The adoption of the “Superfast” project as a Power Unit 2022 by Ferrari has already given way to the debate and forecasts regarding this choice.
The 2022 Formula 1 season will represent a crucial turning point for Ferrari’s ambitions in the next Formula 1 technical cycle. Thanks to the regulatory revolution, the Scuderia from Maranello will have the opportunity to redeem itself after difficult years, given that since 2018 it has not been fighting for the title, and will now be called upon to compete for the championship from the very first races. However, this could prove very difficult without a Power Unit as competitive as those of its rivals: the FIA has in fact imposed a freezing of the engines right from the beginning of the 2022 season until the end of 2024, with the aim of containing costs in a period of severe economic crisis. Therefore, Ferrari, like all the other teams, is working hard to put an excellent engine on track, which would give it a considerable advantage in the following years.
Recently it has been confirmed that the Italian side has chosen to adopt the ambitious and innovative “Superfast” project for 2022, led by Wolf Zimmermann, preferring it to a more conservative path, which consisted of a simple evolution of the current Power Unit. The new project has provided good indications and, according to rumors, will be characterized by important innovations: a more compact structure, an improvement in the electrical system of the ERS and above all a revolutionary, faster and more homogeneous combustion. However, the new engine will not feature the split-turbo philosophy used by Honda, Mercede sand in the future also Renault. Obviously this information does not represent a guarantee of the competitiveness or otherwise of the Power Unit, but someone has already expressed doubts about Ferrari’s choices.
Gary Anderson, former Jordan and Stewart GP designer, expressed his first impressions of the “Superfast” project on The Race podcast as follows: “[…] Obviously they must have found something that allows it to run even better or have solved some problems with the current one, which perhaps does not work at its best. […] But I don’t understand the principle behind the decision not to switch to the split-turbo philosophy: having the compressor in the front of the engine and the turbine in the rear, therefore separated, allows you to better manage the temperatures, inserting, between the turbine and the compressor, the MGU-H. I am surprised that Ferrari has not taken this path, I cannot see a reason not to do so.” – he explained.
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