FERRARI F1-89/640

   Already in the second half of 1988, Maranello decided to intensify the development program for a new single-seater for the following year. To achieve this, Englishman John Barnard was promoted to “total” designer. During 1987–88, he had been in charge of the aerodynamic side of the cars designed by Gustav Brunner. Under his direction worked chief designer Enrique Scalabroni and aerodynamics specialist Henri Durand, who were tasked with completing the new Ferrari F1-89/640.

FERRARI F1-89/640, Gerhard Berger
Phoenix, United States GP 1989

   The development of the new Maranello car was lengthy: as early as mid-1988, two prototypes of the F1-89/639 were assembled. This was a test car used in an intensive testing program by test drivers Gianni Morbidelli, Roberto Moreno, and J.J. Lehto on the Fiorano circuit. Several technical innovations were tested on the 639, foremost among them the new 7-speed semi-automatic gearbox, an absolute first in Formula 1. Back in 1979, Mauro Forghieri had already designed, built, and installed a similar gearbox on a 312T3 tested by Villeneuve. Despite good results, Villeneuve rejected the idea in favor of the traditional manual gearbox. Barnard, however, firmly believed in the solution and went so far as to design a car with a particularly streamlined chassis, eliminating space for the gear lever in the cockpit and omitting the clutch pedal. The dashboard featured seven lights that lit up to indicate the gear engaged. At the same time, engine designers made a great effort to develop the new V12 engine, continuing the Maranello tradition, and introduced a 5-valve-per-cylinder configuration, 3 intake valves and 2 exhaust valves. The development of the new Tipo 035 V12 engine (3498 cc) was slowed, however, by the ongoing reliability problems of the complex and innovative semi-automatic gearbox. This led to the decision to use an older car from 1987, renamed the F1 87/88A, fitted with the new naturally aspirated engine and a traditional gearbox.

FERRARI F1-89/639, test in Fiorano

   This allowed the engine development to proceed independently of the transmission. As a result, engine output increased from 615 hp at the start of the program to 660 hp at 13,000 rpm, still around 20 hp less than Honda's V10 but roughly the same as the turbocharged V6 it replaced, without the fuel consumption concerns. From an aerodynamic standpoint, the car featured significant innovations: a duckbill-shaped nose, large sidepods with curved bodywork housing both radiators and fuel tanks. Unlike other single-seaters, the F1-89/639 did not have an air intake above the driver's head but instead used two slits on the sides of the engine cover to avoid disturbing airflow to the rear wing. The undertray was also redesigned to improve downforce efficiency, allowing for the adoption of a very narrow rear wing to boost top speed. The suspension system was completely new, using a push-rod configuration at both the front and rear instead of the pull-rod design employed since late 1982 on the Postlethwaite-designed 126 C2. Barnard replaced traditional coil springs with vertical torsion bars, which were located at knee height in the front and in a dedicated cavity within the gearbox casting at the rear. From the extensive work done on the 639 test car, the new Ferrari F1-89/640 was born, with further refined aerodynamics. Radiators were repositioned inside the sidepods, the side tanks were modified, the chassis and driving position were lowered, and the dashboard was updated, replacing the gear selector lights with a digital display. The F1-89 had a wheelbase of 2830 mm and a weight of 510 kg. From the fourth race of the season, the lateral air intakes were replaced with a more traditional air scoop, increasing engine power.

FERRARI F1-89/640, Nigel Mansell
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1989

   Despite over a year of development and a strong driver lineup, the confirmed Austrian Gerhard Berger and the highly regarded Nigel Mansell, personally chosen by Enzo Ferrari before his death, the F1-89/640 proved to be very fast but unfortunately unreliable. After Mansell's debut victory in Brazil, the Maranello team suffered a long series of retirements, mostly due to failures in the electronic control of the semi-automatic gearbox. The unit struggled with the high temperatures inside the narrow engine cover, which caused issues for the solenoid valves controlling the gearbox servos, leading to breakdowns. The problem was only resolved mid-season, after which Mansell managed to score five consecutive podium finishes in the middle of the championship.

FERRARI F1-89/640, Nigel Mansell
Estoril, Portuguese GP 1989

   Unfortunately, out of 32 starts, the F1-89/640 only saw the checkered flag 9 times, but each finish was on the podium. The Maranello car earned 3 wins, 4 second places, and 2 third places, securing 59 points and third place in the Constructors' Championship for the “Cavallino” team. The F1-89/640 is also remembered for Berger’s crash at Imola when, traveling over 290 km/h, he hit the barriers at the Tamburello corner due to a failure of the front wing. The Austrian's car caught fire because a radiator punctured the chassis near the fuel tanks. Berger survived thanks to the prompt intervention of Imola's track fire marshals, who extinguished the blaze in less than twenty seconds. He miraculously escaped with a broken rib and burns to his hands, which forced him to miss the subsequent Monaco Grand Prix.