With three races completed in the 2022 Formula One season, given the impact of the cost cap and logistical challenge of the first flyaway events, Scuderia Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes have decided not to bring any big updates for their new generation of F1 cars. But now the sport returns to Europe and is ready for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the Imola circuit, which should in theory provide the first real opportunity to introduce the some important development updates.
However, Scuderia Ferrari will not do so, because of the decision made by Formula 1 to have the first sprint race weekend format in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, which is not ideal for the possibility of evaluating the true impacted of the updates. The Italian side is aware that with just one single hour of practice scheduled ahead of the qualifying session on Friday afternoon, there is not enough time to evaluate any new major parts, while at the same time identify the ideal setup and tyre management options for the Imola weekend.
Scuderia Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto has therefore confirmed that any big development changes will be tested only in the following races, with Ferrari focused instead on reducing the bouncing effect which the F1-75 cars faced during the Australian weekend at the Albert Park Circuit.
Asked to comments on Ferrari’s intentions for the Imola race given the format, Mattia Binotto explained: “I think it will be a difficult weekend in respect of bringing updates and trying to evaluate them in the Friday practice, because you need obviously to focus yourself on the quali of the afternoon. If we will look at ourselves, there will not be much in Imola because again, we believe it will not be the right place. But we will try to mitigate the issues we have got still so far. I’m thinking of the porpoising and the bouncing that has affected our performance over the weekend. So we again try to work on that specific point. But, for the upgrades and more, let me say significant ones, it will be for later on in the season.” – he added.
Scuderia Ferrari is currently enjoying a solid lead in both championships ahead of the Emilia Romagna GP, as a result of Charles Leclerc’s wins in Bahrain and Australia, but while the Maranello team expected to be in the fight for top places this season, Mattia Binotto admits that things have gone even better than he anticipated.
“I’m certainly surprised. I think we worked hard and we put a lot of priority on to 2022. I knew that the team was a great team and we somehow improved ourselves compared to the past seasons. I was hoping to have a competitive car for the start of season…but certainly I was not expecting such a good start to the season. I think it would be unfair to think that. But I still believe that the difference between us and the others can be very little. I think the past races have proved it, and will be a great fight in the next races certainly.” – he added.
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Max Verstappen’s two DNFs in the first three races of the 2022 Formula One season has also helped the Italian side’s positive situation in the standings, but the most important aspect is that the F1-75 car proved able to successfully challenge Red Bull on any kind of track. In the first race of the new campaign, at the Bahrain International Circuit, Scuderia Ferrari’s improved tyre management proved key, while in Australia last weekend, Mattia Binotto feels that the F1-75 was simply better balanced than anyone else as he downplayed the impact of his team’s higher downforce preference.
“I think that having a well-balanced car was a key element in the view of tyre management, and the drivers managed well. I think Charles did a pretty good job in that. I don’t think that the downforce level was an element because, if I look at the speed on the straights, if I look at our direct competitors, I think that finally they ran a higher downforce level compared to what they had, for example, in Jeddah, and they were a lot closer to us.” – the Ferrari boss concluded.
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