According to the media in Spain, while still very much focused on their 2011 package – that has so far taken them to 3rd in the overall classification, way behind the Red Bulls, after 4 rounds – some elements of next year's challenger have already made the drawing board at Maranello.
The chassis, gearbox, suspension and cooling systems of the 150 Italia's successor are already carefully looked into by the engineers, and it seems Ferrari are gunning for innovation, rather than a conservatory design for the 2012 challenger.
The aforementioned source quotes Ferrari's chief designer Nikolas Tombazis as saying that the 2012 car development programme kicks off in May, “because otherwise it will be too late. For this development we have spoken about the problems of this year to have more aggressiveness in the project.”
Ferrari scored its first podium in the 2011 Formula 1 season last weekend, in the Turkish Grand Prix, when Fernando Alonso came 3rd overall, after Red Bull's duo Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. The Scuderia debuted brand new front/rear wings at Istanbul as part of their new development programme for 2011, and confirmed that they will continue to update their car at each of the remaining GPs this year.
According to reports, several updates are being developed in the floor, diffuser, exhausts and engine mapping areas.
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