FERRARI F60

   To celebrate 60 years of participation in the Formula One World Championship (the only team to have been continuously present since 1950), Scuderia Ferrari designed the new F60, a single-seater born from the new technical regulations that imposed a drastic simplification of car aerodynamics: wider and adjustable front wings, tall and narrow rear wings, bodywork stripped of aerodynamic appendages (such as “elephant ears,” horns, or chimneys), and the return to slick tires. Unfortunately for Italian fans, the Ferrari F60 is remembered for its lack of competitiveness, the result of an overly rigid interpretation of the regulations. In Maranello, they failed to immediately exploit the regulatory loophole that allowed Brawn GP, Toyota, and Williams to use the double diffuser, aggressively interpreting the new rules.

FERRARI F60, Kimi Räikkönen
Melbourne, Auatralian GP 2009

   With the definitive departure of Jean Todt, the sporting management of the Italian team passed entirely into the hands of Team Principal Stefano Domenicali. The turnover of technical staff also continued, following a decade of remarkable success. Mario Almondo (now President and CEO of the Brembo Group) served as Executive Operations Director, Aldo Costa (Technical Director) was ultimately responsible for the design of the F60, having taken over from Rory Byrne, while Nikolas Tombazis (Chief Designer) was entrusted with shaping the car’s lines. The main challenge of 2009 was the aerodynamic simplification imposed by the FIA: Tombazis later admitted that he had underestimated the rear diffuser area, focusing too much on weight distribution for integrating the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System, an electric motor connected to the crankshaft that provides about 80 extra horsepower for a few seconds per lap). Italians Marco Fainello, Tiziano Battistini, and Simone Resta were respectively Head of Vehicle Performance, Head of Chassis Design, and Head of R&D. The aerodynamic department was led by John Iley (Head of Aerodynamics) and Marco de Luca (Chief Aerodynamicist), tasked with recovering the downforce lost due to the elimination of aerodynamic appendages. The engine department was once again led by Franco-Moroccan Gilles Simon (Engine Technical Director), alongside Lorenzo Sassi (Engine Chief Designer) and Luca Marmorini, who had returned to Ferrari after a stint at Toyota. Together with Gérald Brussoz (KERS Project Leader), they faced the difficult task of integrating the electric motor into the proven 2398 cc Tipo 056 V8. On the pit wall were key figures such as Chris Dyer (Head of Track Engineering), an Australian and former race engineer for Schumacher, coordinating both garages and making tactical decisions during races. The race engineers for the two drivers were Andrea Stella (now McLaren Team Principal) and Rob Smedley.

FERRARI F60, Kimi Räikkönen
Melbourne, Auatralian GP 2009

   The design and development of the new F60 exposed several weaknesses within the team. Compared to rivals, Ferrari suffered from a lack of correlation between wind tunnel data and track performance (an issue that would plague Maranello for years), preventing efficient updates. The decision to use KERS (about 30 kg including motor and batteries) limited the use of ballast to properly balance the car. Last but not least, the inability of the two drivers (the still young Finn Kimi Räikkönen and veteran Brazilian Felipe Massa) to effectively communicate their feedback hindered setup improvements. Not surprisingly, during 2009 Ferrari began aggressively courting Fernando Alonso, aware that the technical staff needed a driver capable of providing clearer development direction during a period of technical uncertainty. The radical simplification of the car’s design completely changed the appearance of the “Rossa” compared to recent years. The single-plane front wing was very wide (1800 mm) and equipped with a movable flap adjustable by the driver (later replaced by DRS), positioned further away from the wheels thanks to the rearward placement of the suspension to improve outwash. The nose was very high, while the sidepods were large to accommodate the cooling systems for both the engine and KERS. The disappearance of most appendages made it more difficult to manage airflow toward the new, narrower and taller rear wing. However, the real Achilles’ heel of the F60 was the rear end. While Ferrari designed the car with a standard diffuser, respecting the spirit of regulations limiting extractor height, teams like Brawn GP, Toyota, and Williams exploited a loophole by creating a second airflow channel above the main one, generating significantly more downforce. During the season, engineers led by Tombazis had to urgently redesign the rear end, but the F60’s gearbox casing and suspension layout were not designed to accommodate such a large diffuser, limiting its effectiveness even in the updated version introduced in Barcelona. All this led to the drastic decision to completely halt development of the car after the German Grand Prix, in order to focus on the 2010 car.

FERRARI F60, Kimi Räikkönen
Melbourne, Auatralian GP 2009

   Despite its difficulties, the F60 was a concentration of technology, featuring perfect integration of the hybrid system developed by Magneti Marelli. The real mechanical challenge was integrating new components (such as additional cooling pumps for KERS) without compromising rear-end torsional rigidity. The electric motor-generator was connected to the crankshaft via a mechanical linkage. Under braking, it recovered energy, storing it in lithium batteries located under the fuel tank and delivering about 80 extra horsepower for 6–7 seconds per lap, at the cost of added weight, around 30 kg. A true technological highlight was the new gearbox, with a casing made of composite material with titanium inserts and an almost instantaneous gear-shifting system (zero-shift), ensuring continuous traction. Ferrari opted for a very compact layout to free up space for the rear diffuser, but this mechanical choice proved limiting when attempting to accommodate the “double diffuser” mid-season.

FERRARI F60, Felipe Massa
Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2009

   Overall, the entire mechanical package was affected by the weight and heat generated by KERS (impacting suspension kinematics, excessive tire wear, and brake overheating), and the F60’s performance fluctuated between frustration and occasional flashes of pride. In the first three races, Ferrari failed to score a single point due to lack of downforce, KERS unreliability, and strategic errors. With the introduction of the “B” version in Spain (lighter and featuring a revised diffuser), performance improved significantly, reaching its peak in Belgium where, thanks to KERS-assisted top speed and Räikkönen’s skill at the Ardennes circuit, Ferrari secured its only win of the season. The team was also affected by Massa’s serious accident in Hungary, when a spring that came loose from Barrichello’s Brawn GP struck the Ferrari driver’s helmet, severely injuring him and forcing him to miss the rest of the season. He was first replaced by Luca Badoer, who had been away from racing for too long, and later by Giancarlo Fisichella. Neither substitute scored points, leading to an anonymous end to the season in which Ferrari lost third place in the Constructors’ Championship to McLaren.