Ferrari has confirmed Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen suffered identical failures on their power units during the Malaysian Grand prix weekend.
The team’s chief technical officer Mattia Binotto said the team has strengthened the parts which failed on the team’s cars at Sepang. The faults prevented Raikkonen from starting the race and stopped Vettel from setting a lap time during qualifying.
“The problems we had were completely unexpected,” said Binotto during today’s FIA press conference. “It’s a problem we didn’t experience both on the dyno and at a race track during the entire season.”
“There were some quality issues with the parts. We failed an inlet manifold on the engine from the compressor to the cylinder heads. And it happened twice because we had the same problem both Sebastian in qualifying and Kimi in the race.”
Binotto indicated the punishing weather conditions in Sepang may have contributed to the failures. “It’s something that we are analysing in parallel with reinforcing the components but something on which we need still to better understand,” he said.
Following the costly failures Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne indicated changes would be made at the team. However Binotto said these changes were already planned before last week’s race.
“What we are considering, something that is already planned, is to reinforce our quality department,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. So our quality department will be and is already reinforced, that is the organisation our chairman was meaning.”
“I think that to improve your performance you need to improve your car, your package, but as well you need to improve your organisation,” Binotto added.
stjs16
6th October 2017, 8:46
Same engine ;-) ;-)
F Truth (@)
6th October 2017, 12:44
Lol
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
7th October 2017, 2:24
Generally that’s my thought, but it didn’t look like an engine failure, that said inlet manifold is embarrassing. I’m more doubtful of that gearbox, how is it still alive?
Willie (@willienjg)
6th October 2017, 9:54
I hope Ferrari did a good job glueing back on the FIA seals on vettels gearbox!! ;-)
Ashwin (@redbullf1)
6th October 2017, 17:19
I have a feeling that for this race the following prediction will happen,
an Epic battle between Vettel and Max, I want to see this so bad,
Hamilton will be in 3rd battling Riccardo,
Alonso will fight for 5th
James (@jimbo0070)
6th October 2017, 17:42
More likely HAM and VET fighting at the front. Alonso will do well to get near the top 10.
Ashwin (@redbullf1)
6th October 2017, 21:33
The reason is I think is becuase Suzuka will be more about a battle of aeros rather than battle of power.
Honestly unless Hamilton achieves a pole, I think he will have a hard time passing the Ferrari or Redbulls, it will be interesting to see how it goes.
dutchtreat (@dutchtreat)
6th October 2017, 20:50
In the right weather conditions it is not impossible for Alonso to win… (he is still my favorite driver)
Esploratore
7th October 2017, 4:11
Well, it has to rain and something has to happen to verstappen and hamilton, who not only have better cars but are also superior in the wet. Alonso is decent in the wet, so he might have a chance, but only then, and you need a full wet race, not just for a few laps.