Ferrari 126C4

**Ferrari 126C4**
Constructor:	Scuderia Ferrari
Designer:	Harvey Postlethwaite ; Mauro Forghieri
Predecessor:	Ferrari 126C3
Successor:	Ferrari 156/85
Technical specifications
Chassis:	Composite monocoque
Engine:	120 ° V6 turbo (1.5 liters)
Length:	4115 mm
Width:	2125 mm
Height:	1080 mm
Wheelbase:	2600 mm
Weight:	540 kg
Tires:	Goodyear
Petrol:	Agip
statistics
Driver:	Michele Alboreto René Arnoux;
First start:	1984 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last start:	1984 Portuguese Grand Prix
World Cup points:	57.5
Podiums:	8th
Leadership laps:	k. A. / tba

The Ferrari 126C4 was a Formula 1 racing car that Scuderia Ferrari used in the 1984 World Championship . The drivers were Michele Alboreto and René Arnoux . The C4 was the last development stage of the "126 series" (1981 to 1984).

Development and design

The Ferrari 126C4 was the consistent further development of the previous year's model C3 , which the engineers and technicians tried to improve especially in the areas of aerodynamics, vehicle balance, fluid circulation and mechanics. The result was a car with very compact shapes in the "arrow shape" design, in which the cockpit was positioned far forward. The side pods (in which the coolers were housed at an angle of 45 °) were made even shorter and more “swept”. In addition, the car had a short upper fairing that left large parts of the engine uncovered. The Type 031 engine retained the same bore and stroke as the previous “Tipo 021”, but was further optimized and equipped with a new electronic injection from Lucas Automotive. The transmission stayed with the 5-speed variant, but was redesigned and installed transversely. In addition, the capacity of the tanks has been adjusted within the limit of 220 liters of fuel set by the FIA . Another novelty were Carbon disc brakes from Brembo with whom Ferrari had experimented since one and a half years.

The 126C4 has also been consistently improved in terms of weight savings. The monocoque and fairing were further optimized, and the vehicle got a lighter engine and transmission. As a result, the car lost 6% of its weight and weighed only 542 instead of 595 kilograms.

Before the start of the 1985 season, Scuderia Ferrari tested a version called the 126C4-M2, which was driven by the team's test driver, British Johnny Dumfries . That was a transition variant between the 126C4 and the Ferrari 156/8513 .

rating

Despite the high expectations of the public and press, particularly in connection with the return of an Italian driver with a Ferrari in Formula 1 by Michele Alboreto (11 years after Arturo Merzario ), the 126C4 did not prove to be really competitive. Mechanical problems were often found, especially with the KKK turbochargers, which caused 12 failures (8 for Alboreto and 4 for Arnoux) during the season.

At the end of the season, Mauro Forghieri was transferred to another department and the design of the new car was entrusted exclusively to Harvey Postlethwaite. The season was also marked by controversy within the team as well as between Scuderia and its technical partners. Ferrari accused Goodyear of developing weak tires; the American tire specialists rejected the allegation and justified the poor performance of the tires with the excessive temperature developed by the brakes. The relationship between the two pilots was also a source of complications: the decision to devote more technical attention to Alboreto demotivated Arnoux, who was repeatedly attacked by the Italian press for his poor performance on the track.

Racing history

The only win of the season (and the only pole position ) went to Alboreto at the Belgian Grand Prix . On this occasion, team-mate Arnoux set the fastest race lap and finished third. For the remainder of the season, Ferrari was rarely able to hold its own in the races, often hovering between fourth and sixth place.

Nonetheless, Ferrari managed to finish the constructors' championship in second place, but with less than half the points of front runner McLaren , the season's outstanding team with the Porsche-powered McLaren MP4 / 2 , which is a significant deterioration compared to the results the previous years represented.

gallery

R. Arnoux at the 1984 USA Grand Prix
M. Alboreto in Dallas 1984
The C4 in the test version "M2" (a precursor of the Ferrari 156-85)
The new side boxes and the already reduced wing at the rear are clearly recognizable
The reduced engine cowling from the "old" C4

Results

driver	No.	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	9	10	11	12	13	14th	15th	16	Points	rank
1984 Formula 1 season																		57.5	2.
Italy M. Alboreto	27	DNF	11	1	DNF	DNF	6th	DNF	DNF	DNF	5	DNF	3	DNF	2	2	4th
France R. Arnoux	28	DNF	DNF	3	2	4th	3	5	DNF	2	6th	6th	7th	11	DNF	5	9

Legend
colour	abbreviation	meaning
gold	-	victory
silver	-	2nd place
bronze	-	3rd place
green	-	Placement in the points
blue	-	Classified outside the point ranks
violet	DNF	Race not finished (did not finish)
violet	NC	not classified
red	DNQ	did not qualify
red	DNPQ	failed in pre-qualification (did not pre-qualify)
black	DSQ	disqualified
White	DNS	not at the start (did not start)
White	WD	withdrawn
Light Blue	PO	only participated in the training (practiced only)
Light Blue	TD	Friday test driver
without	DNP	did not participate in the training (did not practice)
	INJ	injured or sick
	EX	excluded
	DNA	did not arrive
	C.	Race canceled
		no participation in the World Cup
other	^P / bold	Pole position
	_SR / italic	Fastest race lap
	*	not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered
	()	Streak results
	underlined	Leader in the overall standings

literature

Leonardo Acerbi, 60 years of Ferrari, Heel, Königswinter, 2007, ISBN = 978-3-89880-815-6.

Web links

Commons : Ferrari 126C4 - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

ferrari.com : Information on the 126C4 (en) accessed on April 17, 2020
1984 Ferrari 126 C4 F1 Turbo V6 in action footage during the "Minardi Historic Days" on YouTube , accessed April 18, 2020

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Leonardo Acerbi: Tutto Ferrari . Mondadori, 2004, ISBN 88-04-51482-5 , pp. 269 .
^ Autosprint: Verso Rio in maschera . Ed .: Autosprint. March 6, 1984, p. 5 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Eliseo Ferrari: 1947-1997 Ferrari. Cinquant'anni di storia . Edizioni Il Fiorino. Modena 1997, p. 125 .
^ La Repubblica: Arnoux: "Ferrari buona, ma io sono un asino" . Ed .: La Repubblica. October 23, 1984, p. 35 .

[:0-1] Leonardo Acerbi: Tutto Ferrari . Mondadori, 2004, ISBN 88-04-51482-5 , pp. 269 .

[2] Autosprint: Verso Rio in maschera . Ed .: Autosprint. March 6, 1984, p. 5 .

[:1-3] Eliseo Ferrari: 1947-1997 Ferrari. Cinquant'anni di storia . Edizioni Il Fiorino. Modena 1997, p. 125 .

[4] La Repubblica: Arnoux: "Ferrari buona, ma io sono un asino" . Ed .: La Repubblica. October 23, 1984, p. 35 .