The results of the investigation are difficult to digest: the ICE and turbo are unsalvageable. The Ferrari 066/7 number two power unit, which failed on Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari F1-75 on lap 20 of the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix while the Monegasque driver was in command, is being dismantled and evaluated in the mechanical department of the Racing Department.
The broken six-cylinder engine arrived in Maranello at the beginning this morning for what can now be considered an … autopsy, since the failure caused damage that also extended to the turbo.
As Mattia Binotto said already on Sunday evening, Ferrari will go to Canada with engine 3, while it could still use the supercharging system of power unit 1 (as was the case in Monaco) in order to avoid penalties in Montreal.
In the engine department headed by Enrico Gualtieri there is a general nervous state, according to the rumors reported by Franco Nugnes for Motorsport Italy, because what failed was an element that has never given problems during the last few years and, therefore, was not a part at risk. It is a piece that is not produced by Ferrari, but which is ensured by a supplier who self-certifies the quality of each individual piece.
In the analyzes that the technicians are carrying out, the data will show what could have induced the failure that led to the bluish smoke that came out of the F1-75 exhaust and forced Charles Leclerc to pull over for the second DNF in three races.
The engine that will be mounted in Canada will be new and, therefore, should not fear any reliability problems, so the Maranello technicians will have time to understand what actions to take and if there will be a need to change some parts for the future: it is certain, in fact, that Ferrari will be forced to use a fourth, if not a fifth engine during the second half of the season, considering a life that is proving to be clearly shorter than the 7 GPs which would be required to remain within the limit.
There are fewer mysteries regarding the issue that caused Carlos Sainz to retire on lap 9: the pump that controls the hydraulic system would have broken, a system that manages several important functions of the car. The “brake by wire” warning appeared on the display of the Spaniard’s computer steering wheel, but it is clear that the problem with the rear brakes was an effect (the system went into protection) and not the cause of the DNF. Unusual issue that shake the Maranello team.
The problems do not seem determined by the increase in performance sought in the challenge with Red Bull: the use of more or less aggresive mappings did not lead to the flaws of the “Superfast” engine which, in truth, has suffered a few breakdowns on the bench test during the winter testing phase. Engine 1 had been approved with a little power, as Ferrari wanted to wait for the long runs expected over the duration (over 7,000 kilometers) to give a green light to release more power.
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While waiting for Ferrari to come out with the usual official note to formalize the cause of the failures, the Maranello engineers are also investigating the other problems that are undermining the reliability of the 066/7 engines of the Haas and Alfa Romeo customer teams, which are struggling with different power unit packaging.
Nothing is left to chance: every clue can be useful for a championship that seemed to start under in a prfect way for Ferrari but has been shattering Charles Leclerc’s world championship dreams since Imola. The game is not over yet and Ferrari is not giving up, aware that they have a winning car and a winning driver in their hands …
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