Ferrari is ready to challenge Red Bull at the new Miami circuit, an urban layout that combines very fast parts, such as the two kilometer straight, with sections where it will be a real challenge to find the balance in the set-up.
The team from Maranello, having to compensate for the speed difference with the RB18 , will carry some updates to counteract the pace of Adrian Newey ‘s car, which was indisputably one step ahead.
The F1-75 will carry a low-medium load rear wing, while in free practice they will test the front end that Carlos Sainz used last Wednesday in the Pirelli tests held the week after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Our colleague, Davide Cavazza , had photographed the red car equipped with the “skid” that appeared below the background, near the first of the two floor openings, taking up the concept that was developed by Red Bull in Australia and should be useful to limit the effect of porpoising , since it is not an element prohibited by the regulations.
Red Bull Racing RB18 bottom detail
According to the information leaked from Maranello, Charles Leclerc will mount the second engine, the same as his teammate, who was forced to use this power unit in Imola after a warning in the checks they carried out, although they will be able to continue using this part in free practice in Miami.
The replacement of the 066/7 is not due to any reliability concerns, as the durability of the Ferrari allows forcing the six-cylinder turbo with more powerful engine maps after successful and repeated tests on the power bench
The achievement of certain durability objectives also entails the introduction of a modified hybrid system, and that is that the new MGU-K should debut in Miami, while the ECU and battery will arrive before the maximum homologation deadline set by the FIA in the month of September.
The Italian team, therefore, appears in the American city with the intention of responding to Red Bull, waiting to mount the most important package of improvements in Barcelona, and in which the senior officials trust, and a lot, to win in the “development war” that should help in the conquest of the title in 2022.
