FERRARI F2004

    The difficulties encountered in winning both championships in the 2003 season keep Ferrari’s engineers awake at night, as they are committed to reaffirming the absolute dominance that the Maranello single-seaters have displayed in recent seasons. The fiftieth car used by Scuderia Ferrari in a Formula 1 World Championship, with the project identified by code 655, is the F2004, considered one of the best and most successful cars ever built by the Italian team. The new car was once again the result of the work of an extraordinary group of engineers, still orchestrated by Jean Todt and led by Technical Director Ross Brawn. South African engineer Rory Byrne was the Chief Designer, while Italians Aldo Costa, Ignazio Lunetta, and Marco Fainello were responsible for the design of the chassis, research and development, and vehicle dynamics. For the crucial aerodynamic department, Ferrari hired Briton John Iley, who came from Renault to replace Tombazis, while his compatriot James Allison remained Chief Aerodynamic Engineer.

FERRARI F2004, Rubens Barrichello
Imola, San Marino gp 2004

   The new car carried forward the design principles first introduced with the F2002 but took them a step further. The periscope exhausts were made smaller and positioned closer to the car’s centerline, the rear wing was enlarged, and the rear suspension, still double wishbones in push-rod configuration with torsion bar springs and rotary hydraulic dampers, was redesigned to solve the problem of premature tire wear that had plagued the previous car. The entire rear aerodynamics were revised, in compliance with new technical regulations requiring a straight tail behind the upper air intake, raised sidepods, and increased lateral surface area of the rear wing.

FERRARI F2004, Michael Schumacher
Interlagos, Brazilian GP 2004

   Although heavily based on the previous season’s F2003-GA, every aspect of the F2004 was completely redesigned to maximize the performance of Bridgestone tires and the new 053 engine. Paolo Martinelli and Gilles Simon were once again the designers of the Italian V10, which in 2004 had to maintain maximum reliability while covering at least twice the mileage of its predecessor, due to the new rule requiring a single engine to last the entire race weekend. At the same time, it also had to deliver improved performance. Martinelli and Simon pulled off a miracle: in its 053 version, the Maranello V10 produced 865 hp at 18,300 rpm, with the capability of reaching up to 940 hp at 19,000 rpm in a single qualifying lap, without ever suffering a failure. As per regulations, the last electronic aids, such as launch control and fully automatic gearshifts (used since the 2001 Spanish GP), were banned in 2004. The transmission unit of the F2004, a now-classic 7-speed electro-hydraulic gearbox, was completely revised and lightened while retaining the enviable reliability of its predecessor.

FERRARI F2004, Michael Schumacher
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgian GP 2004

   In general, the entire aerodynamic configuration of the new car was optimized in light of the changes introduced by the new technical regulations. The center of gravity was further lowered, and weight distribution was perfected by working on both the chassis and the engine. The chassis itself was completely new in both design and construction, with additional weight reduction despite a stronger structure compared to the previous model. The bodywork, in the classic Rosso Corsa with white inserts for Marlboro and Vodafone sponsors, now featured a nose more sharply inclined downward, higher and squarer sidepods set further back from the front axle, and an even more pronounced bottle-neck rear profile near the tail, delivering additional aerodynamic benefits. The front suspension, also double wishbones in push-rod configuration with torsion bar springs and telescopic dampers, was revised to improve the car’s handling and make the most of the specially developed Bridgestone tires.

FERRARI F2004, Rubens Barrichello
Interlagos, Brazilian GP 2004

   The new F2004 was unveiled on January 26, 2004, in Maranello, in the presence of the two official drivers: six-time World Champion Michael Schumacher of Germany and his loyal teammate Rubens Barrichello of Brazil, along with the two test drivers, Italian Luca Badoer and Brazilian Luciano Burti. The F2004 immediately showcased its strengths, overwhelming its rivals and taking victory in the first five races of the championship with Schumacher. In Monte Carlo, Schumacher was forced to retire after being hit by Montoya under Safety Car conditions while leading the race. However, from the following race, the German champion resumed his remarkable streak, achieving seven consecutive victories and clinching his seventh world title as early as the thirteenth race of the season, the Hungarian Grand Prix on August 15. In the final races of the season, Schumacher gave way to teammate Barrichello, who won two consecutive races in Italy and China, while Schumacher added another victory in Japan. At the end of the season, the F2004 had scored 15 wins, 9 second places, and 5 third places out of 18 races, along with 12 pole positions and 14 fastest laps. Ferrari also secured its sixth consecutive Constructors’ Championship with 262 points. The career of the F2004 continued into the following season with a revised version, renamed F2004M (Modified). It achieved second place with Barrichello in Australia and seventh with Schumacher in Malaysia before being replaced by the F2005 from the third race of the season onward.