Pete05
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- Melbourne, Australia
Ferrari never were very quick to respond to technical revolutions in Motorsport as they preferred to rely on the gradual development of proven machines. For example, it is no coincidence that Ferrari scored the last front-engined Formula 1 & Le Mans wins. This strategy did at times backfire, with the best (worst?) example being the 1980 F1 season; after having dominated 1979 with a clean-sweep of both championships, the team scored just a handful of points an ended 10th in the Constructor's Cup. It could also be argued that Ferrari's 1979 performance was phenomenal, but either way, the Italian team had a considerable gap to bridge to regain competitiveness.
While it was instrumental in Ferrari's successes of the second half of the 1970's, the flat 12 engine by now formed the team's biggest handicap. Sure it was still powerful & reliable enough, but it's width protruded too far into the Venturi tunnels under the car. These were essential to produce the ground effects all F1 racers relied on for cornering speeds. The V6 & V8 engines used by the competition were much more suited for this application. Another ongoing development concerned forced induction; pioneered in F1 by Renault. In the first years, the French struggled to get the powerful engines reliable, but by the turn of the decade they had become serious contenders. So when developing a new engine seemed inevitable, it was no surprise that Ferrari took the Turbo path.
Following in Renault's footsteps, Ferrari opted for a V6 engine with a displacement of just under 1.5 litres. Like the 1960's Dino V6 used in the 'shark nose' F1 cars, the new V6 had a wide V-angle of 120 degrees. To ensure the block was strong enough, it was constructed of cast iron and the cylinder heads were constructed from an aluminium alloy. The necessary boost of 1.7 bar was provided by two KKK Turbochargers. To prevent the dreaded turbo-lag, fuel was injected in the turbos to keep them spinning during braking and cornering. The engine was mated to Ferrari's familiar transverse gearbox and bolted directly to a straightforward aluminium monocoque. Dubbed the 126CK, the turbocharged Ferrari made an early debut during practice for the 1980 Monza race, but technical problems prevented it from taking part in the race.
Throughout the off-season, the 126CK was further developed in preparation for the 1981 season. The services of Canadian Gilles Villeneuve were retained and Frenchman Didier Pironi replaced 1979 Champion Jody Sheckter who had retired from F1 after the dreadful previous season. Even though it was difficult to drive and rarely reliable, the new turbo Ferrari was much closer to the top runners on pace, especially in Villenueve's hands. At the first European race in San Marino, the quick Canadian put the car on pole and recorded the fastest lap, but changing conditions in the race saw him drop back to seventh, two places behind Pironi. There was finally success in Monaco where Villeneuve scored a first victory. He would copy the result in the next race, but in the remainder of the season Ferrari rarely challenged for victory.
ENGINE
Designation
Type 021
Configuration
120 degree V6
Location
Mid, longitudinally mounted
Weight
177 kg / 390.2 lbs
Construction
Cast iron block, aluminium heads, aluminium wet liners, water cooled
Displacement
1496 cc / 91.3 cu in
Bore / Stroke
81 mm (3.2") x 48.4 mm (1.9")
Compression
6.5:1
Timing Gear
4 valves per cylinder, 2 overhead camshafts per bank, gear driven off the rear of the block
Fuel feed
Lucas-Ferrari indirect fuel injection
Ignition
Single plug, Magnetti Marelli Raceplex electronic capacitive discharge
Lubrication
Dry sump
Aspiration
Twin KKK turbochargers
Power
540 bhp / 403 kW @ 11,500 rpm
Torque
378 Nm / 279 ft lbs @ 9500 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Chassis
Type 024, aluminium monocoque, aluminium panels riveted to a variable-section light alloy structure and cast alloy supports; composite body
Front suspension
Double wishbones, upper rocker arms, lower wishbones, inboard spring/damper units
Rear suspension
Upper arm, lower wishbone, single central radius arm
Steering
Rack and pinion
Brakes
Brembo cast iron ventilated discs, Lockheed calipers, all round
Gearbox
Ferrari Type 021 5 speed manual, transversely mounted in unit with limited slip, multi-plate clutch
DIMENSIONS
Weight
619 kg / 1364.7 lbs
Length
4468 mm / 175.9"
Width
2110 mm / 83.1"
Height
1025 mm / 40.4"
Wheelbase
2719 mm / 107"
Track(F/R)
1761 mm / 1626 mm
Front tyre
Michelin 22/59-13"
Rear tyre
Michelin 38/66-13"
Wheels
(F) 13"x11" / (R) 13"x16"
Fuel tank
210 litres, mid-mounted
http://www.f1technical.net/f1db/cars/469/ferrari-126ck
http://formula1.ferrari.com/cars/126-cx
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/166/Ferrari-126-CK.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_126_C
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