'New' F60 for Silverstone.

Ferrari will arrive at the British Grand Prix with a revised version of its F60 challenger, determined to get on terms with Brawn GP and potentially spoil Jenson Button's hopes of adding to his victory tally on home ground.

The Scuderia, like McLaren, has paid for concentrating so much energy on last season's, ultimately fruitless, championship assault, but is making a better fist of recovery than its Woking rival, with recent rounds hinting that it could be a regular threat for victory as the season moves past its halfway point.

Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari F60, Monaco F1 Grand Prix, 21st-24th, May 2009
Felipe Massa (BRA) Ferrari F60, Monaco F1 Grand Prix, 21st-24th, May 2009
© Peter Fox

Ferrari will arrive at the British Grand Prix with a revised version of its F60 challenger, determined to get on terms with Brawn GP and potentially spoil Jenson Button's hopes of adding to his victory tally on home ground.

The Scuderia, like McLaren, has paid for concentrating so much energy on last season's, ultimately fruitless, championship assault, but is making a better fist of recovery than its Woking rival, with recent rounds hinting that it could be a regular threat for victory as the season moves past its halfway point.

The rare chance to test between races, albeit a series of low-key straight-line runs at Fiorano, has allowed Ferrari to confirm that it will bring a revised package to Silverstone this weekend, for what could be the final British Grand Prix on the former airfield for the foreseeable future.

"Monday at Fiorano was one of the aerodynamic testing days still permitted within the rules," the Maranello concern reported, "and, with Marc Gene at Le Mans at the weekend, it fell to Felipe Massa to sit at the controls of the F60. The Brazilian tried some new aerodynamic components, including a new front wing and other parts on the front end of the car.

"The aero test also saw the F60 run with new front suspension geometry, aimed at allowing a change in the car's weight distribution, bringing it further forward. The car therefore had to complete another front end crash test, which it duly passed. The new suspension geometry is aimed at promoting more front end grip, which should help overcome one of the car's Achilles heels, namely the fact it has struggled to get tyres up to operating temperature over one timed lap, which is an essential requirement in qualifying."

The Scuderia also revealed that Massa will get his hands on a newer car this weekend, increasing the team's optimism for the flat-out blasts of the British round.

"Silverstone will also see Felipe run a new chassis, number 277, which, in line with the one Kimi has used for the past few races, is lighter than the one Felipe has driven to date.

"The ability to alter the car's weight distribution with a more forward bias should also be a help at a track like Silverstone. In simple terms, in fast corners - a feature of Silverstone and the last race in Istanbul - it is best to have the weight moved forward whereas, at slower tracks, it is best to have the weight biased towards the rear. This explains why Ferrari was very competitive in Monaco, or in sector three in Turkey, as opposed to the first two sections of Istanbul Park. The F60, mainly due to the installation of the KERS system, has an inherent bias towards the rear in terms of its weight distribution.

"And, on the subject of KERS, a new lighter version of the package will be run on both cars this weekend, [along with] will be new wheel flanges and a new mounting system for them, for when the wheels are changed during pit-stops. Both Felipe's and Kimi's cars will be fitted with all these updates and the data gathered at the Fiorano aero run will come in very useful in setting up the cars prior to the first Silverstone practice session on Friday morning."

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