Ferrari, in the last round of F1, replaced most of the components related to the power unit. One of the biggest challenges for the manufacturers is precisely the management of the power units, through a virtuous rotation that allows not to exceed the maximum homologations imposed by the FIA. 2025 is the last year, it is the swan song of an architecture substantially identical to that governed in 2014.
The Maranello team is ahead of schedule for a reason
Engine manufacturers have become very familiar with current technology, which is essential for the durability of the core of F1 cars. Over the last decade, the International Federation has imposed increasingly stringent regulations regarding the maximum number of components that can be used during the season. At the same time, the number of Grand Prix events on the calendar is constantly increasing.
Adding to the burden on the life of the engines is the presence of six sprint weekends. The next round of the world championship, scheduled for Miami, will be the second weekend of the season with a sprint format, after the one held in China. Narrowing the perimeter of observation to Ferrari, we will remember how the Italian team has approved the second power unit of the season on both cars.
Influencing this seemingly premature move is the nature of the Saudi track, where having maximum power is a fundamental factor. The replacement of the first unit of the Ferrari 066/15 engine on the cars of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton is therefore not dictated by any alarm in terms of reliability, but only to be able to have all the nominal horsepower of the engines.
It is in fact necessary to remember that during their life cycle, the power units lose maximum power due to the physiological wear of the mechanical parts that compose it. The number 1 unit replaced on the Italian single-seaters, however, will certainly be used in the free practice of the next Grand Prix, or in qualifying and the race on the tracks that are not very demanding for the engines (see Monaco).
In this sense, the performance of Piastri’s McLaren is even more significant. Unlike the historic Modena team, in fact, but also Red Bull, despite using the Mercedes power unit approved in Australia, with many more kilometers than the competition on its back, having a few horsepower less, it still conducted the weekend in line with performance expectations .
Power unit, internal combustion engine longevity and transmissions
Friction and heat are the enemies of the internal combustion engine. The rubbing of mechanical parts causes wear on pistons, cylinders and crankshaft, compromising the minimal tolerances between the parts, making the engine less efficient . Simply put, the higher mileage of a power unit directly results in the availability of less power compared to a new engine.
Heat causes parts to expand and contract as they cool, accelerating the degradation of oils, seals and other parts. Manufacturers also provide their customers with information on the “life cycle” of power units . However, such documentation, developed after numerous sessions on test benches and based on data from past seasons, is not sufficient to guarantee the reliability of the elements of a turbo-hybrid unit.
For internal combustion engines, manufacturers, together with lubricant suppliers, constantly perform accurate analyses. The reason is very simple: to look for any cracks and wear, as well as checks on the engine oil that can predict any signs of degradation. In this sense, the support provided by technical partners is vital to ensure the reliability of an engine.
Ferrari, the predictive techniques
During the race weekend, Ferrari relies on Shell to examine the power unit lubricant samples at various times. The motivation is not only to verify the regulatory compliance of the sample with respect to the strict criteria imposed by the technical regulations. The internal wear of the engine, in fact, releases tiny particles of metals that float in the engine oil. Mainly three: copper, iron and aluminum .
Shell report on a lubricant sample – Credit: @EngineeringExplained
The lubricant is then analyzed using spectroscopic methods to verify the health of the engine. Partners like Shell, who have been working with Ferrari for years, know the metallurgy of the engine. For this reason, over the life cycle of the engine, they know exactly how many metal ions it is permissible to detect in an oil sample based on the mileage of the power unit.
Since today’s internal combustion engines are made of different materials, based on the detection of specific metals, it is possible at the same time to avail of a troubleshooting regarding which part of the engine is wearing out, too much or at least abnormally. A significant advantage that can actually avoid headaches by keeping all the elements under control.
For this purpose , optical emission spectrometers are used to precisely determine the elemental composition in lubricating oil. Analysis tools that do not require any dilution of the sample, capable of providing an analysis in just 30 seconds regarding the possible presence of over 30 types of wear metals. The same test is performed through lubricant samples taken from the gearbox.
Leave a Reply