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Ferrari’s power unit software update for the Miami Grand Prix appears to have failed after a disappointing performance in Florida.
Charles Leclerc took the lead of the race at the start but fell behind Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris before his pit stop. Leclerc had just lost the final podium spot to Oscar Piastri when his race unravelled in the final moments.
The Monegasque had to limp home after spinning and hitting the wall, with George Russell and Max Verstappen passing him at the final corner. Leclerc was then hit with a 20-second penalty for leaving the track multiple times without justification.
Charles Leclerc drops to P8 after getting a 20-second penalty!
The Ferrari driver left the track on several occasions without a justifiable reason.
That relegated him to eighth and promoted teammate Lewis Hamilton to sixth. Hamilton had a lonely race between the midfield and the frontrunners after early contact with Franco Colapinto left him with car damage.
Ferrari may be lacking 30 horsepower compared to Mercedes
Clearly, neither Ferrari driver optimised their race on Sunday. In a clean Grand Prix, they would have scored more points.
But the incidents shouldn’t detract from the underwhelming performance of Ferrari’s much-anticipated Miami upgrades. As noted by Motorsport IT, Leclerc’s best time of the race was six-tenths slower than victor Antonelli.
There are ‘rumours’ of a ‘serious engine shortage’ relative to the Mercedes ICE, perhaps as high as 30 horsepower.
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What’s more, Hamilton repeatedly complained about a lack of power during the race. This suggests that ‘the new energy management software’ introduced for Miami failed to meet the engineers’ expectations.
Ferrari expect to benefit from the ADUO system, a catch-up mechanism for engine manufacturers who are lagging behind, but that won’t materialise on track until midway through the summer.
Why Canada could be Ferrari’s worst race so far
F1 wasn’t able to race in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia last month, but those tracks, among the most power-sensitive venues on the calendar, may have exposed Ferrari’s weaknesses.
Miami isn’t in that category, but their engine deficit was still evident on the circuit’s long straights.
Canada is arguably the first bona fide power track F1 will visit this season, and on paper, there is little reason for Ferrari to be optimistic. They may well be the fourth-fastest team, particularly given the impressive output of the Red Bull engine.
The Monaco GP two weeks later may present an opportunity to end their win drought, but Ferrari’s package appears to lack the all-round strength to consistently challenge Mercedes. McLaren have now replaced them as the Silver Arrows’ nearest challenger.
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