Ferrari Reportedly Take a Huge Gamble With a Mercedes Style Approach for 2022 F1 Season

Ferrari are looking to revolutionize their power unit for the 2022 F1 season. They are seeking to design an engine with a separate turbo and compressor. This would be a homage to Mercedes’ success in the hybrid era.

The team has struggled in the hybrid era, largely because they have lagged behind Mercedes‘ developmental advances. They have failed to win a Driver’s Championship since 2007 and a Constructor’s Championship since 2008. For the better part of the last decade, they have greatly underachieved over the last decade commensurate to their standing in F1.

Thus, the Italian team is trying to make a big dive into the 2022 car by stealing a march in their competitors.

Ferrari roaring back in 2022?

Ferrari are taking a gutsy approach to developing the 2022 power unit, according to sources. They are looking to develop an engine that will make the compressor and turbo separate entities. Something akin to what Mercedes have done in the hybrid era.

“This is a very courageous operation because it will not be without risk: according to rumors filtering from Maranello, next year’s car will be born with a completely new supercharging system arrangement,” reads the report.

The uniqueness will be that the compressor could go into the intake box, resulting in the miniaturization of the upper part of the engine. This is particularly interesting as the 2022 season could see the development of power units get frozen for some time.

So, if this approach were to be unsuccessful, they could end up stuck with this power unit. This could turn out being a colossal failure if the engine freeze went ahead.

The turbo and the compressor will be connected by a shaft in deference to the regulations. They are looking to develop a powerful engine that can beat other engines but would make it favor aerodynamics, which was a problem area in the Ferrari power unit used in 2020.

Prancing Horse to improve on disaster 2020

Ferrari endured a lackluster 2020 season. This saw them finish a disappointing sixth in the Constructors Championship. The two cars combined for just three podiums the entire season. They finished winless, with their highest finish in a race being the second place earned by Charles Leclerc in Austria.

This was largely due to the lackluster power unit at their disposal. The Ferrari was never the quickest car on the corners. But, that speed advantage they had in the straights over Mercedes disappeared. The situation was so bad that more often than not they missed out on qualification to Q3.

Ferrari will be hoping that the 2021 car is way better than the 2020 one. They are also hoping the driver duo at their disposal can get them the points they don’t deserve. That would help bump them up the constructor’s standings and increase the prize money they get as a result.