Formula 1
Ferrari: Dyno suggests F1 engine reliability issues have been addressed
Ferrari Formula 1 engine boss Enrico Gualtieri says that "positive feedback" from dyno work suggests that the team has got on top of its 2022 reliability issues.
Adam Cooper
Edited: Feb 17, 2023, 11:32 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Ferrari and its customer teams Alfa Romeo and Haas suffered regular problems over the course of last year.
Under the current engine freeze, manufacturers are only allowed to work on reliability updates, although it's been rumoured that Ferrari has also found extra performance.
Such a gain would be perfectly legal if better reliability meant that the engine could be run consistently at higher limits than previously, for example.
Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has stressed that Renault followed a deliberate strategy in 2022 of pushing reliability limits in search of performance while knowing that issues could be addressed through updates.
Gualtieri admits that only track running will provide the final proof of whether or not the team has addressed what he admitted was its Achilles heel last season.
"Preparation work for the new season is usually one of the busiest times of the year And this winter was no exception," Gualtieri said in a team video.
"Actually PUs have been frozen since last year, including fluids, so oil and fuel. And the only modifications allowed are those related to reliability.
"In fact, reliability was our Achilles heel last season. And so we worked over the winter to solve our main problems to try and reach the desired level of reliability. That was our aim for 2023. And our work this winter was based on this."
Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-23
Photo by: Davide Cavazza
Gualtieri said that the team had looked at assembly processes as well as the design of the suspect components.
"We worked mainly on those areas that gave us the most trouble last season. So we focused on the internal combustion engine and the electric motors. However, at the same time, we tried to capitalise on the experience gained on track last season.
"And so we looked at all the feedback and signs of weakness from the PU components were used. Clearly, this involves various design areas of some components.
"But at the same time, we also revised when necessary our assembly procedures. The work involved all the PU personnel as well as our colleagues in the supply chain and our suppliers."
Expanding on the winter programme, he said: "We worked on all areas trying to understand the root causes of the problems we encountered on track and used all our available tools to try and solve them.
"In fact, the work involved all areas from design to experimentation, including the assembly process, to try and test new solutions in a very short space of time.
Read Also:
- How a confident Ferrari launch has changed the perception of its 2023 F1 chances
- The most intriguing F1 changes Ferrari has made to the SF-23
- Ferrari focused on car-balance weaknesses with SF-23 F1 car
"We also made the most of the experience gained in the second half of last season and then further evolved some of the components where necessary. The work never ends, based on continuous improvement of the components to try and reach the required level of reliability.
"We've had some positive feedback on the test bench on some of the changes we've introduced. But as usual, the track will tell us if we've done a good job."
New team boss Fred Vasseur echoed Gualtieri's views on waiting for track running for a final verdict.
"I think the priority for everybody is reliability," said the Frenchman. "Because when you are at this stage of the season, if you don't have the reliability, you are not able to do the three days, and then you start on the wrong foot.
"We did the mileage that we have to do on the dyno, we are all optimistic, but only Bahrain will tell us where we are in terms of reliability and performance. So far, I would say that it's all OK."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article The Mercedes W14 changes overshadowed by its livery switch
Next article Mercedes' F1 launch caution: A PR game or is it really on the back foot?
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Adam Cooper
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Formula 1
Formula 1
Japanese GP
RB: Tsunoda “mentally on a different level” in 2024
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti planning F2 and F3 entries to promote US talent to F1 team
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Formula 1
Formula 1
Andretti F1 team formally opens new Silverstone facility
Latest news
"FIA Rating pushes drivers like me into retirement" - Sebastien Bourdais
WEC
WEC WEC
Bahrain
1 min
"FIA Rating pushes drivers like me into retirement" - Sebastien Bourdais
Nico Rosberg compares Ferrari’s clashes to his own Mercedes F1 rivalry: “The instructions are not clear enough”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
21 min
Nico Rosberg compares Ferrari’s clashes to his own Mercedes F1 rivalry: “The instructions are not clear enough”
Carlos Sainz recalls Charles Leclerc battles: “We always managed to find a solution”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Carlos Sainz recalls Charles Leclerc battles: “We always managed to find a solution”
New WRC constructor offers update on 2027 car development
WRC
WRC WRC
Rally Saudi Arabia
1 h
New WRC constructor offers update on 2027 car development
Feature
Discover prime content
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Formula 1
By Pat Symonds
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1960s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1960s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe