McLaren loses several employees to Ferrari

[Scott Webber]

Ferrari has further strengthened its aerodynamic department at the expense of its rival, McLaren, after signing a handful of the outfit's former engineers.

The Italian outfit, which has been lacking in the aero department since the team opted to focus on employing home-grown engineers, is now looking to get back on track after struggling to match the might of McLaren and Red Bull of late.

"We have a long tradition of mechanical engineering but we have no tradition in aerodynamics," the company's president, Luca di Montezemolo was quoted as saying recently.

Pat Fry's move from Woking to Maranello signalled the change as he replaced Italian Aldo Costa as technical director in 2010.

Fry's connections within McLaren saw Giacomo Tortora, a specialist in aerodynamics and simulation studies, move to Ferrari a couple of months ago.

Tortora's departure to Ferrari was mirrored by Rupad Darek, also an expert in the field of aerodynamics, Chris Heal and Lawrence Hodge, all former McLaren employees now working with Ferrari as of 2012.

The latest rumoured departure from Woking is Bdukoski Martin, an experienced project manager and graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris and Imperial College of London.

source

 

[Hampus Andersson]

People move around all the time in F1. Quite alot of guys this time to one team though.
But Ferrari needs that badly, they were way to conservative this year.

 

[Ivo Simons]

Lol right away i thought of Enzo when i read the article.
Ouch.

"Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines.
Enzo Ferrari "

 

[Luke McVicar]

Enzo despite what he created was an ignorant hack.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

In a sense it´s true. Imagine F1 running spec aero.

Mercedes would dominate the sport because they have the most powerful engine and they have the most fuel efficient engine.
So for what RBR lacks in engine performance they make up tenfold in Adrian Newey and his team designing a car that is as near perfection as you could get with the regulations.

Tracks like Monza etc is a great example of the all-around capabilities of the RB7.

 

[Diego Lopez]

oh well SIlver and REd are gonna have to beat the blue no matter what it takes.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I think next year is the year for the Top Trio to be very closely matched.
Alonso had a good point saying that RBR only can improve the concept so much because it´s more of an evolution the past two years.

With Mclaren and Ferrari they have a much bigger margin of improvement due to clean sheets of paper for both of them.
I think Whitmarsh said they will keep aroun 6% of this years car.

 

[William Levesque]

Wasn't Enzo the guy who was beaten by someone who made a mid-engine Cooper in a shack with a bunch of mechanics to help him ?

 

[Hampus Andersson]

He called them something, forgot the word but i believe it was something with garage, like garageristas or something.
But Enzo himself drove a Mini as his daily driver, using the 250GT to impress instead.

 

[Mark Jameson]

He called them something, forgot the word but i believe it was something with garage, like garageristas or something.
But Enzo himself drove a Mini as his daily driver, using the 250GT to impress instead.

That's correct, what he called them, even though they pushed engineering limits at the time. Chapman's idea to bolt the engine to the chassis for 1!

 

[Kevin Cordice]

Did Ferrari get the Leftovers
Doesn't McLaren have to different teams that alternate in designing the race car each year?

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Did Ferrari get the Leftovers
Doesn't McLaren have to different teams that alternate in designing the race car each year?

People in F1 change places all the time. This time it´s Ferrari that feels they need to up their game in Aerodynamics, simulation etc.
They are quite far behind especially in simulation because back in the day they just opened the back door and logged laps on Fiorano so the teams with less money was forced to build simulators and use CFD etc and go from there.
Now Ferrari is in the same position as them but a bit behind, that´s why they spend an incredible amount of money on their simulator among other stuff.
And the windtunnel had massive problems so they had to use Toyota´s tunnel for much of this year.

Sometimes teams need to start with a cleen sheet, not just car-wise but brain wise. New brains, new ideas, more creativity etc.

 

[Kevin Cordice]

People in F1 change places all the time. This time it´s Ferrari that feels they need to up their game in Aerodynamics, simulation etc.
They are quite far behind especially in simulation because back in the day they just opened the back door and logged laps on Fiorano so the teams with less money was forced to build simulators and use CFD etc and go from there.
Now Ferrari is in the same position as them but a bit behind, that´s why they spend an incredible amount of money on their simulator among other stuff.
And the windtunnel had massive problems so they had to use Toyota´s tunnel for much of this year.

Sometimes teams need to start with a cleen sheet, not just car-wise but brain wise. New brains, new ideas, more creativity etc.

I can't wait for the season to start, hope it will be an awaking

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I can't wait for the season to start, hope it will be an awaking

Same here I love to see the new cars, and i hope Ferrari pops out a real looker, it doesn´t have to be quick, it just have to look quick
Also always interesting to see how Newey can take something that to us looks like perfection and give us that "ahaa" moment because he just perfected perfection.
And Mclaren which always has the most innovative ideas like F-duct, Octopus exhaust, L-pods etc.

It will be a great year for F1 if the Top Trio is evenly matched, then we will also see how Vettel fares when everything is really really tight.

 

[Kevin Cordice]

Please don't put Mercedes out the loop, Mr Newey is a Alien he is out of this world, innovation is what is need and Vettel wouldn't like Close Combat Battles e.g Nurburging 2011 etc, that how i like my racing

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Mercedes Mercedes Mercedes.....
First year they get the wheelbase completely wrong, same with weight dist.
Next year you would think they had learned... nope Evolution of the car from testing to race day was a disaster, it was only now in the last few races where they have solved the rear end issue.
Third times the charm?
If we compare them to BMW they must be pulling their hair out by now.

Yea Vettel spun there then he was finished mentally in that race. He could not get past Massa on track even
Funny because Schumi also spun the car there if im not mistaken.