Closer Look: Is the F150 the same as last years Fezza?

Underwhelming Ferrari F150?

Barry Hobart gives his take on the launch of the Ferrari F150 which was unveiled in Maranello on Friday. Check out photos and videos of the launch here: Ferrari F150 launch.

"I love this time of year! Nothing beats the excitement over seeing the teams rip the covers off their new challengers for the year and in classic F1 style there is all the who-ha and pomp and ceremony to go with it. It’s our first real chance to lead a critical eye over the cars and to see how the cars will line up on the grid, who has played it safe and gone with a conservative design and who have been bold enough to come up with something so radical that could lead them to championship glory or total season blow out?

This year we once again begin with Ferrari and the unveiling of the F150. Ferrari wouldn’t have it if someone else would be first to unveil their car before them, it just doesn’t happen! As the two chubby Ferrari pilots (is it me or is Alonso looking more and more like Mario from the Mario brothers when he is in his overalls?) tear off the red cloth, what do we think of the new Fezza?

Well the first thing that springs to mind is, have I accidentally clicked on the 2010 launch pictures because it looks identical to last year’s car. I think the engineers have basically used a piece of tracing paper and copied the 2010 model. Bodywork wise we have a dull nose, no aggressive lines and no shark fin (no doubt that will make an appearance after the fly away races).

Conservative is the name of the game for Ferrari this year. Double diffusers are banned so we don’t even have anything exciting to look at round the back. Livery wise, nothing has changed apart from the Italian flag on the back of the rear wing. This car has been named to mark the 150th anniversary of Italian unification, so the flag is also a fitting tribute to a country that adores its team from Maranello. The only real thing I like on this car is the yellow text on the Pirelli tyres, takes me back to the day’s when Goodyear was the tyre supplier. I wonder how Pirelli will be distinguishing the hard and soft tyres.  Any ideas?

That’s enough of the looks (I’m bored of looking at it) and I shall put my tech hat on. Ferrari is stating that they will be using a push rod system for their rear suspension rather than the new Red Bull pull rod system. If I knew what that meant then I could comment further, but I don’t so I will let Ted Kravitz explain that to me at the first race.

So as Ferrari put the F150 through its paces on a foggy Fiorano circuit, will it deliver what the team so desperately crave, a title for Alonso? Only time will tell, but they cannot afford anymore monumental balls ups like last year, otherwise heads could roll."

- Barry Hobart

Posted by James Wilson. - Follow him on twitter @enterf1.

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Last Comment Posted »

• looking at the on track photos, i think the raised nose becomes slightly more obvious

  interesting Etihad have departed Ferrari, I thought they...
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