The Barcelona Pre-Season Testing recently concluded and many F1 teams revealed one or two cars in the testing. Ferrari put on a phenomenal display in the testing as wind tunnel was one of the reasons behind the improved performance.
The authorities usually allow minimal time for the F1 teams to work on the wind tunnels. However, with some relaxation to create a balance in the sport, the lower finishing teams will now have more chances to work on the wind tunnel than the top-finishing teams.
It is fair to say that the legendary Ferrari F1 team’s performance has dropped in the past few years, since the emergence of Mercedes and Red Bull. Notably, the Italians finished sixth in 2020, the worst in their F1 history. However, Ferrari now has more time to work on the wind tunnel.
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Mercedes Principal Toto Wolff believes their R&D work is months ahead of them in the 2022 season and gives them an advantage of two-tenths of a second. However, Ferrari Principal, Mattia Binotto, agrees about the advantage this season but halves down the numbers presented by Toto Wolff.
Binotto reported, “We have some more runs at the wind tunnel but if you look at the amount it’s a couple of sessions in the entire year,
“This can be worth perhaps a tenth per lap, but only if it is fully exploited.”
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Can Ferrari compete for winning the Championship?
After the sixth-place finish in the 2020 season, Ferrari prioritized the development of the 2022 challenger even before the 2021 car. Their development did give them an advantage over Mercedes and Red Bull. Even in the Barcelona pre-season testing, the Italians showcased impressive performance compared to their 2021 car.
Hence, the Italian F1 team is quite confident in both their drivers and their latest F1 car. Carlos Sainz finished fifth last season, while Charles Leclerc finished seventh in the standings; both the drivers are aiming to finish higher in 2022.
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We can't wait to tackle this season with you by our side, #Tifosi ❤️
#essereFerrari 🔴 pic.twitter.com/9tcd3s90qj— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 7, 2022
Further, Ferrari’s boss, Binotto, also claimed that they will upgrade the F1-75 for the upcoming Bahrain pre-season testing. He even stated that the Barcelona test was to study their competitors and improve their cars to squeeze out the full potential of the 2022 challenger.
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Most certainly, fans will keep a close eye on Ferrari in the upcoming testing at the Bahrain International Circuit on March 10th-12th. There are chances that the upgraded Ferrari F1-75 might shock the whole world; further, they might even compete against Mercedes and Red Bull for the 2022 title.
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