While Mercedes continues to have a reliable car - in terms of breaks - in Formula 1, Ferrari suffers with retirements and Mattia Binotto argues about a new engine construction
The fight for the Formula 1 title in 2022 is concentrated on two teams - Red Bull and Ferrari - which have undeniably built faster cars than their competitors - who are still trailing. On the other hand, both teams have already suffered from several breakdowns this season, in a situation opposite to that of Mercedes: which does not break, but does not have the pace to catch up with its rivals. But boss Toto Wolff asked for attention so that the momentum doesn't turn.
"It's funny that both teams keep having to stop their cars [with problems]," Wolff said. "But you can't become complacent about it, because it can change direction very quickly. We are happy with our reliability. Last year, when we looked at the engine, we had another phenomenon - and several problems. That's why I don't want to get excited so soon," he explained.
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Championship leader Max Verstappen has already abandoned two races: Bahrain and Australia. His teammate Sergio Pérez also has two breakdowns, in Sakhir and Canada. At Ferrari, Charles Leclerc had to stop his car in Baku and Spain, abandoning two races in which he was leading. Italian team boss Mattia Binotto is not convinced that the car's reliability will be the key to the title.
"Reliability is certainly important, as is performance, but I don't think it will be the only factor," Binotto believes. "I think the development between now and the end of the season will be different, as will the spending ceiling and then finally reliability," he stressed.
Although Formula 1 still uses last year's engines - in a regulation frozen until 2026 - the category's new cars have forced teams to set up their power units differently - and this is exactly what has caused teams so much headache.
"The power unit has a completely new design compared to the past, and the problem is that it's still a new design," Binotto admitted. "Also, there are limitations on the dynamometer that there weren't in the past, so you can't test much. We are limited, which means the exercise is more complicated," the Ferrari boss closed.