Ferrari F1/86
 | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Scuderia Ferrari | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Harvey Postlethwaite | ||||||||
| Predecessor | 156/85 | ||||||||
| Successor | F1/87 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon fibre and Aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque structure | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbone, inboard spring / damper | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Double wishbone suspension | ||||||||
| Axle track |
Front: 1,807 mm (71 in) Rear: 1,663 mm (65 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,766 mm (109 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Ferrari Tipo 032, 1,496 cc (91.3 cu in), 120° V6, turbo, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Ferrari 6-speed sequential transverse gearbox manual | ||||||||
| Weight | 548 kg (1,208.1 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Agip | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |
27.  Michele Alboreto28.  Stefan Johansson | ||||||||
| Debut | 1986 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
The Ferrari F1/86 was a Formula One car created by Scuderia Ferrari for use in the 1986 Formula One season. It was designed by Harvey Postlethwaite who had designed its predecessor, the 156/85, but was very uncompetitive, despite the engine being regarded as one of the strongest on the grid, and failed to make any impression. The car was replaced by the Ferrari F1/87 for the 1987 season.
Development and Race History
The Ferrari F1/86 was designed as a replacement for the 156/85 used in 1985, which initially proved to be competitive, but as the season developed had increasing reliability issues as well as lagging behind in the power race. The chassis and the overall design of the 1986 car was very similar to the 1985 model. The main concerns were in refining the aerodynamics and improving reliability.
Although it was among the fastest cars in a straight line in the 1986 season, often bettered only by the BMW powered cars, the F1/86 performed far worse than its predecessor: the reliability problems were all but eliminated, but it was constantly outpaced by the faster Williams-Hondas, McLaren-TAGs, Lotus-Renaults and Benetton-BMWs. The car gained 5 podiums during the year, 4 from Stefan Johansson and 1 from Michele Alboreto, and failed to score a single win, pole position or fastest lap. Despite this, it was generally regarded in the F1 paddock that Ferrari actually had one of the more powerful engines in the field.
The power of the Tipo 032 engine was never in question; the F1/86 is the most powerful car, for racing or road that Ferrari has ever produced. During qualifying for the French Grand Prix at the shortened Paul Ricard Circuit, Alboreto was able to use the engines reported 1,200 bhp (895 kW; 1,217 PS) (the engines were detuned to around 850 bhp (634 kW; 862 PS) for races) to blast past the Williams of Nigel Mansell on the long Mistral Straight. However, the car's handling problems became apparent in the corners following the straight with Mansell claiming they were driving much slower than he could have despite Alboreto being on a qualifying lap (Alboreto qualified six-tenths slower than Mansell). The F1/86 reportedly only handled well on the smoothest of circuits.
Visually, the F1/86 was bulky looking compared to its rivals and reminded many of the 126C3 used in 1983, though in reality it was actually smaller and lower than the car which drove to the 1983 Constructors' Championship. The car did manage to lead one lap of the entire 1986 season when at the Belgian Grand Prix when Johansson inherited the lead when Mansell made an early pit stop for new tyres (Johansson finished 3rd in front of team leader Alboreto despite being told via the radio to stay behind the Italian). The F1/86 looked to be at its most competitive during the Italian Grand Prix where Alboreto, encouraged by the Tifosi, was keeping pressure on the Williams' of Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet, before a spin exiting the Variante del Rettifilo chicane. Alboreto had already overtaken Keke Rosberg (McLaren), René Arnoux (Ligier-Renault) and Gerhard Berger (Benetton) and looked on course to compete for victory.
Ferrari recruited English designer John Barnard, then technical director at McLaren, towards the latter stages of the season in an attempt to regain ground on their rivals from 1987 onwards. The chassis was replaced by the Gustav Brunner designed F1/87 model for the 1987 season.
Complete Formula One results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Driver | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pts. | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC | Ferrari Tipo 032 V6 tc |
G | BRA | ESP | SMR | MON | BEL | CAN | DET | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | AUT | ITA | POR | MEX | AUS | 37 | 4th | |
| Michele Alboreto | Ret | Ret | 10 | Ret | 4 | 8 | 4 | 8 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 2 | Ret | 5 | Ret | Ret | ||||||
| Stefan Johansson | Ret | Ret | 4 | 10 | 3 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 3 |
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ferrari F1/86. |
- ↑ "STATS F1 • Ferrari F186". Statsf1.com. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
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