How innovative have Ferrari been?

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by Marbot

Rumour has it that the update will also include some 'go-faster' stripes (white) and yet another variation on the engine cover logo

802?

[strider]

They'll soon be coming up with a Teflon based red paint which will make the cars very slippery through the air and virtually uncatchable.

[wnut]

How about

Comprex superchargers
Unbroken low front wing to exploit ground effect -(front wing endplates?)
East west engine orientation
Brought DeDion suspension back after everyone else went to independent
22" wide Rear slicks
Magnesium wheels
Seemless shift gearbox
Flexible rear wing

Seemless shift gearbox would have to be the crowning glory, capable of full power shifts without disengaging the clutch.

Feel free to shoot at any of this - not that the members don't anyway, but thats what makes this forum valuable!
All based on faulty memory.

Who was the first to institute modern high speed tyre stops? Renault? Ferrari?

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by strider

They'll soon be coming up with a Teflon based red paint which will make the cars very slippery through the air and virtually uncatchable.

Hello Strider how are you my friend ! Tell them...

[Osella]

they've had an innovative relationship with the rulemakers (eg the veto); imagine if Colin Chapman had had that...!

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by wnut

Who was the first to institute modern high speed tyre stops? Renault? Ferrari?

I think it might have been Brabham, as they were the first to introduce fuel stops in the 'turbo' days... didn't they change tyres at the same time?

[Knowlesy]

Ferrari of recent times have not been especially innovative. They were known, during the rather successful Todt/Brawn/Byrne/Martinelli/TGF era to have the most refined, evolved cars whilst others scrabbled about with innovations.

Not that they didn't set trends in car design. The F2002 kick started an era of ultra skinny waisted cars with tiny gearboxes for instance.

[JamesH]

Comprex superchargers - OK
Unbroken low front wing to exploit ground effect -(front wing endplates?) - Beneton I thought, but probably wrong.

East west engine orientation -? Is that an innovation?

Brought DeDion suspension back after everyone else went to independent - Not really an innovation - since the technology already existed.

22" wide Rear slicks - fair enough, but again, not really an innovation.

Magnesium wheels - Not sure wheel material is a technological innovation either.

Seemless shift gearbox - good point.

Flexible rear wing - Obviously against the rules!

[Pingguest]

Originally Posted by phoenix

I think it might have been Brabham, as they were the first to introduce fuel stops in the 'turbo' days... didn't they change tyres at the same time?

Brabham was the first team to have pre-scheduled pit stops for both tyre changes and mid-race refuelling. They didn't introduce it because of the higher fuel consumption, but only because of the strategic advantage.

[Marbot]

I think that it can be said that most of the stuff that we see on F1 cars is only there to make an F1 car go faster, and not much else.

In the meantime, Ferrari,and others, will be busying themselves in their windtunnels, so that once again we can gasp in awe at the sight of yet another subtle aero change.

[Lotusonpole]

After reading 'so far', I can only assume Ferrari have not had many, if any truly revolutionary innovations, some good ideas yes, but nothing in the 'this is the way all F1 cars will be built from now on' mode.
Rather they seem to, as has been said already, mostly evolve and develop, adopting other people's ideas or innovations that suit them, along the way.
The biggest innovation being sticking M Schumacher in the red car or so it seems.

Is this why historically they have in most cases, always fought against drastic change to rules or allowing revolutionary ideas set by other teams etc?

P

[wnut]

Originally Posted by JamesH

Comprex superchargers - OK
Unbroken low front wing to exploit ground effect -(front wing endplates?) - Beneton I thought, but probably wrong.

East west engine orientation -? Is that an innovation?

Brought DeDion suspension back after everyone else went to independent - Not really an innovation - since the technology already existed.

22" wide Rear slicks - fair enough, but again, not really an innovation.

Magnesium wheels - Not sure wheel material is a technological innovation either.

Seemless shift gearbox - good point.

Flexible rear wing - Obviously against the rules!

Flexible rear wing - Obviously against the rules

Only as interpreted by the FIA it supported the the specified weights withour deflection

I think they actually had the first wing by about 10 mins on Ickx's car.

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by Pingguest

Brabham was the first team to have pre-scheduled pit stops for both tyre changes and mid-race refuelling. They didn't introduce it because of the higher fuel consumption, but only because of the strategic advantage.

I agree that was the reason. I wasn't posting to explain why they did it, just to point out that I believed they were the first to make scheduled tyre stops, not Ferrari (or Renault)

[Born Racer]

They have more of a tradition for refining concepts, rather than being ahead of the game. And when they are brining updates every few races or so, as opposed to every race like McLaren, that's not enough.