Pat Fry, Ferrari’s director of engineering, doesn’t believe the engines will vary wildly in power output, but says reliability will play a major role in the outcome of a race.
The new V6 turbo-charged power units are far more complex than ever before thanks to the ERS systems which will provide a 161bhp boost for 33.3 seconds a lap.
Fry says this could prove the major stumbling block in 2014.
“The differences in the engines will mainly be determined by reliability,” he told Auto Motor und Sport. “The technology is so complicated that five units [per driver] is a very small amount.
“I don’t think large performance differences will arise [between Ferrari, Mercedes and Renaukt]. Maybe there will be during the races when fuel consumption determines the power.”
He has also downplayed speculation that next year will all be about the engines and says aerodynamics will still be as important as ever.
“The aerodynamic regulations are pretty clear but I do see a few ways to interpret things differently,” he added. “There will be solutions that have not previously been seen.
“[They] will be as important next year as they were in the last 15 years.”
