Breaking news

Formula 1 Mexican GP

Ferrari to try new floor again as Red Bull copies idea

Ferrari is to test its new floor again in Mexico this weekend, with rival Red Bull also set to run its own version of the concept.

Jonathan Noble

Jonathan Noble

Edited: Oct 26, 2018, 2:44 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Red Bull Racing RB14 floor detail

Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis

Giorgio Piola is the preeminent Formula 1 technical journalist. View our full selection of Giorgio's technical illustrative content

Ferrari has not been convinced by the new floor idea so far, having abandoned it after practice in both Japan and America, but its decision at both races was influenced by poor weather conditions in practice leading to a lack of useful running.

Although rolling back on its updates helped Ferrari deliver victory in Austin last weekend, the team still wants to understand more about the new floor idea.

It has fitted the upgrade again to Kimi Raikkonen's car for Friday practice in Mexico so it can do a proper back-to-back with the old floor that Sebastian Vettel will run.

The floor features a long slot at the rear in front of the rear tyre, and it was modified last weekend with a series of three fins aimed at both energising the airflow and diverting debris away from the diffuser area.

Ferrari SF71H floor detail

Ferrari SF71H floor detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Speaking ahead of the Mexico race, Vettel said it was important the team got to the bottom of why recent updates had not delivers all that had been hoped.

“It is important that we are starting to understand what didn’t work or was not as good as before,” he said. “I think it was important to go a step back to understand some things. But the main thing is we keep moving forward.

“The last couple of days have been quite important, the last weeks also, and we have started to understand a bit more, so we try to move forward.”

Rival Red Bull has now also copied the Ferrari idea by adding extra fins to the floor of its RB14, as it plans to evaluate the development in Friday practice.

Red Bull has also added a Gurney flap to the back edge of the sidepod in a bid for extra downforce.

 

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Hartley gets Toro Rosso upgrade use in Mexico

Next article Hamilton explains "massive" issue behind US GP slump

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Jonathan Noble



Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours

Formula 1

Formula 1 Dec 31, 2024

Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours



The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season

Formula 1

Formula 1 Dec 31, 2024

The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season



Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress

Formula 1

Formula 1

Australian GP

Dec 28, 2024

Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress

More from

Ferrari



The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season

Formula 1

The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season



Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

1 d

Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"



Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Formula 1

Mexican GP

Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Latest news



The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season

Formula 1

The surprising convergence behind F1's increasingly competitive 2026 season



“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1 3 h

“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return



Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign

IMSA

IMSA IMSA 3 h

Myers Riley Motorsports adds Andretti alongside returning Fraga for 2027 IMSA GTD campaign



Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Las Vegas GP

4 h

Las Vegas GP reveals neon sign-inspired trophy design

Feature

Discover prime content



Tough love and F1 titles – A key life lesson behind Wolff's Mercedes success

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Ronald Vording

Tough love and F1 titles – A key life lesson behind Wolff's Mercedes success



How Brazil showcased everything that's good about F1 - plus some that isn't

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Filip Cleeren

How Brazil showcased everything that's good about F1 - plus some that isn't



Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s

Formula 1

By Kevin Turner

Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s



Why Rafael Camara should take heart from a tough F1 debut in Brazil

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Rafael Camara should take heart from a tough F1 debut in Brazil

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe