According to Auto Motor und Sport, one of the strengths of the Ferrari F1-75 car ensures that they always set up relatively quickly for the respective track. It never happens that Ferrari is completely wrong with the setup. It often takes Red Bull a whole day for the cars to drive in the window in which they function optimally.
Which means that the Maranello team should have better cards in hand when it comes to tire wear and degradation. It was the same in Bahrain and Melbourne. But because Red Bull is so fast on the straights, Ferrari can’t always drive the way they would like to and needs needs tires that warm up quickly to take the front row. Defending is easier than attacking a car flying on the straights.
Ferrari will continue to rely on its concept because the powerful engine absorbs part of the top speed disadvantage. Measurements by Red Bull and Mercedes have shown that the Ferrari engine is currently four kilowatts (5.4 hp) ahead of the Honda V6 and eight kilowatts (10.8 hp) ahead of the Mercedes. That could increase according tu AMuS. First, Ferrari still has a revision of the hybrid system up its sleeve that can inject more power over longer periods of time. Secondly, some room was left in the spark advance for reliability concerns. That could more certainly provide another jump later in the year.
Weight is a wild card for Red Bull
In terms of general stability, Ferrari is clearly ahead. So far there has not been any major issue for the world championship leader, ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. On the other hand, all six drivers with Ferrari engines are already driving the second unit, while Ferrari was allowed to make sume changes to the second power unit because of a reliability problem, as the first engines are now reserved only for Friday practice sessions. Max Verstappen still drives with his first power unit, Sergio Perez with the first engine but the second turbocharger and the second MGU-H. With Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez, the use of a fourth engine will most likely lead to grid penalties.
Red Bull claimed the biggest joker when it came to vehicle weight. Neither of the two top cars reached the minimum weight of 798 kilograms at the start of the 2022 Formula One season, but Ferrari was seven to eight kilograms closer, according to Red Bull. That’s three tenths. Red Bull has now completely reduced the extra weight, as another five kilograms were saved for the Spanish GP. This is close to the limit.
But Ferrari has a small advantage in the wind tunnel until June 30th. Third in the 2021 season, Scuderia Ferrari is allowed to use 80 percent of the limits for wind tunnel use and CFD tests, Red Bull only 75 percent. With the status of the championship standings on June 30th, it will be decided who will be allowed to use their tools five percent more often for the rest of the year.
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For now the drivers are tied. Charles Leclerc drives at the same level as Max Verstappen, he’s been delivering fast laps in qualifying at the touch of a button, has reduced his mistake rate and improved his tire management and is as ripped off in duels as his rival. That’s why Verstappen, in contrast to last year, does not play games with the track limits. He knows Charles Leclerc will hit back with the same coin. Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez are also neutralizing themselves at the moment. In terms of speed and breakdowns.
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