Most years it’s more of the same. All the constructors in the FIA Formula One World Championship unveil their cars, and for the most part they look the incredibly similar to the ones they had last year. Big whoop. But every so often, the technical regulations are shaken up a little and the cars come out looking entirely different. This is one of those years — say “hello” to the Scuderia Ferrari F60.
The most substantial changes have been made to the aerodynamic formula, which has dictated a bigger front wing and a much narrower rear aerofoila. F1 has also moved back to slick tires, while underneath the more streamlined bodywork Ferrari has fitted the new Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) developed together with Magneti-Marelli, along with the new carbon-encased seven-speed sequential gearbox with limited slip differential.
Ferrari has opted to call this the F60, eschewing the typical numbering system that would have labeled it the F2009 while highlighting the fact that this will be the 60th season of Formula One – in which Ferrari is the only team to have competed in each and every one. Due to weather conditions, the official live unveiling of the F60 was moved from the company’s on-site Fiorano test track to its Mugello circuit, where Felipe Massa will test drive it for the first time.