very similar to last year's, with the exception of the higher airbox and larger rear wing in accordance with new regulations. But Ferrari bosses said appearances were deceptive.

"No radical changes have been made but interventions have been done in depth," said designer Rory Byrne.

"Many new components will be introduced during our test programme in February so the car we will race in Melbourne will look different in many areas to the one you see here," he added.

"Once again this car represents another significant step in performance and I am proud to say that this is the best Ferrari we have produced...so far," said technical director Ross Brawn in a prepared speech.

"Our analysis of the 2003 season has highlighted the areas where we were strong and those where we were weak," he added. "We did not react aggressively enough to the opportunities presented by the 2003 regulation changes and for 2004 we have worked to ensure that we will not make the same mistake."

Record Year

Schumacher, 35, is starting his ninth year with Ferrari, a record for a driver with the team, and is contracted to the end of 2006 along with Barrichello and core team staff.

The German was pushed right to the end of the Championship last year before claiming his record sixth crown and nobody at Ferrari on Monday was expecting it to be any easier this year.

"We want to win but now it is more news when Ferrari are beaten than when they win," said di Montezemolo. "We will try to give as little news as possible and win as often as we can. It's going to be a hard fight and a difficult year. But I want to have the same conclusion."

"Our stability is our strong point," said sporting director Jean Todt. "We have a very solid group of confident, skilled people. This makes me think we have everything we need to reach our target."

Brawn said the new car had passed its mandatory FIA structural tests last Friday and a second chassis would be on the track by next month.

The new car will run for the first time at the end of the week, with Schumacher at the wheel and testing will then continue at Mugello, Imola and Fiorano in February.



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Ferrari Launch the F2004 in Maranello
Monday January 26th, 2004


World Champions Ferrari today launched their 2004 challenger - named F2004 - at their Maranello base in Italy, becoming the fifth F1 team to officially unveil their new car for the upcoming season.

The Italian squad, who started the last two seasons with updated version of the cars from the previous years, said they aim to start the season with the F2004, which is the 50th Ferrari designed to race in the Formula One World Championship.

The team said the F2004 is an evolution of the concepts already seen in the F2003-GA, although every element of the car has been completely redesigned "in an attempt to create the best environment to get the most out of the new 053 engine and the Bridgestone tyres."

The front and rear suspension has been revised in order to improve the car's handling. The transmission is once again mounted longitudinally to maintain the same layout as on the F2003-GA. Ferrari said the titanium gearbox is a completely new design.

Ferrari are targeting their sixth consecutive Constructors' Championship this year, while their star driver Michael Schumacher will be fighting to clinch his seventh drivers' crown. The German, who has a contract with Ferrari until the end of 2006, will be partnered again by Brazilian Rubens Barrichello.

The F2004 will be tested for the first time at the end of the week.








FORZA FERRARI!!!!!
Old 01-26-2004, 05:27 AM
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SEXY!!!
Old 01-26-2004, 05:46 AM
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Paolo Martinelli: 'One engine for the entire race weekend'
Maranello, 26th January - The new F1 V10 engine, to be used in the 2004 championship, has been developed using Ferrari's technological and design skills and is called the 053.

The new regulations for 2004 demand that a driver use just one engine for the entire race weekend, which means that the life of an engine must be substantially increased. Furthermore great attention must be paid to its reliability, especially in the second half of its 'working life' which will coincide with Sunday's race. To use an analogy, one could say that our not inconsiderable objective is to have an engine which runs well and strongly from its 'Forties to its Eighties.'

Therefore, the design and evaluation of the 053 engine, which started life as an evolution of its predecessor, the 052, prioritised reliability in its mission profile.

The majority of engine components have been revised or designed from scratch: the engine can be adapted, or in technical-speak, be 'mapped' to suit the requirements of the championship (by this I am thinking of the various circuit types and the different ambient temperatures which can be encountered.)

There are two key elements which shaped the 053 engine project:

1. reliability extended to exceed 700 km, while conserving the required levels of performance and driveability.
2. a strong degree of integration with the car design, which has led to a functional optimisation of the layout (especially in terms of the Marelli electronics, the engine ancillaries and the cooling and lubrication systems.)

The 053 can only be fitted to the new F2004 car.

In structural terms: the block and heads have been strengthened with the use of new metallurgical solutions aimed at reducing any significant increase in engine weight. In particular, all moving parts are new in order to prolong engine life.
With the invaluable support of Shell, it has been necessary to develop a new fuel and even more significantly, a new engine oil, that provides great stability and protection for the engine.

In terms of engine performance, work will be ongoing throughout the season, with various evolutionary steps already planned.

I would like to add that, on the engine side, our staff are growing in terms of experience and responsibility and we have an impressive group of engineers, both on the design and development side, with specialist strengths in the various areas such as combustion, dynamics, bench testing etc. and in terms of running the engines at the track.
We are therefore looking to the future and continuing the long tradition of our engine academy, which is always looking to innovate in terms of content and work methods.

Finally and as usual, we will not disclose a horsepower figure, but, at the risk of repeating myself, rest assured that once again this year all the Ferrari engine specialists have worked with diligence and determination in order to produce 'enough' power, delivered in a useable and reliable fashion in order to reach our objectives in the 2004 F1 championship.

Forza Ferrari!
Old 01-26-2004, 06:14 AM
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I love press releases that quote "power is sufficient to whip everyone's ass and we'll leave it at that."
Old 01-26-2004, 06:33 AM
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Much ado about nothing. I think they doth protest too much !! In other words the rein is over !!! Minardi forever !!
Old 01-26-2004, 06:59 AM
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Originally posted by MAGGIEMAE
Much ado about nothing. I think they doth protest too much !! In other words the rein is over !!! Minardi forever !!
Okay,

let me imagine you were joking -

let me imagine you are serious -
Old 01-26-2004, 07:02 AM
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Nice post Marco!

I over those pics when I opened up my home page this morning.

I'm so ready for the new season...
Old 01-26-2004, 07:50 AM
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Joking of course but anyone who has a black car ???
Old 01-26-2004, 08:33 AM
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Very nice Marco, thanks for the post.

However I must add my $.02 from those across the pond - Ferrari are sensing their championship contention in serious threat from the likes of McLaren and Williams (because of michelin) and have brought Sauber into a really tight working relationship with them specifically for tire testing.

They fear Michelin runners even more this upcoming season. Also, because Sauber use ferrari's prior year's engine & gearbox, so any additional testing data is valuable. This year, they are hoping that Luca Badoer tests for Sauber on Fridays to give them Bridgestone tire testing feedback.

Also, in another brilliant Jean Todt personnel move, he has hired a guy who will act as a liasion between Sauber tyre tests and relay them back to Ferrari if the luca badoer friday tests qets quashed by the FIA.

So in fact Ferrari can have almost 6 test drivers (MS, RB, LB, FM, GF, NJ) going ALL OUT all at once between races..

Personally the pressure is not on Ferrari, but on McLaren and Williams..

oh I can't wait till Australia.. 40 days and counting..
Old 01-26-2004, 09:49 AM
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I just want to drive it.. just once


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