Ferrari 641

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Ferrari 641
mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
TransmissionFerrari 7-speed semi-automatic
Power680 bhp (507 kW; 689 PS) @ 12,750 rpm
FuelAgip
TyresGoodyear
Competition history
Notable entrantsScuderia Ferrari SpA
Notable drivers1. France Alain Prost
2. United Kingdom Nigel Mansell
Debut1990 United States Grand Prix
First win1990 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last win1990 Spanish Grand Prix
Last event1990 Australian Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
1661435

The Ferrari 641 (also known as the Ferrari F1-90)[2] was the Formula One racing car with which the Ferrari team competed in the 1990 Formula One World Championship.

Development

The 641 was a developed version of its predecessor, the 1989

Honda V10 engines used by McLaren, but not as flexible or as good at delivering power out of slow corners as the Honda, the Renault V10 engine used by Williams or the Ford-Cosworth HB V8 used by Benetton. Despite its heavier engine, the 641 was among the best handling cars on the grid. Prost declared it the best car of the year.[3]

The Ferrari 641 was also the first Formula One car to use an effective traction control system, which debuted at the 1990 Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril; less than two years before a traction control system debuted on the eventually highly successful Williams FW14B. Ferrari technicians sat down on the Tuesday after the Italian GP on September 11, and developed a rudimentary traction control system, which debuted in Portugal less than two weeks later. The system was relatively simple and straightforward; using just some software and a wheel speed sensor.[4]

Incorporating the semi-automatic gearbox developed during the previous season, the car was seen to be technically advanced. The aerodynamics were reworked and the chassis gave a slightly longer wheelbase than its predecessor. Nichols designed the car with Alain Prost’s smooth driving style in mind. Prost worked hard on improving the reliability of the gearbox and also worked behind the scenes to bring the whole Ferrari team closer together. A variable inlet trumpet system on the engine was tested throughout the season but did not become standard equipment.

Racing history

Ferrari's major coup was signing reigning World Champion Prost from McLaren to partner Nigel Mansell. The car scored six wins in the 1990 season (Prost five, Mansell one).

Alain Prost driving the 641 at the 1990 Canadian Grand Prix.

Prost's development work helped the 641 chassis to be extremely fast and competitive, and he scored five wins, including a remarkable victory from 13th place on the grid in Mexico, and challenged his nemesis Ayrton Senna for the championship. In the same race, Mansell outfoxed Gerhard Berger with a daring passing move at the fearsome Peraltada corner.[5] Although the car occasionally struggled in qualifying, it appeared to have the edge on the McLarens in race trim, particularly at high-speed circuits.[6] At the British Grand Prix, Mansell dominated qualifying while Prost struggled. Feeling that Mansell's car was superior to his own, he convinced the team to switch the chassis before the race, which he won while Mansell retired with gearbox failure while leading and setting fastest lap of the race promptly announced his quitting the sport.[7] However, the famous collision between Prost and Senna at the Japanese Grand Prix sealed the Drivers' Championship for Senna and the Constructors' Championship for McLaren. Prost finished runner-up in the championship and Mansell finished 5th and scored 1 win, including excellent performance in his last race for Ferrari at Adelaide, where he finished 2nd and almost won that race from Nelson Piquet and his Benetton-Ford. It would be another seven years before Ferrari would challenge for either championship again.

Aftermath

Ferrari 641 at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed

Tiff Needell drove the 641 on Top Gear in 1995 in a segment where his co-host Jeremy Clarkson tested a Ferrari F50 and did a drag race against Needell in the 641 and some comparisons as well because the F50 road car is based on the 641.

The 641 was featured in F1 2019 as a DLC for the "Legends Edition" and for free in F1 2020, Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends, Forza Motorsport 6, Forza Motorsport 7, and Forza Motorsport.

Complete results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pts. WCC
1990 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Tipo 036
Ferrari Tipo 037
V12 		G USA BRA SMR MON CAN MEX FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR ESP JPN AUS 110 2nd
France Alain Prost Ret 1 4 Ret 5 1 1 1 4 Ret 2 2 3 1 Ret 3
United Kingdom Nigel Mansell Ret 4 Ret Ret 3 2 18 Ret Ret 17 Ret 4 1 2 Ret 2

Chassis log

The current[when?] locations of the 641 chassis are:

  • 115 - Museum of Modern Art (USA)
  • 116 - destroyed in testing
  • 117 - Museo Ferrari (Italy)
  • 118 - Private collection (Germany)
  • 119 - Private collection (Switzerland)
  • 120 - Private collection (Germany)
  • 121 - Private collection (UK)

References

  1. ^ "1990 Ferrari 641 F1 - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. 28 January 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Ferrari F1-90". Formula1.ferrari.com. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  3. ^ "Prost's infamous 1990 F1 Ferrari to go under the hammer". New Atlas. 22 April 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Traction control and ABS". Motorsportmagazine.com. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  5. ^ Master, Matt. "Mansell makes Ferrari history in Mexico". magazine.ferrari.com. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  6. ^ "1990 Ferrari 641 F1 - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  7. ^ "1990 British Grand Prix race report - Decline and Fall". Motor Sport Magazine. 7 July 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2020.

Other sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ferrari 641.
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