Before the French Grand Prix, Diego Tondi, head of the Ferrari team’s aerodynamic systems development department, answered questions about the upcoming race…
Q: Tell us about your work. How did you fall in love with motorsport, how did you end up at Ferrari?
Diego Tondic: In 2007 I joined Ferrari and in 2008 I joined the team. I worked in the aerodynamics department, testing parts in a wind tunnel, researching them on CFD computers and today I lead the aerodynamic development department.
The love for motorsport started more than 35 years ago when I watched Grand Prix broadcasts with my father as a child. In college I realized that aerodynamics is one of the most important factors for the competitiveness of cars, so I decided to study this topic in more detail. A long-term relationship between the department of the University of Pisa and Ferrari brought me to Maranello.
Q: What are the characteristics of the Paul Ricard circuit in terms of aerodynamics?
Diego Tondic: Paul Ricard has a wide variety of twists and turns. Some are very slow, like the 15th, others are very fast, like the 7th and 10th. This is one of the tracks where aerodynamic downforce is the main factor influencing lap times.
According to the results of our simulation, due to the very long straights, the optimal setting is the medium downforce setting. But this new car season, it’s important to pay attention to the smallest details to find the optimal settings and get the most out of the car.
Q: We expect very warm weather. What measures can be taken in such a situation?
Diego Tondic: With such warm weather expected this weekend, it is not easy to get the maximum power from the power plant and good tire performance. It is up to those working on aerodynamics to take appropriate measures.
We tune the cooling system for medium efficiency, using the brake channels to cool the tires. Given the characteristics of the track, we would have done it anyway, but the warm weather will make this task even more complicated. There are no particularly serious brakes in Paul Ricard, so from a brake cooling point of view, the upcoming race is not a cause for concern.
Source: F1 News
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