The Ferrari F80 Plays with Air!

More than just a 1,200-horsepower power monster, the Ferrari F80 is a marvel of innovation and technological perfection.

The main enemy of any sports car, whether it’s a hybrid Ferrari or an electric Rimac, is the air that opposes its movement at very high speeds. At over 300 km/h, it’s a wall that every square millimeter of bodywork must face to continue moving ever faster. But this invisible and intangible element can also become a valuable ally when one knows how to channel it.

Aerodynamics plays a key role in the F80 as each of its elements has been designed for performance. The beautiful Italian car features solutions such as an active rear wing combined with a ground effect philosophy integrating the rear diffuser and flat floor. These solutions are reminiscent of those found in Formula 1. However, the F80 also hides beneath its stunning exterior a triple-plane front wing and an S-Duct, innovations directly inspired by the Hypercar 499P, which has just won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice. All these devices work in perfect synergy to generate over a ton of downforce at 250 km/h. This result is further enhanced by an active suspension, which contributes to optimizing mechanical grip and generating ground effect.

Behind the wheel of a true Hypercar with F1 DNA

The driver, as it is hard to refer to them as just a driver, adopts a reclining driving position similar to that found in a competitive Ferrari. This has allowed Ferrari to design an unprecedented chassis, once again inspired by motorsport, featuring a raised central keel that frees the entire central underside for airflow. The layout of the cooling system has also been designed to free the central part of the vehicle to accommodate the famous triple-plane wing and an S-Duct system. The latter captures air beneath the car and redirects it through a duct to the front hood, generating an upward flow that presses the front of the car to the ground by suction effect. This alone generates 150 of the 460 kg of maximum downforce on the front of the F80.

At the rear, the engine/transmission assembly is tilted at 1.3° to free up space for a record-length diffuser of 1.80 meters! The downforce generated by this single diffuser is a maximum of 285 kg, accounting for over 50% of the total downforce on the rear axle. The active rear wing complements this system. During braking, in turns, and in curves, its horizontal plane takes an angle of 11° to generate more downforce. Conversely, in high-speed phases, its leading edge inclines upwards to reduce drag. Exactly the same principle as what you will see on the Ferrari SF-24s of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz this weekend at the United States Grand Prix.

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