Ferrari F1 640

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Ferrari F1 640
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Category Formula One
Constructor Ferrari
Designer John Barnard
Chassis Carbon-fibre monocoque
Suspension (front) double wishbones, pushrod
Suspension (rear) double wishbones, pushrod
Engine Ferrari Tipo 034 V12 (65°) naturally aspirated
Transmission Ferrari 7-speed semi-automatic
Fuel Agip
Tyres Goodyear
Notable entrants Scuderia Ferrari SpA
Notable drivers 27. Nigel Mansell
28. Gerhard Berger
Debut 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix
Races competed 16
Race victories 3
Constructors' Championships 0
Drivers' Championships 0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 4

The Ferrari F1 640 was the Formula One racing car with which the Ferrari team competed in the 1989 season. It was driven by Nigel Mansell and Gerhard Berger.

The car was designed by John Barnard, and it was the first Ferrari he was responsible for designing. It sported a sharp nose, with a narrow monocoque and bulging side-pods designed to house the radiators with maximum aerodynamic efficiency. The 640 was powered by Ferrari's own 3.5 litre V12 engine which produced up to 660bhp, a fine effort considering that it was the team's first naturally aspirated engine for almost a decade. However, the transmission it was mated to attracted more attention, as it contained the very first semi-automatic gearbox seen in F1. In its first season, it proved to be very unreliable, and hampered Ferrari's efforts throughout the year. However, such gearboxes would become the norm by the mid-1990s.

The car won its debut race, despite fears of unreliability and underwent a number of minor modifications that allowed Mansell and Berger to net three wins between them, although the latter failed to finish the first eleven races of the season. The carbon-fibre chassis did prove to be very strong however, and allowed Berger to escape from a fiery high speed crash in San Marino with only minor burns to his hands and a couple of broken ribs.

The season ended with Mansell 4th, with 38pts, in the Drivers' Championship, and Berger 7th (21pts). Ferrari finished 3rd in the Constructors' Championship, with 59pts.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Points WCC
1989 Ferrari Ferrari 640 V12 G BRA SMR MON MEX USA CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR SPA JPN AUS 59 3rd
Nigel Mansell 1 Ret Ret Ret Ret DSQ 2 2 3 1 3 Ret Ret DNS Ret Ret
Gerhard Berger Ret Ret DNS Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 2 1 2 Ret Ret
Ferrari Formula One cars
40s 1950s 1960s 1970s
8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
125 275
340
375
500 553
625
555
D50
801 412
246
256 156 158
1512
312 312 B 312 T
1980s 1990s 2000s
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
312 T 126 C 156/85 F1/86 F1/87 640 641 642/643 F92A F93A 412T F310/B F300 F399 F1-2000 F2001 F2001
F2002
F2002B
F2003-GA
F2004 F2004M
F2005
248 F2007