New changes

"Ferrari have had to modify the exhaust exits on the side pods of the F60, as seen at its launch at Mugello earlier this month (left diagram). In testing the length of the tailpipes has already been reduced (right diagram). Under the original text of the 2009 technical regulations the Ferrari solution was legal. That changed following a later meeting of the Technical Working Group and FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting, in which it was it was decided that exhaust tailpipes are considered part of the bodywork. With most aerodynamic appendages outlawed for 2009, the fear was that without the change teams may come up with tailpipe shapes designed specifically to have aerodynamic benefits. This has been seen (legally) on cars in the past - for example, the Ferrari F2003 GA had tall, thin tailpipes which acted as fins to better direct airflow towards the back of the car."

As part of the aero changes designed to allow cars to be able to follow each other more closely (and hence promote overtaking), the 2009 front wing is both lower (75mm instead of 150mm) and wider (1800mm instead of 1400mm). The wing also features a universal central section (500mm), which all teams' designs must comply with this season, and a flap section that can be adjusted by the driver twice a lap over a range of six degrees.

The regulation changes for 2009 are some of the most extensive ever introduced to Formula One racing and fall into three main areas - aerodynamics, KERS and tyres. Formulated with help from the Overtaking Working Group's (OWG) engineers, the new rules aim to (1) reduce the aerodynamic sensitivity of the cars to turbulence; (2) increase overtaking opportunities; and (3) slow the cars in the very quick corners. To compensate for the loss of downforce from the aerodynamic changes, slick tyres have been brought back for the first time since 1997 to boost mechanical grip. As a result of the changes the 2009 cars appear quite different to their predecessors, with the removal of the vast majority of bargeboards (now only allowed in a very small area - see red arrow), winglets, chimneys and cooling gills leading to much cleaner looking designs. Forthcoming Technical news articles will examine each of the key areas of change in detail.

In a bid to dramatically reduce downforce levels, the 2009 technical regulations have effectively outlawed the various fins and winglets that had become a familiar feature on the sidepods of Formula One cars in recent years. But they haven't stopped Ferrari creating these innovative rear-view mirror mountings. The F60's mirrors are in a similar position to those on its predecessor, despite the new car having shorter sidepods than the F2008. Their mountings attach to the lower section of bodywork, creating a vertical turning vane similar in concept to that introduced by BMW Sauber on their F1.08 last year, a concept which was subsequently copied by most teams, including Ferrari.

source F1.com