This is how many engine parts the F1 teams have already used in 2022
- GPblog.com
Ferrari saw another engine go up in smoke and that is bad news for the rest of the F1 season. The Italian brand is in a bad way anyway, with all Ferrari-powered cars having to use many engine parts already. We can therefore expect a lot of penalties in 2022. View the full list here.
Rules for 2022
In 2022, F1 teams will be allowed to use an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), Turbo Charger (TC), Motor Generator Unit - Heat (MGU-H) and Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic (MGU-K) three times. The Energy Store (ES) and Control Electronics (CE) may only be used twice without penalty. The Engine Exhaust system (EX) is the only part that can be used eight times.
Prior to the Austrian Grand Prix Ferrari were already in the worst position. Charles Leclerc already used an ICE, TC, MGU-H and an MGU-K four times. For the fourth part, the Monegasque also received a grid penalty in Canada, as well as for his third CE. Of the EX, Leclerc has used the most of anyone, six.
A first part outside the allowed pool results in a ten-spot grid penalty, all subsequent penalties cost you only five spots. However, a grid penalty of fifteen places or more means you will have to start from the back of the grid.
Ferrari in trouble
Ferrari will almost certainly have a second driver on its fourth ICE, TC, MGU-H and MGU-K as Carlos Sainz saw his engine go up in smoke at the Red Bull Ring. The chances of him being able to use them are slim and the older engines would also be used up.
There are two drivers who are also on four of the same parts, Valtteri Bottas and Pierre Gasly. The Finn put them in his car in Austria and had to start from the back. A day later, Bottas also picked up a new TC and MGU-H, bringing his total to five.
On the same day, Fernando Alonso added a fifth ICE, TC and MGU-H to his car, giving him the most used parts behind his name. He also used a fourth ES and CE. Alonso changed those parts the most of anyone.
With Esteban Ocon on three of the same parts, the second Alpine driver is also on the verge of a grid penalty, as are all the other Ferrari drivers. In addition to the aforementioned Leclerc, Sainz and Bottas, Guanyu Zhou, Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher are also on edge. It is therefore clear that the biggest reliability problems are with Ferrari and Alpine.
Red Bull and Mercedes are reliable
Red Bull Powertrains are better off in this respect. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are still on their second ICE, TC, MGU-H and MGU-K, using only one ES and CE (Perez used two of these). Also with the exhaust, they are still good. Verstappen used three, Perez four. At AlphaTauri, Gasly is on edge and Yuki Tsunoda also used the maximum number of parts.
Mercedes remains the king of engines in this respect, as of all the Mercedes-powered teams only Lando Norris is really on edge. He picked up his third ICE, TC, MGU-H and MGU-K in Austria. The Williams and Aston Martin drivers did use a new ES and CE twice already, but we don't see that at Mercedes and McLaren. Sebastian Vettel is also on edge with a third MGU-K in his car.
McLaren and especially Mercedes are in the best position. At McLaren, Norris is on edge, but Daniel Ricciardo, like George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, is only on his second ICE, TC, MGU-H and MGU-K, has only used one ES and CE and has only used an EX twice. Both Mercedes drivers have used the latter three times already.
Status prior to the Austrian Grand Prix
Source: FIA