After the races in Russia and Turkey, which both took place in wet conditions due to the intermittent rain, Scuderia Ferrari arrives in Austin with both drivers equipped with new and updated Power Unit. The upgrade of the ERS system previously run on Charles Leclerc’s SF21 in Sochi had already given good results, with the young Monegasque engaged in a race full of overtaking before the problems in the last laps. In Turkey, the suspicions about the gains in both power and efficiency guaranteed by the new engine were confirmed on the track first in Qualifying and then in the race, where both Charles Leclerc – who managed to keep up with the pace of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull – and Carlos Sainz, who changed his Power Unit in Istanbul, guaranteed a level of performance that makes Maranello breathe a sigh of relief.
Despite the less than ideal track conditions, as well as the caution shown by Ferrari, intent on safeguarding the reliability of the Power Units with six races remaining on the calendar, it can be said that the SF21 in the last two Grand Prix was able to benefit from a significant step of performance thanks to the new engine.
The Circuit of the Americas requires a good compensation of engine power, which Ferrari will be able to satisfy thanks to the latest package of updates on the Power Unit. In fact, it will be fundamental to manage the recovery and energy dispensation on the hybrid part, favored by an agile car in high-speed corners but also and above all efficient in medium-low distance ones, which this season have been the strength of the SF21.
The new ERS system, including a battery (ES) capable of doubling the voltage of the previous one without altering its chemistry, has been completely redesigned; this also affects the balance of the SF21, allowing the Red technicians to take advantage of a new margin for setting up the car.
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In fact, while on the one hand the increase in available power allows the drivers to use more energy coming from the hybrid for significantly longer time intervals, this also allows to increase the load levels without penalizing the top speeds, or to further reduce drag by using low-downforce wing configurations, balanced by a higher rake capable of generating more downforce.
Already in Turkey Ferrari had experimented with two different downforce configurations for their drivers, in order to further maximize their driving styles; Charles Leclerc, more comfortable with a lighter rear, fitted a spoon wing to reduce drag on his SF21, while Carlos Sainz favored the choice of adding vertical thrust to the rear of his car.
In Texas Ferrari finds itself at the same crossroads: favoring a heavier set-up, in order to maximize performance in corners, even those with high speed (such as the sequence in the first sector, similar to Maggotts-Becketts-Chapel at Silverstone, which requires a generous vertical load compensation) or unload at the rear to maximize top speeds on long straights.
The pure performance this weekend will be entrusted to the wise hands (and fast feet) of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who in Austin will be able to make the most of the multiple trajectories offered by the ‘wider’ corners such as 11 and 12, which make the COTA one of the circuits with the highest overtaking records.
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