Engine chief suggests Ferrari won't repeat MISTAKE heading into new F1 era

F1 Rules & Regulations

Engine chief suggests Ferrari won't repeat MISTAKE heading into new F1 era

Knowledge from 2014's regulation changes provides the team with 2026 guidance

Janice Kusters

Saturday 9 September 2023 15:57

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Ferrari's Head of Power Unit, Enrico Gualtieri, has said that the lessons learned from 2014's huge engine regulation changes, will help the team's strategy for 2026.

In 2014, the transition from 2.4-litre naturally aspirated V8 engines, in use since 2006, to 1.6-litre V6 turbos marked a significant shift. Chassis configurations were also altered, and new fuel and weight regulations were implemented.

Teams were faced with the challenge of virtually starting afresh in constructing their new cars, resulting in an intense off-season push to have their cars test-ready.

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Whilst Mercedes certainly made the most of these changes and developed an engine and car that was able to dominate the sport in the early years of the so-called hybrid era, Ferrari struggled and were largely uncompetitive during the 2014 season.

Now, Gualtieri has explained the process Ferrari went through, and how they will learn from their mistakes when looking towards the future.

"There was a big change in 2014," he said in a recent press conference.

"I remember we worked on naturally aspirated engines. We changed a lot, year by year. The engine itself, the components, sometimes even the number of cylinders.

“In fact, in my opinion, the number of cylinders was the biggest change regarding technical regulation. That's because it impacted every part of our organisation. We had to forget some learned notions and discover new ones.

"Surely there will be another important step, another important technological challenge.

“We are already learning from the past by seeing everything we couldn't do from 2014 onwards, so we won't be in the same situation from 2026."

What specific engine adjustments are on the horizon?

Following the regulatory overhaul in 2014, Lewis Hamilton clinched his championship title with the Mercedes team.

Firstly, there is a shift in fuel composition, adopting 100 per cent sustainable fuel sources and eliminating fossil fuel carbon.

The new regulations also outline a clear objective: reducing fuel consumption while simultaneously increasing horsepower. The target is to have these engines deliver over 1,000 horsepower.

Another substantial modification revolves around the enhancement of electrical power. In the case of the MGU-K, it is projected to increase its output from 120 kilowatts to a formidable 350 kilowatts. Additionally, part of the revamp entails eliminating the MGU-H.

Lastly, to promote ingenuity and innovation, Formula 1 is introducing an engine-specific cost cap, encouraging teams to devise creative solutions within set financial boundaries.