Ferrari are absolutely certain that they will cut the deficit to Red Bull and Mercedes in terms of power this year, but it is not yet known whether their aerodynamic package will be a winning one in 2022 according to a report.
The technical regulations in Formula 1 are being given a mass reboot, and the aerodynamic of the cars have been stripped back in a bid to aid overtaking, with the tyres increasing to 18 inches too.
Further, the power that the engines deliver has altered, with a blend of 90 percent fossil fuels and 10 percent biofuel resources being introduced.
Overall, this will reportedly give the power units 20 fewer horsepower than last season, but Ferrari are said to be confident that they have overcome this by developing a fuel blend – 10 percent of which is made up of ethanol – with their partners Shell.
“As far as I know, Ferrari are 100 percent sure they were able to catch up with the leaders in terms of engine power, even despite the transition to biofuel,” journalist Leo Turrini wrote in his Quotidiano blog.
McLaren’s Lando Norris previously suggested that Ferrari’s lack of performance in recent years – having won just three races in 2019 and failed to win since – is down to their engine rather than their chassis.
However, Turrini explains that the Maranello squad are not so sure about their 2022 aero package as they are about the power unit.
“But some veiled doubts remain about certain innovative solutions in the field of aerodynamics,” he explained.
While Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and Red Bull counterpart Christian Horner have both predicted that Ferrari will be a threat this year, Turrini maintains that Ferrari do not have a magic wand they can wave should the gap to the leading two teams be similar to 2021.
“You have to be careful with expectations,” he added.
“It should be understood that, if at the first race of the season Ferrari are half a second behind Red Bull and Mercedes, the dream of a title race is over.”
Ferrari ended the 2021 Constructors’ Championship third, beating McLaren in the final round of the season in Abu Dhabi.
They have retained their driver line-up of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc for 2022.