Ferrary happy to take risks
According to reports over the winter break, Ferrari are pushing the limits with their power unit. The first notable divergence from Maranello is their decision to use a steel alloy for their cylinder heads, in contrast to other manufacturers who traditionally use aluminium.
The Italian team’s technical department believes this decision will lead to a more reliable engine. This is important for every engine, but especially in the context of some of the headaches Ferrari have been dealing with in the build-up to 2026.
In many ways, some of the decisions taken by Vasseur’s team create a lot of uncertainty for the upcoming seasons. Conflicting reports on certain fronts also throw a spanner in the works when dissecting Ferrari’s prospects.
Putting aside some of the inevitable contradictory information that emerges during the winter break, the Scuderia are also taking a unique path compared to others.
LWOS has previously discussed the importance of fuel suppliers for 2026. Different teams receive their fuel from different suppliers, collaborating closely to meet the requirements for sustainable fuels.
The regulations allow for suppliers to develop their own unique methods to develop the mandatory C02-neutral fuel. This creates another area for teams to optimise their engines more efficiency.
Once again, this is a department where Ferrari have reportedly gone for a specialised approach. Shell, the Scuderia’s fuel partner, is understood to be developing a bio-fuel to achieve F1’s sustainable requirement. Other suppliers are opting for a more conventional path, synthetic fuel, to reach this objective.
When putting together all these variables, it will be both tricky and intriguing to pinpoint Ferrari’s competitiveness as the 2026 campaign inches closer.
Main photo: Ferrari Media Gallery
