The Spanish circuit officials have issues the running order for the event and only nine cars will be allowed to run for the first time, among the runners Mercedes GP will bring to the test the last year car and their main goal is to test the new Pirelli tyres.

  HRT F1 Team will also be present with the F111 and they want to give Pedro de la Rosa as much running time as possible in order get him fit by the time the season will start.

Official running order is as follows:

  The F2012 is the 58th car built by the Scuderia Ferrari to take part in the Formula1 Championship and it’s name is just following the tradition that Ferrari has in order to name the cars after the year of fabrication.

Many of you may have already heard that the name of this year project was also Project 663 or just 663 in short, the code came from Ferrari’s interpretation of the rules that will apply for this year regulations. According to Ferrari this year’s car is a totally new design, and everything has been rethink in order to comply with the new regulations and to improve the aerodynamics. Further more suspension has been completely redesigned to allow a lower gravity center, while the front wing is a evolution of the one that we saw last year in action in the last races.

  Like Caterham CT01 and Force India VJM05 Ferrari’s 2012 challenger also has a step in the nose of the car in order to comply with the new regulations which required a lower nose, but they also did it to be able to lift the backend of the car as much as possible for aerodynamic reasons. F2012 also features repositioned radiators, redesigned gearbox and many other features that set it apart from F150. All those internal modifications led to a much narrower and tapered. The exhaust system was also designed to help the car aerodynamically while the rear wing is very similar with the one used last year. Brakes were redesigned as well in collaboration with Brembo and some optimizations were made.

  The engine was also redesigned, but is an evolution of the engine used last year so no big change was made in powerplant was made, the engine electronics controls have also been remade.  KERS and the rest of the cars electronic systems were upgraded and the main goal was to make all smaller and lot less heavy.

For the tech details fans here what Ferrari released:

The CHASSIS

• Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
• Gearbox: Ferrari longitudinal gearbox
• Differential: Limited-slip differential
• Command: Semiautomatic sequential electronically controlled gearbox with€“ quick shift
• Number of gears: 7 +Reverse
• Brakes: Brembo ventilated carbon-fibre disc brakes
• Suspension: Independent suspension, pull-rod activated torsion springs front and rear
• Weight with water, lubricant and driver: 640 kg
• OZ Wheels (front and rear): 13"

The ENGINE

• Type: 056
• Number of cylinders: 8
• Cylinder block in sand cast aluminium: V 90°
• Number of valves: 32
• Pneumatic distribution
• Total displacement: 2398 cm3
• Piston bore: 98 mm
• Weight: >95 kg
• Electronic injection and ignition
• Fuel: Shell V-Power
• Lubricant: Shell Helix Ultra

The PICTURES

more information and pictures will be presented as they become available.

Images: © Ferrari

  Is not the first time and will not be the last when the weather will interfere with Ferrari’s plans but is certainly a disappointment not to see the official presentation of the car as it should be or the Passion Day event taking place. Ferrari has promised that the F2012 will be presented tomorrow but without the ceremony and the pictures and the interviews will be available to everyone interested thru Ferrari Official Website.

  The situation on site seems to be more than simple since the Italian authorities in the area have deiced to close all the schools (on all levels) until at least 4th of February and the Fiorano track is building up a nice blanket of snow.

  All in all the decision to cancel the presentation seems to be right one since the access of more than 300 people to the Maranello facilities would not have been easy considering the snow and the fact that it continues to fall over the region.

Info & Images: © Ferrari

In the closing days of the championship at Ferrari a rumor emerged saying that Ferrari will prepare for 2012 an unbeatable structure and also admitted that will risk a lot more in designing the new car.

  According to Flavio Briatore, Ferrari will start again this year with 2-3 tenths behind Red Bull but if this difference won’t be bigger than that, then Alonso will no doubt be World Champion for the 3rd time in 2012: "Red Bull has a great advantage, and have been working very quietly during these two months. I see Ferrari between 2 and 3 tenths behind the pace of Red Bull. If this is so in the first race, Alonso could win the championship".

  Alonso’s old boss also insisted on the fact that Ferrari needs to give Alonso an competitive car and also stated that is more than obvious that the team must concentrate it’s efforts in the first pilot, “The last championship was disappointing but Felipe Massa is recovering from he’s terrible accident and he always was a fast pilot. Is also important that the second pilot must be in complete harmony with the No. 1 and has to bring he’s contribution to the team. I would not waste much time in thinking who’s the 2nd pilot but I would invest far more in building a competitive car for Alonso because the World Title is won by one pilot alone and this is why I would focus my attention in that pilot”.

  In other words Flavio would risk everything on the Spaniard and considering that he and Alonso shared some glory a few years back he might be onto something, but time will tell and on the positive side there is only a little over one and a half months until the championship will start.

  First of all I must say that the information on the new Ferrari car has been "evolving" and what was said in the beginning has been changed with the passage of time. The first drafts of Piola, recreated in the video on these lines, centered on the nose and rear of the car. The front of the Ferrari will be lowered, producing a step-up to the nose of the car (as seen in the Caterham CT01) and rear exhaust will be “funnel-shaped”, as this is another requirement of the new regulations.
  So no surprise here, but recently the technical specialist in Formula 1 Craig Scarborough has posted on his blog that the big teams could continue to use exhaust gases on the  rear to continue to benefit from aerodynamic point of view although these will have to comply with the “funnel-shaped” regulation. According to Scarborough, the engine exhaust could be directed toward an conduct placed on the inside of the rear wheels to cause more down-force directly to the tires. This solution would still be within the rules, even is going to be on a grey area sort of speak.
  And last but not least are the suspensions ‘pull-rod’, this type of suspension seems to be one of the key points on that Ferrari invested a lot of  work. If this information is correct than it seems that the Italian team could have built the new car with the ‘pull-rod’ suspensions and has managed to incorporate them after 11 of not using this system. It is worth mentioning that Red Bull has been using this type of suspension since 2009 and we all saw how good results they had and how much help that system provided for lowering the center of gravity of the car.
  In principle, the ‘pull-rod’ system would be used only for the rear suspension, but there are some media reports suggesting that the Red car also incorporated the system on the front, as it was on Fernando Alonso’s Minardi in back in 2001, for example. Although the front suspension approach generates many questions as it seems very difficult to implement such a system with the new low and narrow nose as we will have this year.

Here is a video that is presenting how the new Ferrari “Project 663” might look compared with Italia F150:

  Marc said after the show: “It was a very interesting day: demonstrating a Formula 1 car in such a beautiful setting was really enjoyable for me.”  “I’ve done quite a few events of this type, but I have never managed to go as quickly as I did today. Towards the end, I was pressing on the accelerator, because I could feel the enthusiasm of the crowd: it was down to the track and, in the shape of the F2008, an amazing car.”

  The Spaniard felt that is important to have events like this in order to increasing the popularity of Formula 1. “It’s great to bring our sport so close to the people, especially in a country that has never seen any F1 action and I am particularly grateful to the organizer’s of the event, for ensuring all the necessary safety precautions were in place as well as allowing the spectators to experience the spectacle in such an intense way. I like Qatar: I was here back in 2004 for the first running of the MotoGP and I have found the country has changed, grown in what one could say is a controlled manner. We got a very warm welcome, showing the passion the people have for Ferrari and motoring in general.”

  With only a few weeks to go to the start of the season, inevitably Marc was asked about the Scuderia’s prospects for 2012. “Back in Maranello, everyone is doing their utmost to be as well prepared as possible for the season,” said Marc. “We are pleased with the work we are doing, but we are well aware that we don’t race alone and the others are also doing their best. We will only begin to get a true picture at the first Grand Prix in Melbourne. Clearly, Ferrari has just one objective, which is part of our DNA, namely victory and we have proved many times before that we know how to achieve it: it’s not by chance that we are the most successful team in this sport. However, we are equally aware that winning is never easy, especially in a sport as competitive as Formula 1.”

Info: ferrari.com

  After the initial talks about the system it appeared that all is OK and the system is legal therefore alongside Lotus, Ferrari and Mercedes started working on a similar system, but yesterday FIA decided that the system does not comply with moveable aerodynamic devices rules and therefore will not be permitted for the Formula1 2012 season.

  Mark Gillan, Williams F1 C.E.O. confirmed the news yesterday: “The FIA has just banned that particular type of system,” he also added: “We have been investigating that type of system for a while. It obviously has an impact on the aero platform of the car. Anything that gets the front ride height lower is beneficial from an aerodynamic perspective.”

  Various sources reported that the monocoque it’s supposedly much lighter than it’s predecessor and that it has been reinforced with additional layers of carbon fiber in order to sustain subsequent side-impact test. According to Spanish newspapers the new carbon fiber addition will have a negligible effect in term of speed, and the new Ferrari car is much expected to be presented at Jerez next month.

  There are unconfirmed rumors that Ferrari’s new “revolutionary” design will have something of a “dolphin nose” similar with what we could see last year at McLaren.

  The new Ferrari will be introduced to the world by Felipe Massa at Jerez, who will drive the car in the first 2 days and then Alonso will take it’s place for the reminder of the test days (also 2), and according to the schedule the two drivers will have similar apparitions at future tests in Barcelona.

  It was also reported that the new Sauber C31 also passed it’s preliminary crash test with F.I.A. for the rear structure of the car. As many of you might know Sauber will continue to be Ferrari powered for 2012 as well. Sauber also announced that they will unveil the new car on the eve of the test day also at Jerez.

  At the end of the day in which they took part in the customary press conferences before tacklong the snow covered slopes, Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa got up on the stage built up at the end of the 3-Tre piste that hosts one of the rounds of the Skiing World Cup.

  In a short interview session arranged for the enthusiastic spectators at the event, both Ferrari men explained that, as yet, they knew little about their new car. “For now we have only got a rough idea of what it’s like, but we can definitely expect it to be competitive, because everyone at Maranello has been working very hard,” said Fernando. Felipe underlined the importance of getting off to a good start. “If we want to fight for the title we have to be competitive right from the start,” before joking that the only certainty was the car would be red!

  The Spaniard went on to reveal how in the world of Formula 1, speed is even a factor when it comes to one’s feelings. “The disappointment after missing out in Abu Dhabi in 2010 passed quickly, as one also quickly forgets the joy of winning. In our work, everything goes quickly!” Asked about the simulator, Massa explained its importance, given the few test sessions available and then added with a smile that is favorite track is actually the demanding 3-Tre. “It’s the one I feel most comfortable with and I have no problems!”

  Today is the final day of the event organized by Philip Morris International on the slopes of the Dolomites, which has brought together the Ferrari and Ducati teams and the specialist Formula 1 and MotoGP media. It will feature a race on the frozen lake when the four wheeled men will take on their two wheeled counterparts at the wheel of go-karts and Fiat Cinquecento’s.

Info: Ferrari Magazine

  All test that took place on Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi were dominated by Jean-Eric Vergne and he’s Red Bull RB-7 setting the fastest times in all days, moreover today he was quicker with almost two seconds than the next follower Sam Bird. What is even more impressive from it’s part is that he’s best time was less than a half second away from the pole position time set by Sebastien Vettel in the qualifying session for the Abu Dhabi race.

  For the first time this week Jules Bianchi was beaten to second place by Sam Bird mostly because of the fact that Ferrari concentrated a lot on aero work testing therefore Bianchi could only set the 3rd best time of the day.

  McLaren best place of the day 3 of testing was 4th followed closely by Force India’s Max Chilton and Esteban Gutiérrez from Sauber. The Young Drivers tests here in Abu Dhabi was used by the teams also to test new aero parts and components from the next year cars and also they had a taste of the rubber that Pirelli will deliver next year.

Abu Dhabi Young Driver Test – Results day 3:

 1.  Jean-Eric Vergne     Red Bull-Renault       1m38.917s
 2.  Sam Bird             Mercedes GP            1m40.897s
 3.  Jules Bianchi        Ferrari                1m41.347s
 4.  Olivier Turvey       McLaren-Mercedes       1m41.513s
 5.  Max Chilton          Force India-Mercedes   1m41.575s
 6.  Esteban Gutierrez    Sauber-Ferrari         1m42.049s
 7.  Mirko  Bortolotti    Williams-Cosworth      1m43.277s
 8.  Kevin Ceccon         Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m43.686s
 9.  Alexander Rossi      Lotus-Renault          1m44.283s
10.  Jan Charouz          HRT-Cosworth           1m44.470s
11.  Stefano Coletti      Toro Rosso-Ferrari     1m44.545s
12.  Nathanael Berthon    HRT-Cosworth           1m45.839s
13.  Robert Wickens       Virgin-Cosworth        1m45.934s
14.  Charles Pic          Virgin-Cosworth        1m46.348s

The 21 years old French man , who is with the Red Bull Junior program has also tested for Toro Rosso and he was followed by his co-national Jules Bianchi from Ferrari. Jules was with almost 1 second slower, but the results were somewhat tempered because Scuderia Ferrari has made many aero tests.

3’rd came Robert Wickens, who tested for Renault, followed by Fabio Leimer from Sauber, who made his debut in Formula 1. Gary Paffett, only tested in the afternoon for McLaren, and finished 5th, followed by Max Chilton from Force India.

Another driver who only drove in the afternoon was Charles Pic, and he is about to be confirmed as  Timo’s Glock team mate at Virgin.

Abu Dhabi Young Driver test – Results Day 1:

 1.  Jean-Eric Vergne     Red Bull-Renault      1m40.011s   83
 2.  Jules Bianchi        Ferrari               1m40.960s   85
 3.  Robert Wickens       Renault               1m42.217s   78
 4.  Fabio Leimer         Sauber-Ferrari        1m42.331s   67
 5.  Gary Paffett         McLaren-Mercedes      1m42.912s   41
 6.  Max Chilton          Force India-Mercedes  1m43.016s   81
 7.  Valtteri Bottas      Williams-Cosworth     1m43.118s   71
 8.  Oliver Turvey        McLaren-Mercedes      1m43.502s   35
 9.  Sam Bird             Mercedes GP           1m43.548s   51
10.  Rodolfo Gonzalez     Lotus-Renault         1m44.022s   87
11.  Stefano Coletti      Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m45.278s   87
12.  Dani Clos            HRT-Cosworth          1m45.329s   68
13.  Charles Pic          Virgin-Cosworth       1m46.930s   30
14.  Adrian Quaife-Hobbs  Virgin-Cosworth       1m47.292s   32

Scuderia Ferrari
This team of racing cars has an unprecedented 15 driver’s and 16 constructor’s championships. The F2007 won both the World Championship and the Constructor’s Championship in the 2007 season with a Ferrari 700 horsepower V8 engine.

Williams-Renault
The Williams-Renault FW18 was one of the top Formula 1 racing cars in the 1990s. In 1996 it won 12 of its 16 races. It had a Renault V10 engine and was designed by Patrick Head and Adrian Newey for the Williams team.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes was dominant during the 1980s with its MP 4 series of racing cars. The very successful MP4/2 won 12 races in 1984, and was one of the only Formula 1 cars that used carbon brakes. It had a V6 Turbo engine manufactured by TAG Porsche. The chassis was made of composite materials by the American Hercules Company, a company that specialized in aerospace design.

Alfa Romeo
The Alfa Romeo 158 Alfetta won all of its races in the 1950s championships. It had a V8, 350 horsepower engine hat could run at 8500 rpm.

Ferrari
The 246 was brought out in 1957 and had a V6 engine and won four races with four drivers between 1958 and 1960, and was the last of the Ferrari cars to have a front mounted engine.
The 312T4 of 1979 won that year’s championship with Jody Scheckter as the driver. Gilles Villeneuve came in second in the same model car. Unfortunately, Villeneuve died in a tragic accident during a qualifying race in 1982. The Ferrari 126 C4 of 1984 had a then state of the art chassis of nomex honeycomb with carbon fiber and kevlar panels.

Cooper
The Cooper Climax T 51 of 1959 debuted the rear mounted engine. In 1959 it won the World Championship, driven by Australia’s Jack Brabham. Brabham later won a second championship with the Cooper-Climax T-53, which he helped design.

Brabham
The BT 19 was designed by Brabham and his compatriot Ron Tauranac. It won the championship in 1966 whilst driven by Brabham. The BT 24 of 1967 also won a championship for its year.

Lotus
The Lotus 49 of 1968 had a new Ford-Cosworth engine which powered many champions up till 1983. Driver Jim Clark won three Grand Prix competitions with this model car. The Lotus 72 of 1972, also named the John Player Special, won fifteen races between 1972 and 1974. It had inboard front brakes and a torsion bar suspension.

The Formula1 Blog wants to thank  Nisha, she represents  Wish.co.uk, Nisha loves to write, especially about cars, games and technology. Feel free to visit Wish to look at embarking on the great experiences of life!

After a meeting with team principal Stefano Domenicali, technical director Pat Fry and engine boss Luca Marmorini on Tuesday, Montezemolo said that Ferrari would score more victories over the remaining races.

"I can see the right spirit in the team after a very difficult start to the season," he told Ferrari’s official website. "Domenicali and his crew seem very determined, concentrating fully on their tasks for the second part of the year which I am sure will feature Ferrari in the role of a key player. I expect we will pick up wins to add to the important and historically very significant victory achieved at Silverstone."

Ferrari will continue to work at its factory in Maranello until Sunday when it will close its doors for a two week summer break.  More aerodynamic upgrades are planed and further developments to its exhaust-blown diffuser ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix Weekend 26-29 Aug. 2011.

Source: ESPN F1