Mattia Binotto, Ferrari Formula 1 boss, showed confidence on the team pace catching on its rival team Mercedes.
Binotto showed his contentment to the progress and had decreased the gap. He compared McLaren’s power unit provided by Mercedes to the recently upgraded Scuderia’s engine.
In 2019, FIA’s technical directive affected the team’s power units. It improves FIA’s capacity to regulate and control systems especially which circumvent the regulations.
Ferrari was affected and found itself down the hill especially against Mercedes power unit performance. The team slipped down to sixth position on manufacturer’s standing in 2020.
However, it improved its standing this year and had managed to challenge McLaren Formula 1 team for the third place.
Charles Leclerc, at Monaco and Baku Grand Prix, achieved two back to back pole positions for the team.
The team upgraded the hybrid system for both drivers, Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., in Russia and Turkey respectively. Both drivers had to take a grid penalty for taking fourth engine, which provided them tangible performance.
Binotto maintains that the latest system up-gradation has proved to be a “big step”. Leclerc and Sainz were able to take more downforce at US GP while maintaining speed against Mercedes.
Read More: Sainz: Sochi is my best so far with Ferrari
“The [additional] power is always available through the straightline, so you get the benefit from it at the start of the straightline and as well at the end,” he explained.
“The way we can quantify that; if I look at this weekend [at Austin], we’re running maximum downforce, but we’re somehow almost matching the speed of the others.
“Considering last year, how the situation was, it is certainly a big step forward. We still know that there is a gap to the best engine today, but we believe that gap is not so dramatic.”
Ferrari’s extra power might be a turning point and could lead the team to win against McLaren. Leclerc finished fourth ahead of McLaren for the second race in a row, reducing the gap to 3.5 points.
Both teams agree that Ferrari currently has the quickest car.
“Generally speaking, in the overall balance of the lap, I think we have been clearly faster this weekend,” Binotto explained.
“I think on the paper it was not a circuit which was suiting obviously our car.
“That’s why I’m pleased with the progress I’ve seen in the last races. Certainly, the help of the power unit both for qualifying and the race. And that gives me some confidence for the next races.”
