For the final eight races of the 2021 season, Ferrari installed a new engine specification into their car, which helped Sainz to two podiums.
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Emerson Fittipaldi, a two-time Formula One world champion, believes Ferrari will have an advantage over Mercedes and Red Bull at the start of the 2022 season. As a ground effect-led aerodynamic concept is embraced, sweeping technical regulations have come into effect this year. In addition, the tyres will be increased to 18 inches, and the engines will produce 20 fewer horsepower than they did in 2021.
For the final eight races of the 2021 season, Ferrari installed a new engine specification into their car, which helped Carlos Sainz to two of his four podiums with the Scuderia during his impressive debut season in red. As a result, while Mercedes and Red Bull battled for first place, Fittipaldi believes Ferrari spent more time developing their 2022 machine than the leading two, and thus believes they could be faster than last season’s champions.
“They can be faster at the start,” he told the Dutch edition of Motorsport.com. “A team like Ferrari has been working on the new season for much longer. You don’t know, there can be many surprises.”
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Despite the fact that the budget cap has been reduced by USD 5 million to USD 140 million for this year, the Brazilian believes that wealthy teams like Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari have a perpetual advantage over the rest of the field despite equal spending.
“The bigger teams always have an advantage. But other teams can be closer this year. I think it will be more balanced,” he explained. “In any case, I’m happy with the new rules. I mainly hope the cars can follow each other a lot better. Hopefully that will give us more fun races to watch.”
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The 75-year-old is rubbing his hands in anticipation of the new regulations’ potential for shocks and surprises, and emphasises the importance of nailing the new car specification. Before the 2022 season begins at the Sakhir International Circuit, a “shakedown” in Barcelona precedes a pre-season test in Bahrain, and the former McLaren driver believes we won’t see anyone’s true performance until the first round.
“I think the new regulations will cause a lot of surprises. Whoever tackles the new rules the best has a real advantage,” he said. “But you don’t know for sure until the first qualifying of the year because in the tests, you don’t know if they are driving full tanks and the track conditions also have a lot of influence.”
