After Carlos Sainz received a new power unit in Imola, Charles Leclerc will receive one at this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc will be granted Ferrari’s new-spec engine ahead of the Miami Grand Prix as the Scuderia tries to keep up with Red Bull,
Following the power boost given to Carlos Sainz ahead of the Imola sprint weekend, Leclerc will now receive an enhanced power unit with improved acceleration and a new MGU-K, the system that transfers energy from the rear axle into power.
The Ferrari engine that Sainz used in the early part of the 2022 season is still in perfect working order, which is important for the Maranello team because it allows them to use it during free practice in Florida and avoid placing more load on the second-generation power unit.
This is crucial for the team’s $140 million budget, since saving the new engine as much as possible helps them avoid extra costs, so one would imagine they’ll adopt a similar cost-effective strategy with the 24-year-old.
The power unit upgrade is expected to help Ferrari stay up with the fantastic Honda-built Red Bull engine in the straights, and the Milton Keynes-based team is even more slippery in a straight line than they were at the start of the year after introducing a weight-saving upgrade package.
A tiny tweak aimed to combat “porpoising,” which is now an overwhelming threat to the teams under the new technical regulations that see the cars run substantially lower to the ground, could also help Ferrari’s case in that regard.
In general, Ferrari has done well, unlike Mercedes, which has had a “undriveable” car in the first few rounds of the season, but they would like to do rid of the unpleasant head movement.
As a result, a new skid has been installed on the car’s back end, which should help to stabilise the chassis and prevent excessive bouncing. In theory, this will help them on the straights and in the bends by providing additional stability.
After a disastrous weekend at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where Sainz crashed both in qualifying and on the first lap, and Leclerc threw away a podium with his own accident with the barrier, the Italian giants want a comeback.
Max Verstappen led home Sergio Perez to give Red Bull a one-two finish, putting them 11 points behind Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship, while the Dutchman rose to second in the Drivers’ Standings, 27 points behind the Monegasque.
