Is Ferrari Ready to Create an Upset?

Ferrari, Formula One

Ferrari is waiting for approval by the FIA in order to bring their new upgraded engine and their new Shell fuel to this week's Austrian GP. The move would bring the third version of Ferrari’s 067/6 power unit to Spielberg, with the package being designed around the ADUO rules that permit changes to the internal combustion engine.

This update is tied to the new fuel being produced by Shell for Ferrari’s revised combustion concept. According to reports from Motorsport.com, Ferrari are understood to be chasing a reduction to the power deficit that they have against Mercedes, with the Maranello team hoping that the new configuration can convert more of the fuel’s energy into usable output.

The updated power unit will use a steel alloy rather than aluminium for the cylinder head allowing combustion chamber temperatures to be increased higher than usual, while if they used aluminium in the same temperatures failures would have been inevitable. The higher temperature and pressure inside the combustion chamber will allow a much greater proportion of fuel particles to burn, achieving a more efficient combustion process.

Ferrari also focused in the mechanical failure that Leclerc suffered in the last race trying to understand what went wrong to cause the electronic failure that disabled Leclerc’s hydraulic system. The Monegasque lost power steering, brake by wire, and the active aerodynamics. The Ferrari engineers are trying to understand the cause of the issue, with some suggestions reporting that Leclerc experienced something similar to his Monaco failure.

While the team would be ready to take the fight to Mercedes if its upgrade package is approved by the FIA and delivers the expected result’s it also should look out to Red Bull which has scheduled the release of a major upgrade package for it’s home race. But if Ferrari is to bring the fight for the title it is good that it has a revitalised Hamilton and if Leclerc regains his confidence it would have the best line up of all F1 teams.

By Paul Kontogeorgos.