As teams unveil their 2017-spec Formula One cars, we’ve been very keen to see the different ways each team has approached the new regulations. When Scuderia Ferrari revealed its new challenger, however, we learned not only about the its design philosophy, but the team itself.
Ferrari revealed its new SF70H on Friday, featuring some design elements that are dramatically different from anything we’ve seen so far from other teams. One thing that will remain the same is the red and white livery Ferrari introduced last year that many believed it would do away with for superstitious reasons.
During the 1970s, Ferrari was very successful when it had red and white cars, but when it reintroduced the color in 1993, the team didn’t win a Grand Prix all year. From then on, the belief inside the Maranello, Italy, factory reportedly was that white was unlucky for the Scuderia, according to Grand Prix 247.
After a very disappointing season in 2016, people began hearing rumors from Ferrari’s camp that it would revert to its red-only ideology to eliminate the bad juju. The fact that the SF70H’s rear shark fin is white is a good thing, as it suggests the team’s culture has changed, and the members blame themselves for the Ferrari’s shortcomings, rather than superstition.
Based on the pictures of the car, it seems that sense of accountability served as motivation for the team. The SF70H racer is very different from both its past racers, and any of the other 2017 cars we’ve seen so far.
The side pods, for example, feature a much smaller opening than usual, and incorporate a variety of aero elements that will channel air into the intakes on top of them. Additionally, Ferrari’s aero package looks to utilize both a shark fin and the T-wing Mercedes-AMG Petronas tested at the launch of its W08 EQ Power+.
All photos via Ferrari
