One of the secrets of the F2004's perfect balance and its smooth behaviour over the kerbs was its accurate suspension. The front was a development of the 2003 version and still featured a horizontal third element to efficiently control the roll and pitch of the car. Small and light, the element...
A hybrid solution of sorts from Ferrari. The same new wing profile introduced at Hockenheim, but in combination with the flap used in Canada and the USA. This mix provided a very good balance between top speed and downforce.
As seen in Canada, a single-element front wing, to keep drag low, but this time with the addition of a saw-tooth profiled flap to add downforce. The additional cuts into the outer rear edge of the wing element improved airflow close to the endplates, reducing drag on the straights.
Introduced in Monaco and refined for the Nurburgring, Ferrari's unusual-looking barge boards were housed within the front suspension. From the European race onwards, they were elongated, presenting a knife-edge like bottom profile. This reduced turbulence and improved the efficiency of the airflow...
A change to the lower section of the endplate, moving from the previous, rounded channel to a flatter design, not dissimilar to that previously seen on the Williams FW26. The change was functional, intended to reduce the sensitivity of the car to ride-height variations.
The slow Monaco circuit makes efficient engine cooling difficult, hence Ferrari's adoption of chimneys on top of the sidepods for better hot air venting. The design inevitably increased drag, but that is not a concern in Monte Carlo.
The engine cover adhered more closely to the engine, almost becoming a second skin, allowing for a reduction of about of 30mm in the height of the rear bodywork (1), and narrower chimneys (2). The Italian team also slightly reduced the overall width of their mid-wing, originally introduced in...
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