The Scuderia received two upgrade tokens through ADUO and has already assembled the new units for Leclerc and Hamilton. The final decision will be made at the end of this week, once the bench endurance test is complete.
Ferrari is at a strategic crossroads ahead of the Italian Grand Prix. The Maranello team has received two upgrade tokens through the ADUO system (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) and has already assembled the updated engines for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, but has not yet decided whether to debut them at Monza. The final decision will be made at the end of this week, once the parts to be sent to the Italian circuit are approved.
The mandatory summer break did not play in the team's favor, because the Maranello factory closure prolonged the testing time for the new engine, which has been numbered as 067/6. It must pass an endurance test before it can go to a race weekend, which requires a unit to complete at least six Grands Prix on the test bench without any reliability issues: "When a reliability problem arises and a small change has to be made, the approval process must be stopped and the entire process must be restarted" explains the analysis.
Ferrari's engine department has 21 cells equipped with state of the art test benches, but cost restrictions and the desire to equalize conditions dictate that only two or three dynamometers are used, with strict time limits that lengthen the timeline: "It's meticulous work and even a grain of sand can paralyze a mechanism that should work smoothly" adds the report.
The project is expected to be a six cylinder engine with around 15 more horsepower and a different power curve, which should reduce the gap to Mercedes and at the same time improve the hybrid's charging phase, not only have the Garrett turbos been modified, but also the combustion chamber to better take advantage of the new fuel that Shell has approved for Monza. The performance increase is due to the combined effect of the higher calorific value fuel with the advanced combustion engine.
It is fair to say that the Scuderia is not traveling to Monza with the goal of winning. The characteristics of the Temple of Speed do not suit the SF-26 on paper, however the hope is that Hamilton and Leclerc can be very close in qualifying to the Mercedes, who will be the big favorites.
The Italian GP will be a crucial event to establish the engine hierarchy after the adjustments granted by the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities, on a circuit where electrical load is very difficult to manage; in addition the local hero Kimi Antonelli will be penalized in his home race for exceeding the engine limit, which will make him start at least 20th.
The decision on the updated engine is just one piece of the puzzle. Ferrari must also consider Antonelli's penalty, which could open a window of opportunity for them at Monza. The Maranello team knows that every detail counts on a circuit as special as the Temple of Speed, where strategy and reliability are as important as top speed.
Ferrari hopes that the new engine will allow them to close the gap to Mercedes in the constructors' championship. The decision to debut it at Monza is a calculated risk, but the team trusts that the new power unit will work without problems.
