Ferrari SF90, 2019

First pictures of new Ferrari SF90 leaked

2019 F1 season

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The first pictures of Ferrari’s new car for the 2019 F1 season have leaked online ahead of its official launch today.

The team finished second to Mercedes for the last two seasons and will be targeting nothing less than the championship with its new car, named the Ferrari SF90.

Ferrari say the new car features a slimmer engine cover to improve its aerodynamic efficiency. This has been achieved by repositioning parts of the power unit’s ancillary components. The team describes the car’s air intake as being more similar to the design used on its 2016 car.

Other parts of the car follow the major 2019 rules changes which allow for a wider front wing and enlarged rear wing but also require shorter bargeboards.

Within the team there have been two significant changes ahead of 2019. Charles Leclerc has joined the driver roster alongside Sebastian Vettel, replacing outgoing driver Kimi Raikkonen.

There has been change at the top of the team as well. Former team principal Maurizio Arrivabene left Ferrari at the beginning of the year and has been replaced by Mattia Binotto.

[smr2018test]

Pictures: Ferrari reveals new SF90 for 2019

Video: Ferrari reveals new SF90 for 2019

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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77 comments on “First pictures of new Ferrari SF90 leaked”

  1. stop ruining it for everybody in this goddamn world

  2. The Mission Winnow logo on the rear wing is now grey instead of white as it was at the tail-end of last season. A bit of black on the front wing as well.

    1. @jerejj – yeah, I think they want to break that red/white association with Marlboro.

      1. and they did a matte paint job, wasn’t expecting that

      2. Pat Ruadh (@fullcoursecaution)
        15th February 2019, 10:17

        My thoughts too.
        I would imagine it was planned to be white until Australia kicked off about PMI, and may return to white if and when the heat subsides.

        That Alfa front wing has really thrown a spanner in the works this year. I still dont know what to make of it. It seems like a bad idea to me at first glance but then I’m Jon Snow when it comes to aerodynamics.
        I still kinda hope it’s the Ferrari family stealing a march.
        Maybe its tusk-nosed nonsense, maybe the others are bluffing and when the cars roll out at Catalunya they will all carry that design because it’s the optimal solution, or maybe its just Alfa playing games.
        Whatever the answer is I can’t wait until Monday to find out

      3. My guess is that the Mission Minnow lettering will actually look white when daylight shines directly upon it.

        1. I would imagine it was planned to be white until Australia kicked off about PMI, and may return to white if and when the heat subsides.

          @fullcoursecaution – yeah, that does make a lot of sense!

          My guess is that the Mission Minnow lettering will actually look white when daylight shines directly upon it.

          @montalvo – if they’ve done that, that’ll be clever, and smart of you to have also thought of it.

  3. So, last year’s car with a front wing that holds between Alfa and Merc/RB.
    Doubt this is what it’ll look like on Monday.

  4. Wow, mate red it is, then. I, for one, like it and for once the italian press was right!
    The car looks way too simple to be Melbourne-ready, IMHO. The front wing looks similar to the Alfa one and they went with Red Bull-style placements for the mirrors
    On the sponsorship side, the lost Weichai and Singha (the latter was expected, as their logo was seen in the Alfa yesterday)

  5. The McLaren nose? Not even McLaren uses that anymore, and they awful

    1. Or maybe McLaren are so awful they don’t know they’d stumbled onto something good…

      1. Doubt it that it would be the team that wrongfully developed their car for 3 months without noticing it that will uncover it

        1. They did drop those rear wing strakes last season at just the time Mercedes and others started to use them, so I wouldn’t rule it out.

    2. The solution McLaren came up with for their nose could well have been very good for a particular purpose. They are likely not using it now because they need the nose to do something different, not because it was not a good solution to a particular problem. Ferrari likely now need to solve the same issue as McLaren did and so have used the same solution.

      1. oh Lee, don’t me sensible. It is still the off season, don’t spoil my almost humour

    3. Most of the cars still use that nose, or a variation of it. I think it’s only Mercedes and McLaren that don’t.

    4. As noted by other’s Ferrari isn’t the only team using this design. Also if memory serves this is something they already used in 2018.

  6. Are we sure these are photos? Looks like a 3D rendering.

    1. You’re absolute correct, these are just renderings!

  7. I’m torn here. Ferrari launch is undergoing now and the car is not yet unveiled. I’m sure if you decided to publish these renders you have good reason to think they’re true, but I would have preferred an article saying that there has bean a leak, without actually showing the pics.

  8. There is a lot hidden in these renders so they are largely pointless from a technical point of view, but the livery looks great. Having the “MissionwindefinitelynotPhilipMorrisorMarlboro” logos in black/grey rather then white makes them a lot less jarring.

  9. Looks like matte, I like it!

  10. The fact that Ferrari is the only team which leaked the visuals of the car before the official release is also a statement on the security quality / reliability of the staff.

    1. it’s possible that this photo release is a planned leak by ferrari themselves…ahead to gauge reactions….these photos are too detailed…for mere leaks ….its a statement of some sort..

      1. They literally do this every year

        1. Then other website would have had them – I can’t go into detail how Keith acquired the pics, but le me assure you that this was no deliberate leak by Ferrari.

          1. But they are all over the official f1 website…

          2. @dieterrencken
            Which brings us back to my point.
            Maybe it’s stereotyping the German reliability, but I somehow cannot imagine the pics of a Mercedes leaking before launch. It just shows how serious the company and its employees are about their business. At least one Ferrari employee must have decided that it is OK to jeopardize the Ferrari launch show (maybe it’s not a big deal, but anyway), and, what is perhaps more alarming, he/she must have felt comfortable enough to expect to get away with it.

          3. @piotrzukowski that’s because Merc is not red. Follow me: who is always responsible for every hacking occurring everywhere? Russians and Chinese. And which manufacturer do you think they’ll hack, someone who’s neutrality-grey as Mercedes? Or freedom-blue like Red Bull? Or COMMUNIST-RED?

          4. @piotrzukowski that’s because it would go against the brand image Mercedes builds for themselves: as you said, ‘German reliability‘, seriousness, ‘you can trust us and our products‘; this is the way Mercedes wants you to see them. Ferrari, on the other hand, wants to be seeing as fun, desirable, passionate, ‘our fans are so anxious to see our new car they can’t wait a few hours‘ kind of brand. so it would make sense for them to “leak” images ahead of launch…

            that said, if @dieterrencken assures us that he and Keith think this is a legitimate leak, I’m more than willing to trust them…

          5. @arrows98 I had said it wasn’t a deliberate leak, I didn’t say anything about legitimate. Legitimate implies planned, and knowing what i do about how they were obtained, I know the leak was neither planed not deliberate.

            Tony Mansell, yes they are now all over the website, but weren’t when we revealed them at 10am – they appeared on the website well over an hour later

          6. @arrows98 I never saw the Ferrari brand as a “fun” brand (compared to e.g. RedBull). If I were to name one immediate connotation with Ferrari, it would be exclusivity – and I believe this is what their marketing is actually trying to achieve (limited editions, offers to member of the Family of Ferrari owners etc.). And the exclusivity thought goes strongly against leaking pictures in advance to the scripted, prepared and exclusive show which was their launch.

          7. @m-bagattini You’re saying the reds are hacking themselves?

          8. sorry @dieterrencken I meant legitimate in the sense that it was an actual leak, not a planned marketing exercise. deliberate would indeed be a better word for it.

            @piotrzukowski Ferrari is such a weird brand: they certainly market a bit towards exclusivity but, at the same time, are more than willing to throw their brand on cheap perfumes. but you’re right, fun is not a good word for Ferrari; desirable would be much better, I think.

  11. I was kind of expecting a livery along the lines of Ducatis MotoGP bike…

  12. May i NOW complain that Ferrari’s naming scheme is confusing?
    F310
    F310B
    F300
    F399
    F1 2000
    F2001
    F2002
    F2003-GA
    F2004
    F2005
    248 F1
    F2007
    F2008
    F60
    F10
    150° Italia
    F2012
    F138
    F14T
    SF15-T
    SF16-H
    SF70H
    SF71H
    SF90

    Makes perfect sense, right?

    1. This year’s car may as well be called the P45…

    2. @mrboerns On the contrary, I like it. Not everything has to increment by one every year. Gives the cars a bit more identity.

      1. I would totaly agree @keithcollantine if it wasn’t for this bogus numbering scheme that makes you think there is some sort of system behind it. If you’re gonna be random about it, why not use names? Get crazy!

        1. @mrboerns there is meaning behind those numbers, and names. It’s just not sequential.

          It is confusing if you see the whole list. But confusing… about what? You’re not supposed to remember them, it’s not a street car, it’s a race car. I personally like, for instance, the -GA they added in memory of Gianni Agnelli. Or the 90 of this year’s anniversary.

          1. just seen the ferrari advert fir the launch itself and it appears the 90 refers to the 90 years of ferrari existence this year.

          2. I think this years 90ies is particulary confusing, as we are just two years off the 70th anniversary and ten off the 60th. Yes i get that they refer to different dates but you gotta admit thats slightly messy. Also the jump from f60 to f10 to 150°. And then again counting sequentially for a bit. then again reverting to the ‘traditional’ capacity/cylinder scheme but never basically just shuffling those numbers around in some abitrary pattern.

            Basically, the search for the true random number generator is at an end, just use the Ferrari naming formula from here on out. …can i apply for a turing award now?

          3. Why don’t they just call it the ‘Mustagoafaster’ or whatever they call star destroyers in italian Star Wars

    3. it makes perfect sense. Mercedes has been dominating the Hybrid era, so they scrapped the “H”. SF everybody knows what that means, and 90 is the amount of points that Vettel has to add to his current tally to win the championship.

      1. @johnmilk I see what you did here :D

      2. You think noone is gonna go triple digit points this year? That is one couragous bet, but i guess the odds are quite rewarding

        1. @mrboerns

          …to add to his current tally to win the championship.

          1. @johnmilk

            …to add to his current tally to win the championship.

            …which is zero

          2. @mrboerns

            last year’s, sorry! Damn when have you become so literal?

    4. Ferrari’s numbering system in general makes sense and is quite good if you know what you are looking for historically.

      The number format usually changes when there is an engine change, the first year of the new format usually denotes a new engine. It went slightly arwry with the F14T which was open to public vote. It should have been F16T or F164T following tradition.

      For Example:
      412T – 4Valve V12 Transverse Gearbox
      F310 – 3ltr 10cylinder
      248 F1 – 2.4ltr 8cylinder
      F14T (F16T) 1.6Ltr Turbo (the T later changed to H for Hybrid)

      Unfortunately they have started including milestone numbers into the runs which confuses things a bit.

      1. Grr no Edit button!

        Sorry the F14T should have been F164T (1.6ltr 4cylinder Turbo)

        1. You certainly wanted to say F166T (1.6ltr 6cylinder Turbo)?

    5. SF90 indacates 90 years of the scuderia team Nov 1929.

  13. I’m not convinced that these are official

  14. God that engine intake looks tiny.

  15. Love the matt paint job.

  16. Love the matte red and livery in general, need to see real photos for the rest of it.

  17. isaac (@invincibleisaac)
    15th February 2019, 11:26

    Personally I’m a bit disappointed with the colour scheme. Just not a fan of the grey instead of the white, plus the halo looks very dull like last year’s Mercedes – would’ve preferred it to be red like last year. But so long as it’s fast it shouldn’t be an issue

  18. While it might look like the sauber front wing, it seems they are going with the same principal, with the out washing on ends.

    1. They all have the boards on the end of the front wing. Its 2019 rule change no?

      1. What I meant to right, was ‘it might not look like the sauber’. I’m not talking about the end plate, but just before it how the elements are shaped (see how day drop towards end plates) . Alfa romeos is similar concept but more extreme.

        1. What I meant to ‘write’ geez..

  19. chupamelachota racefans
    15th February 2019, 12:05

    after the sf14t the worst ferrari a have even seen

    1. is that you Fred? come on don’t be rude. The filter only works in English I suppose

      1. chupamelachota racefans
        15th February 2019, 12:30

        who’s fred??

        1. Pat Ruadh (@fullcoursecaution)
          15th February 2019, 13:41

          Affectionate term for Alonso.
          Not sure why as its not a direct nickname. Though I suppose Fernando comes from Ferdinand which is a bit more Freddy

          1. Why is he using it? I’ve read it before but don’t know why people call him that, it seems haters of him use it.

          2. What a question, because of all the Freddos he got to munch!

  20. No photo from the rear, maybe something funky going on like some are saying about mclaren diffuser, which was blacked out in renders. They seem to be moving forward towards the front wheel with the barge board area bits, which others aren’t doing (yet) but is now allowed in New rules.

  21. Dutchguy (@justarandomdutchguy)
    15th February 2019, 12:17

    Returning to black looks a lot better than I expected. not a fan of the grey tho

    That airbox is intresting though. In an age where most teams use very large rounded opening, Ferrari have RETURNED to the old fashioned triangular opening.
    Looks decently fast, bit more intresting colour scheme, probably gonna be quick. Let’s hope for the Tiffosi Vettel keeps it out of the wall and other cars and Leclerc gets the chance to perform

  22. More photos just released from the physical car at the launch, the side pod holes are reealy interestingly angled, I can’t tell but maybe up to 30% like they want air to come in from the sides and not just from straight infront. They aren’t seeming to bother with nose airducts.

  23. No white… this year may be great for Ferrari :)

  24. These pictures are a smoke screen for sure!

  25. just seen the ferrari advert fir the launch itself and it appears the 90 refers to the 90 years of ferrari existence this year.

  26. The fact that the yellow on the UPS, Shell, and Ferrari logo are all different yellows drives my OCD bonkers.

  27. Is that a Ferrari or a Mission Winnow car? So many ads on the car on every part…

Comments are closed.