Ferrari reportedly making gains with 'underweight' 2023 car

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Details are emerging on Ferrari's 2023 contender, codenamed 675, with a report from Italy claiming that aerodynamic optimization and weight loss are expected to deliver significant performance gains.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Scuderia's car will weigh in 3kg lighter than its predecessor, or under F1's minimum 796kg weight limit, allowing the team to ideally position its weight ballast.

Weight was a crucial factor last season for both Red Bull and Mercedes, who were able to shave several kilos off their total burden over the course of the season, a weight-reduction plan that especially benefited the Milton Keynes-based outfit in the second half of the 2022 season.

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A Ferrari insider was quoted by Motorsport.com as having said that the overall weight loss will only be validated once the Scuderia's charger is fully assembled.

"The answers will only be found when the F1 car is put on the scales," the insider said.

But Ferrari is also targeting aero gains by optimizing the scoop sidepods that appeared on its 2022 F1-75, to help better manage airflow, both in improving downforce and also in reducing drag.

Finally, La Gazzetta dello Sport also suggests that a new gearbox will "be capable of increasing the competitiveness of the car" thanks to 30bhp additional power delivered by Ferrari's engine.

Ferrari will launch its new car on February 14, but has yet reveal the venue for the presentation.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.