Based on the first data collected in recent days thanks to the customer teams, Ferrari appears to be able to rely on the reliability of its engine.
The days leading up to the Barcelona tests have been of fundamental importance for Ferrari. Not only because they coincided with the unveiling and the first on-track laps of the brand-new SF-26, but also because they allowed the Scuderia’s engineers to gather a significant amount of data relating to the power unit.
In addition to Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, the drivers from Ferrari’s customer teams have also had the opportunity to hit the track during the usual pre-season shakedowns. Cadillac chose Silverstone as the venue for its first laps with the new car, while Haas sent Oliver Bearman out on track at Fiorano just a few hours after the SF-26 made its debut.
Early smiles in Maranello thanks to the engine
Overall, the Ferrari power units have completed around two hundred kilometres. This is a figure that should not be underestimated and one that allows the engineers in Maranello to be optimistic ahead of the private Barcelona tests. One of the reasons behind the FIA’s decision to run the Montmeló sessions behind closed doors was precisely the fear, linked to the complexity of the new regulations, of encountering reliability issues.
Issues that, at least up to this point, do not appear to be present at Ferrari. This is no small detail, as it means that Fred Vasseur’s team will be able to focus on other areas from the very start of the three-day Barcelona test, calmly planning the work that will then continue in Bahrain.
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