What the Mercedes team principal said
After more than a month-long break, F1 returns to the track this weekend in Miami, the first event where the initial countermeasures taken to try and make race dynamics less dangerous when a car is in recharge phase will be in effect, and to give drivers the opportunity not to excessively resort to lift and coast during the Qualifying lap.
From the power unit perspective, with the exception of these new rules, nothing will change because the FIA’s decisions regarding the first intervention of the ADUO will be defined at the beginning of June; only then will the teams benefiting from ADUO be able to take advantage of these concessions to improve their power units.
Toto Wolff made no secret of being ready to maniacally monitor the FIA’s decisions regarding ADUO: “Do we fear a defensive autumn due to our rivals overtaking us? Fear does not belong to us, but vigilance is absolute – said Toto Wolff in an interview granted to Autosprint – we read the intricacies of this rule with the attention of exegetes. Through data, our analysts are able to decode the secrets of rival power with frightening precision. The FIA possesses our same truths, and I demand that they defend the honor of the sport by preventing anyone from finding shortcuts and making strides forward. ADUO is a lifesaver for those struggling, not an elevator to snatch the top.”
Why did Wolff want to be so tough and unyielding in view of the first ADUO adjustment? Because, as our Carlo Platella pointed out, Ferrari, by focusing on a smaller turbo, deliberately sacrificed maximum power in favor of torque in traction, considering it more profitable in the overall balance on the stopwatch. Also, in the case of the Prancing Horse, the SF-26 features a flap behind the exhaust terminal for aerodynamic reasons, but which obstructs the free exit of gases, leading to a further loss of engine power. With the formula used by the Federation, ADUO could thus guarantee extra development opportunities for engines not necessarily underperforming, but whose maximum power has been sacrificed in favor of other aspects of performance.
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