As part of their punishment for the 2019 “cheating” incident, Ferrari was ordered to “use less fuel,” according to F1 steward Mika Salo, who also informed fellow Finn Kristian Sohlberg.
In 2019, Ferrari courted controversy as opponents questioned the Scuderia’s significantly enhanced power unit.
The FIA began an inquiry after being blatantly accused of “cheating” by Max Verstappen of Red Bull, which resulted in the issuance of Technical Directives regulating fuel flow and oil burning.
The Scuderia and its customer teams struggled as a result of Ferrari’s engine losing power.
After what the FIA referred to as a “thorough technical study,” the organization that governs motorsports came to a covert deal with Ferrari months later, before of the start of the 2020 season.
As was to be expected, Ferrari’s competitors were not pleased and continue to call for the settlement’s specifics to be made public.
Former driver turned steward Salo may have just revealed a portion of that.
During a Twitch stream conversation with Finnish rally driver Sohlberg, the issue of what went wrong for Ferrari and its client teams was raised.
The three Ferrari-powered teams had a difficult time maintaining their 2019 pace in 2018, losing the most lap time of any team on the grid.
According to Salo, who is quoted by Soymotor, “They suffered from Ferrari’s cheat last year because they used Ferrari engines and were obliged to use less gasoline. Therefore, I think so Alfa Romeo may be in a fantastic position if they can perform at their best in the race this season.”
They are permitted to utilize the engine’s full potential, Salo said. I’m not sure if it’s a new engine. Due to Ferrari, they were not permitted the previous year.
The Scuderia finished sixth in the Constructors’ Championship last year after failing to win any races. Alfa Romeo was eighth and Haas was ninth.
At the C41’s debut, he commented, “I think the relationship with Ferrari is going extremely well.”
“We held a lengthy meeting over the winter to discuss the areas of last year where we may not have performed perfectly.
“Our direction is good. The problem we had last year will probably be recovered in great part on their side, and the level of cooperation is improving.
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Accidentally Discloses Ferrari 2019 Punishment for Former F1 Driver
Regarding the legitimacy of their 2019 engine, Ferrari found themselves in the middle of a maelstrom of dispute. They had a power unit that could compete with Mercedes and helped them win a few races. Other teams, though, questioned whether Ferrari was abusing FIA rules by consuming too much fuel.
Regarding the legitimacy of Ferrari’s power unit, Red Bull took the initiative and made a formal complaint. The FIA came to the conclusion that Ferrari’s power unit was neither lawful nor illegal following a thorough assessment.
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We must go back to the beginning of the 2019 campaign in order to completely comprehend the scenario. Rival teams had seen a decrease in the Ferrari vehicles’ straight-line performance as early as the second Bahraini race.
Just a couple of weeks after Melbourne, where Ferrari had a lackluster campaign and was losing time on every straight and corner, its performance advantage in Sakhir was suddenly solely based on the time it was gaining on the straights.
Rivals kept a close eye on things as the season went on, and it became clear at Monza when Ferrari was gaining as much as one second per lap on the straightaways. This was made clear by studying GPS data and being aware that any straightline speed advantage there is down to power and not aero efficiency (as all teams run minimum drag).
Rival teams were unable to comprehend or explain that kind of advantage.
Even with the benefit of DRS and a slipstream during the race, Lewis Hamilton had no chance of overtaking Charles Leclerc, who eventually won.
As the season came to a close, rival manufacturers were still perplexed about Ferrari’s edge, and two theories about what the Italian team might be doing surfaced.
The first was that oil may enter the combustion process through a controlled leak through the intercooler, helping to temporarily boost power.
The second hypothesis suggested that Ferrari had management allow the fuel flow rate to briefly exceed the 100 kg/h restriction between the locations when FIA measurements were made. More gasoline might then be used to generate more power once it reached the engine.
Despite the accusations, the FIA checked Ferrari and never discovered anything suspicious. At each race, the vehicle cleared scrutineering inspection.
Red Bull spoke to the FIA in advance of the Mexican Grand Prix, however, seeking clarity on whether or not using a technology that circumvented the fuel flow sensor would be permitted. Such inquiries are frequently made to learn what competitors are doing,
The ruling body answered that such a system would not be permitted. It was obvious that manipulating the fuel flow rate to increase it before the measurements were collected would be prohibited.
On the eve of the US Grand Prix, Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s head of single seater affairs, informed all teams via a technical directive that two technical restrictions would prohibit such fuel flow functions.
As follows:
Article 5.10.3: Each car must be equipped with a single fuel flow sensor that is completely housed inside the gasoline tank and was created to a specification established by the FIA’s authorised supplier. Only authorized uses of this sensor are permitted, according the FIA. Additionally, every fuel delivery to the power unit must go through this homologated sensor and be made by the fuel injectors outlined in Article 5.10.2 before being made to the combustion chambers.
5.10.5: It is forbidden to use any tool, method, or process that would enhance the flow rate or store and reuse fuel after the measuring point.
What does all of this mean, then?
The news from today signals the end of one of Formula One’s longest-running sagas. It is unclear, however, whether Ferrari’s competitors will be happy with the conclusion.
A number of Technical Directives were issued throughout the season when the controversy around the fuel flow limits and Ferrari’s interpretation of them first surfaced last year. As the FIA worked to clarify the regulations governing the power unit, more followed throughout the winter. They hoped that these instructions, given to all teams, had made it clear what was and wasn’t permitted.
So, if at all, how does this impact Ferrari and their power unit? It’s true that during testing in Barcelona, their engine wasn’t as potent. They just do not have the advantage they did last year, according to the data. Does it follow these instructions? The million-dollar question is that. It’s uncertain at the moment.
By coming to an agreement, the sport can move on, and the FIA avoids spending further money on analysis without knowing if it will be worthwhile. They anticipate being able to effectively police the teams and enforce the rules by issuing the series of Technical Directives.
As part of the settlement, Ferrari will assist the FIA in its research on carbon emissions and renewable fuels in exchange for performing something akin to community service.
In what ways did Ferrari deceive in 2019?
Salo disclosed that the primary cause of the loss of power was due to the FIA punishing Ferrari and its client teams by requiring them to utilize less fuel.
- According to reports, as part of the punishment, Ferrari was required to use less fuel.
- Less gasoline meant that its 2020 engine performed worse.
- The same punishment was meted out to Ferrari customer teams as well.
Numerous whispers and rumors suggested that Ferrari had cheated with their 2019 engine. And while the team was unbeatable on power-hungry tracks in 2019, a sudden change in technical regulations brought on by an FIA inquiry produced a large loss in power, which is one of the key causes of Ferrari and its client teams’ extreme performance decline in 2020. Ferrari disclosed a covert arrangement with Formula 1 at the outset of the 2020 season, although the company wasn’t formally accused of wrongdoing. The renowned Italian team was subject to some penalties under the terms of the agreement with the authorities, according to former F1 driver and F1 Stewart Mika Salo, who was speaking to Finnish rally driver Kristian Sohlberg.
Salo disclosed that one of the primary causes of the lack of power was due to the FIA punishing Ferrari and its client teams by requiring them to utilize less fuel. Salo added of the Alfa Romeo team, which is employing a new Ferrari power unit, “They suffered from Ferrari’s cheat last year since they had Ferrari engines and were forced to use less fuel. So I think so Alfa Romeo may be in a strong position if they can perform at their best in the race this season.”
“They are permitted to run the engine at full capacity, albeit I’m not sure if it’s a new one. Due to Ferrari, they were not permitted the previous year “Salo elaborated.
Salo may be correct, but it is also true that Ferrari will introduce a brand-new powertrain in 2021 and may do the same in 2022. Both Mattia Binotto, the head of Ferrari, and Fred Vasseur, the head of Alfa Romeo, have previously declared that Ferrari will have a competitive power unit in 2021 that is not the worst on the grid.
Why was the Ferrari engine malfunctioning?
On the basis of reliability, the Scuderia Ferrari may request approval from the FIA to modify their formula one engine.
On Thursday, the German publication Auto Motor und Sport reported that the Italian team’s recent engine issues, which included two failures for Fernando Alonso, had been located.
The pneumatic valves are said to be the issue, which might cost Alonso grid positions later this season if he exhausts his allotted eight engines.
According to the report, the 2.4-liter V8 engines are leaking too much air throughout the races, and the new regulations don’t allow for enough time during the single pit stop to refill the bottle of compressed gas.
According to Auto Motor und Sport, Ferrari could be temporarily exempted from the “freeze” on engine development if it can convince the FIA that the engine has a general reliability fault.
However, Alonso’s and Felipe Massa’s current engines are not allowed to be changed.