Formula 1 returns to the United States for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. This weekend, Scuderia Ferrari is racing at the Circuit of the Americas, on the outskirts of Austin, in the 17th round of the 2021 season. It’s the ninth race to be held at the Texan track since it was first used back in the 2012 F1 season.
The track is a favourite with the drivers because of the layout that combines long straights and complex sequences of corners and is great fun to drive at the wheel of a Formula 1 car. Some of the corners take their inspiration from other famous tracks, such as the first sector in Suzuka and the Hockenheim motodrom section.
Nothing to lose, everything to gain. Scuderia Ferrari is fully focused on the 2022 season, when the new Formula 1 regulations will radically change the concept of cars. Nonetheless, the awareness of being able to reach third place in the constructors’ championship pushes the ambition of the men in red high. The intention is clear: to beat the historic rivals from McLaren.
Considering the 7.5 points that divide the two teams in question, the finish line is not that far with six races to go. Scuderia Ferrari’s secret weapon to hit the target, it seems, could tip the balance in terms of performance towards Maranello. Obviously we are talking about the latest power unit specification introduced by the Prancing Horse, capable of increasing the performance of the SF21 car.
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Although the endothermic has not undergone any changes, the hybrid component has been revised in all its parts. In addition to the work done on the batteries, now capable of optimizing the phases of accumulation, management and release of electricity by increasing performance, the two motor unit generators MGU-H and MGU-K are now much more efficient.
Along the United States track we will see the ERS system at work at maximum power, something that until now had not been possible due to reliability issues. Although full power could have been approved already from Turkey, a more wait-and-see tactic was preferred, even considering the adverse weather conditions of the weekend.
Only after the data study carried out during the last week did the engineers get the go-ahead and during the American weekend the drivers of the Red team will be able to access the full power of the system. The Texan track provides for a use that we can define as balanced between the recovery of energy during braking and the relative one from the enthalpy of the exhaust gases.
Precisely for this reason, taking into consideration that the weather does not foresee adverse conditions such as those encountered during the last two rounds of the world championship, the “final test” on the ERS to verify the quality of the work carried out on the engine will be very important.
Ultimately it should be emphasized that the characteristics of the track made in the USA should favor the McLaren project in terms of car performance. This is why, in addition to the support of the improved 065/6, the ability of the Italian technicians to find the right balance between vertical thrust and performance in the long straights will be the key to beating the papaya-colored cars.
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