Scuderia Ferrari and Charles Leclerc are going through a fragile subject. Within the turbo-hybrid period, the gradual tightening of the utmost restrict on homologated energy unit and transmission elements has change into so restrictive that just about no group has managed to remain inside these regulatory bounds with out incurring penalties throughout a System 1 season. Regardless of the spectacular reliability requirements achieved by energy unit producers, the ultimate races of this F1 championship may nonetheless compel groups to take penalties because of the extra use of elements past the allowed restrict.
Present championship chief and probably championship winner Max Verstappen used his sixth inside combustion engine final weekend on the 4.309-kilometre Autodromo Jose Carlos Tempo in Brazil, which positioned him behind the beginning grid for Sunday’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Max Verstappen’s Sunday efficiency will go down in System 1 historical past; nonetheless, other than the climate circumstances that highlighted his expertise, the Interlagos circuit has traditionally offered overtaking alternatives. As we strategy spherical 22 of the 2024 System 1 marketing campaign, which is ready to happen on the 6.2-kilometre Las Vegas Strip Circuit in Nevada, USA, issues are additionally rising across the energy unit sturdiness for Charles Leclerc.
To date, the 2 Ferrari drivers haven’t acquired any penalties because of environment friendly energy unit and transmission rotation. Nonetheless, the fourth full energy unit was put in on automotive quantity 16 again on the Dutch Grand Prix, which suggests seven race weekends in the past, and it has been used persistently for each the qualifying classes and the race since Zandvoort. The wet weekend in Brazil extended engine life, sparing the ability models from cooling points that may come up in dry circumstances.
The engines have additionally been pushed more durable by the drivers in comparison with a completely dry weekend. In earlier races, Ferrari’s technicians and engineers have taken each attainable precaution to guard the integrity of energy unit 066/12. For instance, on the Circuit of the Americas in Texas, Charles Leclerc was repeatedly requested to carry out elevate and coast within the closing levels of the race, the place he had a big lead over his Maranello teammate.
In distinction, in Mexico Metropolis, the Monegasque driver struggled to maintain up with Carlos Sainz on a observe identified to be demanding for engines on account of low air density. Among the many remaining circuits, Las Vegas stands out as one the place overtaking is possible. The upcoming race, set on an United States-style metropolis speedway within the playing capital, will closely depend upon engine energy.
It’s no secret that Ferrari’s ambitions are excessive for the third System 1 race on American soil. Final yr, regardless of the restrictions of an SF-23 automotive that struggled with tire administration, Charles Leclerc took pole and got here inside placing distance of Max Verstappen, who ultimately claimed the victory. With the primary cases of energy unit element utilization exceeding FIA limits, grid penalties are important. Max Verstappen was moved again ten grid spots in Belgium and solely 5 in Brazil on account of changing simply the V6 combustion unit.
For Charles Leclerc, this could be the primary homologation of a number of elements exceeding the utmost restrict. The Ferrari driver has reached the restrict on the next usable elements: inside combustion engine, traction management, motor generator unit-heat, motor generator unit-kinetic, power retailer, management electronics, gearbox case and cassette and gearbox driveline, gear, change elements and auxiliary elements. What does the sporting regulation impose when the utmost variety of homologations is exceeded?
A ten-place grid penalty for the primary time any further factor is used, i.e., the fifth inside combustion engine, traction management, motor generator unit-heat and motor generator unit-kinetic or the third management electronics or power retailer. For subsequent makes use of of the identical sort of element, a 5-place penalty is utilized.
The bizarre structure of the Nevada circuit presents important overtaking alternatives, additionally permitting for the advantage of a “contemporary” unit with a bit extra energy in comparison with one with heavy mileage. Nonetheless, if the Monegasque driver have been to obtain a ten-place grid penalty — even with pole place on Saturday — he would begin from the eleventh spot. That is removed from very best, particularly at a race the place Ferrari hopes to maximise factors to problem McLaren on the prime of the 2024 System 1 Constructors’ Championship.
In hindsight, the Brazilian Grand Prix would have been a more sensible choice, the place the SF-24 supplied Ferrari fewer possibilities of success. It’s unclear whether or not this alternative is because of the mileage already used on all 4 energy models out there for Charles Leclerc’s automotive or if it’s a safety measure to keep away from any danger of an influence unit failure. It is usually value noting that within the batch of energy models used on automotive quantity 16, there’s the engine that skilled a noticeable energy drop in Canada, which can not have been utilized in any official session because the Montreal weekend.
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