Unique engine mounting is 2010 Ferrari 'secret'

The secret of Ferrari's new Formula One car could be the unique angle of its engine mounting, according to reports.

Reports in France's Auto Hebdo as well as the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport said the V8 unit has been fitted to the F10 with a 3.5 degree angle.

Sloping towards the front of the car, the idea was seen in the innovative Arrows A2 of 1979.

31 years on, the design in 2010 could provide crucial additional airflow beneath the car to feed the more sophisticated and larger 'double diffuser'.

"The new Ferrari has a very interesting mechanical solution; most of the secrets are hidden under the bodywork," technical director Aldo Costa is quoted as saying.

The reports said the innovation could have shaved "a few tenths" off the lap time of the 2010 Ferrari, which at Valencia last week was the most competitive car.

Designer Nikolas Tombazis admitted: "The diffuser is fundamental. To maximise performance, we have revised the rear and better integrated various components.

"On the F10, it (the diffuser) is much larger and more efficient compared to previous seasons," he added.

The downside to a forward-angled engine mounting can be handling, because the centre of gravity of the rear of the car is heightened.