Fernando Alonso shook down the new Ferrari F150 following its launch this morning.
Alonso drove the car around the team’s Fiorano test track.
He said he expects the new car to suit him better than last year’s F10 having now spent a year with the team:
When I arrived in 2010 I found a very different car compared to the one I had driven before. This year I contributed and I think that also my driving style had an influence on the development. Now I also know the people in my team and I’ve got a good relationship with them and I’m always putting them under pressure.
Fernando Alonso
Ferrari F150 first laps – pictures
Ferrari F150 first laps – video
Teams are not allowed to conduct private testing but they can run their cars for promotional purposes on a limited number of occasions per year.
Image © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo
Joe Szpara
28th January 2011, 18:32
Thats a very Williams-Ish Nose dont you think?
miguelF1O (@)
29th January 2011, 8:18
Maybe but compare it to the Ferrari F2000
miguelF1O (@)
29th January 2011, 8:21
very Redbullysh chassis, those radiators and the high position of riding really seem to be an adaptation of redbull anyway Ferrari always makes nice and beautiful cars; with bad colour schemes, Santander please ***
damonsmedley (@damonsmedley)
30th January 2011, 11:24
Wow! Thanks for pointing that out – it actually looks very similar! :)
miguelF1O (@)
29th January 2011, 8:26
that coke bottle shape is getting a bit too common, despite new regulations teams are quickly reaching standards, i hope other cars will be different.
Faraz (@faraz)
28th January 2011, 18:35
Just to say its been 1 year since I have been using this website so Keith thank you for the contributions.
electrolite (@electrolite)
28th January 2011, 19:10
Same here actually! Thanks Keith.
F1iLike
28th January 2011, 19:31
+1
Awesome site!
LeRoy
28th January 2011, 18:43
Onboard video for advertising purposes? :)
Fixy (@)
28th January 2011, 22:17
Now it’s there.
Fixy (@)
28th January 2011, 18:44
The helmet looks just light blue from the front, and I have to admit I prefered last year’s one. By the way, the red stripe on the visor is ugly, should have been light blue like the one of 2010: http://www.anf1blog.com/wp-content/gallery/2010-f1-helmets/fernando-alonso-2010-helmet_right.jpg
PT
31st January 2011, 7:33
Interestingly, Massa still has the yellow strip as last year.
BBT (@bbt)
28th January 2011, 18:49
So they stuck with push-rod suspension and seem confident.
Will this year be between Vettel and Alonso?
Gridlock
28th January 2011, 21:22
Yes. And Webber, Hamilton, Button, Schumacher, Rosberg, Kubica, and perhaps even Di Resta, Maldono or Massa. Good innit? :D
Fixy (@)
28th January 2011, 22:18
*Maldonado
tdncfmkyh
28th January 2011, 22:53
I think it’s a bit optimistic to say the least to expect di Resta and Maldonado to challenge of the championship in their first season…
Todfod (@todfod)
29th January 2011, 7:05
I think you are missing Karthikeyan and D’Ambrosio
DANK
28th January 2011, 18:59
What are the restrictions on how much you can run current cars outside of official test days?
Fixy (@)
28th January 2011, 19:53
There’s the rule preventing new parts from being tested in filming sessions. The whole car is new so it shouldn’t have been allowed?
Gridlock
28th January 2011, 21:29
http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/sporting_regulations/8713/fia.html
There’s your answers.
SteveMovieVoice (@welshf1)
28th January 2011, 19:00
The car looks short with its low role hoop.
footfarmer
28th January 2011, 19:09
maybe it’s just me, but the car doesn’t look all that .. sometimes a car arrives and makes you go [technical description] hyyyyaaabughhhh.. i’m sure it’ll look better in Bahrain in race spec or at least in the later tests when they aren’t hiding everything.. but often cars that have ‘the look’ seem to perform well and vice-versa.. Earth Honda, Red Williams etc etc
Scribe (@scribe)
28th January 2011, 23:03
Weal, didn’t think the F10 looked all that, seemed to be a mish mash of some of the previous years best bits. Possibly this is the ferrari way, Quick but super solid base that can be developed.
Faraz (@faraz)
28th January 2011, 19:15
Alonso’s got a rather glum face on hope thats not because of the car.
Scribe (@scribe)
28th January 2011, 23:05
An vice versa :)
I wonder if can know already, a few champions talk about taking the car they win the championship out for it’s first spin and thinking i’m gonna have a shot this year, this is it.
It’d be facinaiting to know what he’s saying to his engineers, wonder if he knows it’s capable of delivering yet.
snowman
29th January 2011, 13:33
Was thinking the same thing about the glum look on his face. Doesn’t help either that think it was Domenical emphasizing that times at the start don’t matter. We know they don’t but just the fact he said it. Maybe either that’s just the sandbagging line & Alonso’s look is the poker face one…
Scribe (@scribe)
29th January 2011, 15:50
Only smiles when his just won something, or about to say something enourmously self congratulatory, apart from that he hasn’t smiled in over 17 and a half years. I wouldn’t do to muc on his expression.
Besides it’s an evolved version of last years car, which we all know was good so, I assume it felt pretty fine.
THe more I look at the car the more it scares me in fact.
snowman
29th January 2011, 20:05
”Only smiles when his just won something, or about to say something enourmously self congratulatory”
haha, yep apparently the reason he wasn’t happy was because he wanted them to change the name Ferrari F150 to Fernando F150 before he give it the first test drive.
troutcor
30th January 2011, 9:19
Well if you want Guy Smiley, support Button. If it’s talent you’re after, Alonso’s your man.
snowman
30th January 2011, 18:34
yep, guess you’re right, if only Button had have been beaten by a rookie he could have turned into mister frowny too.
spawinte
28th January 2011, 19:23
You can see right along the floor straight clear out through the rear. Actually looks really good.
I’m guessing it’s not any more tapered than normal but they’ve just designed everything to be out of the way.
ESPImperium
28th January 2011, 19:27
Any idea how many laps he did???
Todfod (@todfod)
28th January 2011, 19:44
What tyres are those on the car? Pirelli intermediates or wets?
Fixy (@)
28th January 2011, 20:14
Look like wets.
Scottie (@scottie)
28th January 2011, 21:15
definately wets… intermediates aren’t cut that deep
dave
28th January 2011, 20:07
good to see ferrari bending the rules as ever
matt88 (@matt88)
28th January 2011, 20:19
bending the rules? are you serious?
kylenz (@)
28th January 2011, 20:27
I agree with you Dave. Cheater as ever. lol
Oliver
29th January 2011, 4:12
The teams are allowed a shakedown.
Todfod (@todfod)
29th January 2011, 6:59
I think dave is right. These secret 10 laps before testing starts, will be the key to who wins the championship.
MaroonJack (@maroonjack)
28th January 2011, 20:13
I like Alonso’s evil moustache ;)
Tim
28th January 2011, 20:37
He looks like one of the three Musketeers.
US_Peter (@us_peter)
28th January 2011, 23:38
Apparently his mother disagrees with you: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/01/28/uk-motor-racing-ferrari-alonso-idUKTRE70R2U020110128
Mack41 (@mack41)
28th January 2011, 20:36
Since its a promotional run are they forced to run treaded tires so as not to gain information?
Fixy (@)
28th January 2011, 22:20
They were forced to use wets because the track was wet.
Mack41 (@mack41)
29th January 2011, 6:06
I can see that it is wet, but I was just wondering if in general are they given a special tire for promotional events. Guess I wasn’t too clear.
topdowntoedown (@topdowntoedown)
29th January 2011, 10:22
That’s not a bad idea actually. Make one that’s so hard it’s impossible to drive the car at any speed. Like the Comfort Hards in GT5 ;)
Incidentally, from this angle https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/alon_ferr_2011_fior-3.jpg it looks like someone’s forgotten to bolt the engine in. When there’s a V4 in the back instead of a V8 the back end of these things is going to be seriously oddly-shaped…
Alianora La Canta
29th January 2011, 14:18
Yes. If the promotional session is dry, special hard tyres are issued specifically to prevent data collection from being of use to the team doing the running.
Mack41 (@mack41)
29th January 2011, 18:43
Cool, thanks for that info!
Bigredbears10
28th January 2011, 20:36
The front wing looks higher off the ground!
Scottie (@scottie)
28th January 2011, 21:20
lol, I think cause it’s not going fast enough or turning :)
D Mc
28th January 2011, 20:44
just got a feeling that it’s a lemon. It looks very basic. Maybe it’s all underneath the skin, e.g. KERS unit that weighs less than anti-matter.
I predict a red bull catch up again this year and Mclaren will be next, then Ferrfarti.
Peter
29th January 2011, 10:23
Anti-matter weighs the same as matter.
Just goes bang pretty easily.
D Mc
28th January 2011, 20:47
in fact, its so chubby in the middle it may already be gestating next years effort.
ugly motor indeed!
If ugly cars are fast why are Ferrari road cars so pretty???
rfs (@rfs)
28th January 2011, 21:09
The car looked nice in the studio pictures, but on track it looks pretty blocky. But chances are it’ll be competitive.
Gridlock
28th January 2011, 21:25
Votes for Keith putting this link at the end of each article?
http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules_and_regulations/technical_regulations/
:D
RaV
28th January 2011, 22:09
They say they were running the car “for promotional purposes”, however they also used some data-collecting devices. You can see the red laser point on the asphalt in this photo:
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/alon_ferr_2011_fior-18.jpg
It’s also more or less visible in some other photos. Similar testing devices are also being used by WRC teams – see: http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/5143/026zxl.jpg – but I’m not sure what particular data do they collect.
dexterous (@dexterous)
28th January 2011, 22:37
Thank you mate for this wonderful site………..have to say the car does look beautiful on the track
dexterous (@dexterous)
28th January 2011, 22:38
just cant wait for the other cars to showcase ……….
Gaston (@golarrazabal)
28th January 2011, 22:49
Hah, forget the bar code, that’s some serious Marlboro-like stuff with that new “Scuderia Ferrari” logo on the engine cover :D
The car looks very… vanilla. But I expect it to be good. We’ll see. I’m looking forward to the RBR7.
James
28th January 2011, 23:28
Does anyone else think Alonso’s head is a bit a high up? defeats the point of the raised headrest.
James
28th January 2011, 23:53
Hearing the sound of an F1 engine again after a long winter is like music to my ears.
The car is an evolution on a fairly good 2010 car, so we can expect it to be challenging for wins more often than not. Fernando himself is looking in good shape, has the backing of the team and is as hungry as ever.
I know it’s very early in the year, and we’ve still yet to see the other 11 teams unleash their beasts, but the prancing horse is gonna be a tough machine to beat this year. Roll on Bahrain.
Rob Wilson
28th January 2011, 23:59
Didn’t think i would say this but maybe it would better with a shark fin? It’s definitely not a looker, f10 looked good, but this.. i’m really not sure, alonso’s head seems too big for the car as though it’s a plastic toy he’s driving, can’t explain it but it doesn’t look fast..
Rob Wilson
29th January 2011, 0:02
I think it’s just bland, not particularly ugly just nothing that makes you go wow and in my case say “what a beast” surely part of the Ferrari brand is to make the car pretty..
Gridlock
29th January 2011, 0:08
I’d like to be the first to congratulate Fernando’s eyebrows on the birth of their son, he looks fit and healthy and is settling into his new home under the nose very well.
Icthyes
29th January 2011, 14:08
Hahahahaha!
-A-
29th January 2011, 0:22
Interesting to see the movable rear wing in action. As I was hoping, it is a significant enough difference to the normal position that one should be able to spot when it is being used at least in the television pictures.
Some interesting lines and shapes in this car, and for what it’s worth, I find the new team logo a lot less intrusive visually than the barcode design.
wasiF1 (@wasif1)
29th January 2011, 1:49
OFF TROPIC
There was so much between Schumacher & Ferrari, so will Ferrari ever allow Schumacher to enter in their F1 section in Maranello?
Dev
29th January 2011, 4:47
yes, once he retires from active racing and when he is not part of any other F1 team.
Dev
29th January 2011, 4:44
i think it’s like force india nose, mercedes engine cover, mclaren sidepots.
Regis
29th January 2011, 4:45
After looking at this car a lot more i have to say i really like it :) its beautiful. Can’t wait to see the others
Nesto
29th January 2011, 6:13
I’m with all the doubters, the car just doesn’t look fast. Its clearly going to be 5 tenths off the pace of the Renaults let alone the RBRs because I mean.. just LOOK at it !! Looks are everything and I am an expert !! Ferrari say it will look different between now and the first race, I don’t understand why they don’t slap everything on the car right now for everyone to see. And further, they are some serious cheats, it doesn’t matter if they don’t have Pirelli rubber because no one does yet right ? Or did they somehow get wet Pirellis AND still have the gall to not only record all this but upload it for all to see !?!? Thats just downright unethical, F1 would be better off w/o Ferrari.
*sarcasm off*
Dev
29th January 2011, 7:28
i’m not sure how you can say it’s going to 5 tenths slower than Renault, we have not even seen Renault yet :-/
Giggsy11 (@giggsy11)
29th January 2011, 11:09
HaHa classic :)
Racefan
29th January 2011, 7:26
I like the back end of the car more.I think KERS is an advantage for them.
VXR
29th January 2011, 8:47
Is it just me or is it ever such a teeny weeny different shade of red? Not much else to note at present.
McLaren deffo had the best KERS at the end of 09, but I think that William’s are now the experts in that field.
YR
29th January 2011, 10:27
I’ve heard from a guy who’s cousin works for the red team..but apparently apart from the sidepods monocoque are and role hoop,the f150 we’ll look largely different by the time the lights go of in bharain.word has it that there more to it than wat meets the eye,with a lot of hidden changes.but let’s wait n see.I think the car looks good.but to those who think it doesn’t,all I gta say is that..unlike a good lookin girl,a good lookin car isn’t always fast.
Alexi (@)
29th January 2011, 10:55
Alonso looks much more manlier than Hamilton or Massa with that moustache of his.
geo132 (@geo132)
29th January 2011, 11:45
It just came to my mind, weren’t the Ferrari drivers running behind each other A LOT in practice in Abu Dhabi 2 months ago? Did anyone think they were trying out the new wing device back then?
dennis
29th January 2011, 12:07
“We also improved the radio button a lot. Fernando can now bitch and whine much more often, and much easier than last year. Also, Massa can now let him pass much quicker.”
Dev
29th January 2011, 14:07
but massa can try the adjusting the rear wing magic on the last lap on Alonso. that will be so funny to see.
nemo
29th January 2011, 12:25
Hrmmm i don’t like it so much now having seen it out on track.. looks a bit ‘origami’ to me :\
chaos
29th January 2011, 13:40
for me it looks good, looks small for a car that will run a full race without refueling, with KERS… damn where did they put all those things? :D but that is the advantage hidden underneath the skin. Looking forward to see this car with the new wings in practice.
ShawnF
30th January 2011, 4:24
Any idea where’s Chris Dyer?
1992 Peugeot Talbot Sport (@peugeot-905-92-93-le-mans-winner)
30th January 2011, 13:03
No pictures of the diffusor? The spyshots of the renault R31 gives no blown diffusor on the R31