Ferrari reveals the potential of its updated power unit ahead of the Austrian GP
“The update we are bringing to Spielberg is a relatively minor one and it’s the result of the work completed in recent weeks to transfer improvements from our development programme to the track.”
He added: “It will not, on its own, change the competitive order. What it does show is the attitude of the team and our technical partners: to push continuously and to make the most of every opportunity to improve our package. In a championship as competitive as this one, it is unrealistic to expect a single update to transform the overall picture, especially under the current homologation and development constraints. Performance is built progressively, not only through hardware changes, but also through how effectively you optimise the package race by race.”
Wolff confirms Mercedes updates for Austria that also tackle the car’s ‘Achilles heel’
The Austrian commented: “Barcelona acted as a benchmark for our current performance and, having won the first six races, offered a reality check. Others have gained ground quickly and we need to respond. We are in a fight for both championships but must improve if we want to come out on top come the end of the season.
Photo: Race Pictures
“Our Achilles heel so far has been reliability. We have lost a large amount of points across both cars in recent races; if we don’t put together clean weekends, our competitors will happily take advantage.
“We are not standing still in our efforts; we will bring a few updates to Austria this weekend with a focus on improving both performance and reliability. The margins are tight, and will be even tighter around Spielberg given the length of the lap. We need to put together a better weekend than we have in recent races but if we can deliver to our maximum, then we know we can challenge for victory,” he concluded.
McLaren joins Red Bull in rolling out upgrade package for Austrian Grand Prix
Photo: Race Pictures
McLaren Technical Director Neil Houldey also shared his thoughts ahead of the race weekend. “Austria has historically been a strong track for us, and while we take nothing for granted in such a tight field, we are optimistic that the car and driver characteristics will again suit the circuit, putting us in the fight at the front. We’re always looking to make refinements that add performance and lap time to the car. For this event, we’ve focused on minor detail updates around the car’s rear corners, as well as an experimental rear wing that will run throughout Friday’s sessions.
“While the overall package is lighter than some of our recent updates, these developments are all part of our season-long development pathway, and we’re continuing to look for every lap-time opportunity wherever we can,” he concluded.