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With two consecutive Grands Prix weekends on the calendar, F1 teams - with the exception for Force India - did not have enough time to introduce updates in China. However, F1i's Nicolas Carpentiers took advantage of the lull to peer under the bodywork of this season's cars.
FERRARI GETS RID OF THE ANGLE
The Ferrari SF71H has a familiar look when compared to its predecessor, especially when looking at the sidepods, but it also differs in several aspects.
First, its wheelbase has been lengthened by a dozen centimetres to almost match that of the Mercedes W09, while its front wing follows a new approach, and one inspired by McLaren.
Under the engine cover, too, the 2018-spec car is noticeably different.
Since 2016, the Ferrari had two radiators inside each sidepod set at an angle: a rather long heat exchanger, installed above the carbon duct, and a shorter radiator, placed underneath.
On the SF71H, only one radiator remains: it is longer and is installed more vertically, as can be seen by comparing the blue arrows on the image below. Such an arrangement – probably facilitated by the lengthening of the wheelbase – allows for the rear of the car to be cleaned up and the bodywork refined.
© F1i
Another difference: the triangular-shaped radiator, introduced at the Japanese Grand Prix in 2017, which was flat on the SF70H, is now set at an angle on the SF71H, a bit like on the Red Bull (compare the yellow arrows).
The architecture of the engine (compressor and turbine attached to the back of the block) and the position of the intercooler remain unchanged. The design of the exhaust pipes, on the other hand, was slightly reworked (red arrows).
