3 - An innovative overall package
By optimising how the airflow enters and exits the coolers (see the montage above that uses two different pictures on top of each other), Ferrari has been able to go for a much flatter design. This means that the coolers don’t stand as much in the way of the incoming airflow as they used to, which in turn improves the car’s internal airflow circulation.
Its aerodynamics have also benefitted from the coolers’ new positioning and improved efficiency. In Malaysia, Ferrari’s healthy top-end speed boiled down to the SF15-T featuring less cooling gills on its bodywork than the Mercedes W06 Hybrid.
However, Allison does not want to get carried away after Vettel’s win in Sepang, neither does the Ferrari technical director feel relevant to draw any comparisons with the Silver Arrow:
"I only know one half of the equation, which is our car. I know we have a pretty decent cooling package for which a lot of credit needs to go to the cooling team in the wind tunnel and also in the drawing office, who have put together a fairly innovative package on our car. That allows us to operate even in these fierce temperatures without having to open our car up badly.
"The track is quite rough and hot, which is hard for tyres, and we are fortunate that the car goes quite well on its tyres. Quite what problems are being carried on the other side of the equation in Merc-land, I don't know, but I'm fairly sure that we will have our work cut out in China to do anything like as impressive a job as we have done here."
Maybe Ferrari’s coolest asset is having a down-to-earth and realistic Allison at the helm of its technical department.
