Ferrari hybrid upgrade boosts hopes in season run-in

Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has claimed the Scuderia's upgraded hybrid unit "gives me confidence" ahead of Formula 1's final triple-header of the season.

Ferrari trails McLaren by just three and a half points in the constructors' standings with five races remaining.

Since Charles Leclerc took the upgraded power unit in Russia, a move followed by Carlos Sainz one race later in Turkey, the Scuderia has steadily closed the gap to McLaren.

After comfortably outpacing McLaren with Leclerc in the United States Grand Prix, Binotto praised the development.

“I think on paper it was not a circuit that was suiting completely our car so that is why I am pleased with the progress we are seeing in the last races," said Binotto.

“Certainly the help of the power unit, both for quali and the race, and that gives me some confidence as well for the next races."

Conceding there is "still a gap" between the performance of Ferrari's power unit when compared to Mercedes, Binotto added: “If you look, generally speaking, this season McLaren has been always very competitive in the medium-high-speed corners and again it was the case in Austin.

“But I think if I look at the overall performance of the weekend, we were ahead of them with both drivers in quali and Charles was half a second faster on average [in the race] than Ricciardo finishing 25 seconds ahead of him.

“So I think, generally speaking, in the overall balance of the lap I think we have been clearly fastest this weekend. That is why it was a shame with Carlos not being ahead of Ricciardo."

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