New Ferrari power unit "won't be worst" in F1 in 2021 - Mattia Binotto

Ferrari

New Ferrari power unit "won't be worst" in F1 in 2021 - Binotto

The Scuderia finished a lowly sixth in the constructors' championship last season

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Wednesday 23 December 2020 07:58

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto is confident the new power unit being developed in Maranello will not be the worst on the grid in 2021.

Throughout the past season, the Scuderia suffered from a below-par system that also affected customer teams Alfa Romeo and Haas as a result of an agreement with the FIA following the governing body's investigation into the 2019 power unit.

Binotto has revealed the new specification currently in development for next year has provided positive results on the dyno, although he is naturally keeping his enthusiasm under wraps until the SF21 circulates in the three-day pre-season test.

"I think that we will be back to being competitive as a power unit.," said a positive Binotto.

"I think we will not be the worst in the field, that is the feeling I have got for the figures that I have seen on the dyno but I cannot know what the others are doing, how much they have progressed.

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"I think only the track in March can tell us, but the hope is to be back to being competitive - maybe not the best yet, something which we are looking for for the future - but to be back to being competitive."

Ferrari's power unit was the worst last season after strides were made by Renault and Honda in conjunction with the Italian outfit's struggles.

Binotto dismissed comparing the new unit to the 2019/20 engine as the performance comparison between the two is irrelevant until viewed on track against its opponents.

"I can confirm that the engine is running well on the dyno," insisted Binotto. "In terms of performance, it has progressed well, definitely, compared to what it was in 2020.

"Luckily enough, I can say we have a completely brand new power unit in 2021, otherwise we would have kept a performance disadvantage compared to our competitors.

"Now is it back to how it was in 2019? I don't think that should be the question. It is where will we be compared to our competitors which I think is more important because, in the end, it is all relative to the others.

"Somehow, the technical directives have affected most of the teams, the manufacturers so where are we today and where we will be, will be more important."