One of the main topics of discussion during the long Formula 1 winter was undoubtedly that relating to the progress of the Ferrari power unit. The Maranello team suffered major reliability problems during the 2022 Formula championship, which forced the Italian side to race in a more conservative mode to reduce the risk of running into other technical failures towards the end of the 2022 season. The factory worked hard to improve the reliability of the power unit and the result achieved in the Bahrain tests seemed to be quite promising. In fact, apart from a small issue on the first day on the Haas, there were no problems with either the Ferrari or the Alfa Romeo Sauber during the first two days of testing.
Many will remember the rumors about a possible gain of 30 horsepower as a result of the improvements in terms of power unit reliability made by Ferrari during the winter, speculation that Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes is not possible: “The numbers circulating cannot be true”. However, the former Austrian driver had confirmed that he expected a step forward in terms of power from Ferrari, but a much smaller one than that quantified by the international newspapers. The Germans from ‘Auto, Motor und Sport’ have dedicated an in-depth study on the power unit of the Prancing Horse, indicating that “so far, Ferrari has no worries about reliability. At least there has not been any leaks suggesting concerns.”
It is said that the Ferrari power unit mobilises between 10 and 15 horsepower more than that of Red Bull Honda.
In any case, the most important test will be the qualifying session for the Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for Saturday 4 March. The teams will no longer be able to hide the true potential of their car and will have to show how good their package really is, in the battle for the first pole position of the 2023 Formula One season.
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
Leave a Reply