Ferrari’s championship rivals have an “easier” task as F1 teams prepare for the future, team boss Stefano Domenicali insisted this week.
He was referring to the fact that Red Bull and McLaren simply pay a fee for their engines, while Ferrari will have to work with the existing V8 this year at the same time as preparing for 2014’s new V6 turbo rules.
“Teams who just pay for their engine have it easier,” Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport quotes the Italian as saying.
Domenicali confirmed that Ferrari’s V6 will not be ready to fire up for the first time until the summer.
“It takes a lot of money to adapt the structures and test facilities for the new engine and at the same time have the other (V8) programme,” Domenicali explained. “It will be a tough year and we take the issue very seriously.”
And whilst hoping Ferrari’s 2014 V6 is a pacesetter, he also admitted it is important the new 1.6 litre turbos make the right sound.
“The noise is important to the Formula One spectators,” said Domenicali, “and we have to make sure it stays that way.”
