New wheel rims for Ferrari in Barcelona.
Pirelli had mentioned the likelihood of new wheel rims being introduced in Barcelona in their press release. Obviously, they were informed, and I had highlighted that in my preview article. I was unable to find a good static photo to confirm it over the weekend, but anyway, here you go. Nicolas always pulls through.
One of the SF-26's main weaknesses has been managing the rear tyre oveheating. It was an issue in Miami and Monaco, would have been a problem in Montreal if not for the cold weather. A big portion of heat energy is produced through hysteresis and slippage, but there is also a factor of the brake heat radiating through the rim into the tyre.
This is what a rim update would be targeting and what they are seeking to have better control over. I would love to see whether these 'negative spokes' have cavities like the W17 wheel rims.
Austria would be a good place to confirm a step forward in this regard given the rear limited nature. There are a lot more factors involved, of course. This is a piece to the entire puzzle. But I like to think this highlights that these cars are more than aero and engines, which we often reduce them to.
Not entirely sure Motorsport_IT used the right image for this one. ๐ค
The new BBS wheel rim used by Ferrari looks more like this one (bottom left: the rim used during pit stop practice, bottom right: the previously used model).
#F1 #FerrariF1 #SF26 #F1Tech
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