Formula One Features — May 1997

Transmission hardware design in Formula 1 has, at least temporarily, reached a plateau. Such is the level of development that there are one or two layouts that provide the chassis designer with some degree of freedom, without making a significant difference to the functioning and performance of the transmission.

Tyres-suspension-aerodynamics-chassis: one integrated system, made up of highly inter-dependent parts, that determines the performance of any racecar, except when maximum power or maximum braking is applied.

There is a joke in Formula 1 circles which says that Ferrari is in the seventh year of a three-year plan to return to Championship-winning ways. Many a true word is spoken in jest. Ferrari has not won a World Championship since 1983 and Luca di Montezemolo said he wanted to return Ferrari to winning ways when he became President in November 1991.