The Ferrari F92A was a
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
car designed by
Jean-Claude Migeot Jean-Claude is a French masculine given name. Notable people with the name include:
* Jean-Claude Ades, an Italian electronic music producer
* Jean-Claude Alibert (died 2020), a French racing driver
* Jean-Claude Amiot (born 1939), a French compose ...
for
Ferrari for use in the
1992 Formula One season. There were two versions of the car, the original version raced in the first eleven races of the season, with the updated F92AT version racing in the latter stages of the season. The car was driven by
Jean Alesi
Jean Alesi (born Giovanni Alesi, 11 June 1964) is a French professional racing driver of Italian origin. After successes in minor categories, notably winning the 1989 Formula 3000 Championship, his Formula One career included spells at Tyrrell ...
for the entire season, and by
Ivan Capelli
Ivan Franco Capelli (born 24 May 1963) is an Italian former Formula One driver. He participated in 98 Grands Prix, debuting on 6 October 1985. He achieved three podiums, and scored a total of 31 championship points. From 1998 until 2017 he was a ...
for most of the season, before he was sacked and replaced by
Nicola Larini
Nicola Larini (born 19 March 1964) is an Italian racing driver. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 6 September 1987. He finished second in the tragic 1994 San Marino Grand Prix on a substitute outing for Ferrari, but only s ...
.
The car was most famous for its "double-flat bottom" floor which produced a competitive level of downforce, but it was hamstrung by the Ferrari V12 engine which suffered excessive blow-by, reckoned to cost the team up to 50bhp. With Ferrari notorious for silencing any criticism of their powerplant, the F92A's failings were blamed on the revolutionary chassis being too difficult to drive instead. The car also featured Ferrari's first 'raised nose' design which allowed better airflow underneath the car. The car only achieved two podiums and a total of 21 points.
[ The F92AT version was introduced at a test day in August held at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit and first appeared in the championship at the Grand Prix of Belgium. The new version incorporated a seven-speed transverse gearbox, with a modified front suspension. It also included a more rigid engine mounting system and an up-to-date version of the underwing.] The best results were two third places by Jean Alesi.
The F92AT driven late in the season by Nicola Larini carried the team's first attempt at an active suspension An active suspension is a type of automotive suspension on a vehicle. It uses an onboard system to control the vertical movement of the vehicle's wheels relative to the chassis or vehicle body rather than the passive suspension provided by large sp ...
. This gave Larini's car a 30 kg weight disadvantage to teammate Jean Alesi's version. This was too much for Larini and the team to overcome, with Larini only placing 12th and 11th in his only drives with the team.
The F92AT was replaced for the season by the Ferrari F93A
The Ferrari F93A was the Formula One racing car with which Scuderia Ferrari competed in the 1993 Formula One World Championship. Designed by Jean-Claude Migeot, the car carried the team's own 745 bhp V12 engine and ran on Goodyear tyres. It ...
.
In 1992, the F92A was the first Formula One car with which Alessandro Nannini
Alessandro "Sandro" Nannini (born 7 July 1959) is a former racing driver from Italy. He is the younger brother of singer Gianna Nannini. His five-year F1 career resulted in his one and only win at the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix but ended less than ...
conducted a test session at the Fiorano Circuit
The Fiorano Circuit () is a private racetrack owned by Ferrari for development and testing purposes. It is located in Fiorano Modenese, near the Italian town of Maranello. The circuit has FIA Grade 1 license.
Work begun in 1971 and officially ...
, after recovering sufficiently from his helicopter crash injuries that ended his career in the sport.
On 16 August 2013, Codemasters
The Codemasters Software Company Limited (trade name: Codemasters) is a British video game developer based in Southam, England, which is a subsidiary of American corporation Electronic Arts. Founded by brothers Richard and David Darling in Oct ...
announced that the F92A would be one of several Ferrari F1 cars set to feature in the classic edition of '' F1 2013''. Jean Alesi and Ivan Capelli are the listed drivers of the car within the game.
Capelli later said in an interview that the F92A was the worst F1 car he raced in his career.
Complete Formula One results
( key)
References
{{Scuderia Ferrari
F92A