At Monza with the ADUO-2
The Italian GP has always been the home race for Ferrari, but this year there was an additional reason why the Maranello team was eagerly awaiting the weekend at Monza. On the Brianza circuit, nicknamed the ‘Temple of Speed’, Ferrari introduced the new updated engine with the second ‘development token’ granted by the ADUO. Since the weak point of the Reds compared to the Mercedes silver arrows has been the straight-line speed since the start of the season, there was interest in understanding if this gap had been shortened by the new ‘ADUO-2’ power unit.
The play of roles
In the usual play of roles, Mercedes teased Ferrari, saying that yes, the Reds have made a big step forward and are now much closer to the power of the engine made in Brixworth. However, speaking with journalists present at Monza, Fred Vasseur gave a different analysis.
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The Ferrari team principal wanted to remind that the power unit is not the only aspect that determines the straight-line speed of a single-seater: “It must be kept in mind that straight-line performance also depends on aerodynamic drag, the weight of the car, and a whole set of factors. It’s not just the engine. We have made a step forward, certainly. It’s not like we brought a unit 2 for nothing. But I think we still have a certain gap“, Vasseur concluded..
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