Ferrari introduced an updated power unit to know more about the 2022 season, and the team believe it has improved their performances.
Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto has missed the last two races in Russia and Turkey to focus on the team’s 2022 car. However, he feels that the recent developments made to their power unit have definitely paid off.
Charles Leclerc received his new PU in Sochi, followed by Carlos Sainz in Turkey. The Maranello based team enjoyed a good pace in both qualifying and the race.
Leclerc qualified 4th in Istanbul, and Sainz, who started P20 (after taking engine penalties), fought his way up to finish 8th. Binotto admits that while immediate results were not their primary objective, it has been a bonus.
We really want a better idea about the performance in 2022, says the Ferrari boss.
“As we said at the very start with Charles, when we introduced the PU in Sochi, the first objective is to try to increase our experience in the view of 2022,” Binotto said.
“That’s why we introduced it as soon as possible. Trying to rush it, taking some risks as well, but it’s all a risk assessment. Obviously for us it’s clear (that we need) to get mileage on-track and do our own experience before 2022 when the power units will be frozen.”
“Really for us, that was the key. It is giving us a small advantage. I don’t want to quantify it on lap time, because it is track dependent. It’s not only pure ICE power, it’s energy recovery, so it’s a bit complex. But certainly it’s giving us an advantage.”
Ferrari to take the fight to McLaren for P3 in the Constructor’s Championship
“It’s certainly a target that we have already communicated to the team,” he said. “I think everybody is on board with that. It would be great to finish third.”
“I think even working with the clear objective for the end of this season, it’s important for us because it’s a way of working under pressure and being trained to that. So yes, our objective is to finish third at the end of the season.”
With six races to go, Ferrari will look to take the battle for 3rd place in the constructor’s championship down to the wire.
