Ferrari hope to overtake McLaren with engine update, but risk grid penalty

F1 News

20 September 2021 at 14:46
Last update 20 September 2021 at 16:33
  • GPblog.com

Ferrari did not disappoint in front of their home crowd at Monza, finishing fourth and sixth against the odds. This was better than expected for the Italian stable, given their current backlog of engine power. However, there too there seems to be light on the horizon.

That hope would come in the form of an engine update, scheduled for the Turkish Grand Prix. The update would provide 10 to 15 extra horsepower, according to Auto, Motor und Sport. This would mean a grid penalty for both Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, but Ferrari expects the pain to be somewhat expected by taking it to Istanbul Park, where overtaking is not impossible.

Ferrari hopes to overtake McLaren with update

Team boss Mattia Binotto was satisfied with what his drivers showed at their home circuit. "It shows that we can respond well to difficult conditions. The performance was positive, the result not because McLaren won too many points compared to us," said the Italian.

Carlos Sainz had mixed feelings about it, having driven for McLaren himself last year. "It was nice to see my old team win, but at the same time they are our opponents in the championship and they have lost a lot. But they are not miles away, we can still overtake them," the Spaniard concluded.