Ferrari is working on a new power unit for the 2022 season. The team has taken inspiration from Mercedes, according to a report.
Motorsport states that Ferrari will go ahead with its plan of having an engine that features a separate turbo and compressor for 2022. This style is inspired by the Mercedes outfit at the start of the turbo-hybrid era.
“The novelty is that the supercharger could go into the intake box. This will result in the miniaturisation of the upper part of the engine,” it says in the report.
However, it will not just be a copy of the Mercedes engine. Rather, it will be one of a kind.
It is reported that Wolf Zimmermann, head of developing the power unit, wants to separate the supercharger from the turbo. This is in line with what Mercedes has been pursuing since the start of the hybrid era in 2014.
Vamos! Getting to work ahead of another intense week ?#essereFerrari ? pic.twitter.com/sx0GY3GQ8G
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 8, 2021
Mercedes places its supercharger at the front of the six-cylinder, chassis side, while the latter is at the rear. Today, both are grouped together in the gearbox direction. A shaft is used to connect the two elements.
Will this make Ferrari challengers?
Ferrari will ensure that it does not simply copy the architecture of its rival. It is keen on pushing research in the direction of bringing the supercharger inside the 6-cylinder intake box. This will include a new arrangement of the intercooler.
It is obvious that this makes it a truly unusual layout. This may lead to the abandonment of the variable geometry horn system.
Such an approach may put reliability at risk. However, there is a lot that Ferrari can achieve if it can overcome this problem. In the new design, the weight-saving and aerodynamic favours may help Ferrari back to the front of the grid in Formula 1.
An engine freeze has been mooted for 2022 as has a budget cap. As a result, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto has reportedly given the order to pursue this project instead of retaining the engine.