Alpine is said to be “suspicious” of rival power unit manufacturers who have reportedly unlocked performance through reliability improvements.
Gazetta dello Sport reports that Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull have made gains on their engines ahead of the 2023 season.
Last year, power units were frozen across the grid with manufacturers only able to make alterations to address reliability concerns.
The freeze will last until the 2026 season, when new power unit regulations will come into play.
Gazzetta writes that “in reality the modifications to increase the reliability of the engine, even without a direct performance purpose, also helps the power.
“And Ferrari seems to be the one ahead from this point of view.”
It says that Ferrari has found a 30hp increase, with rivals Mercedes and Red Bull being boosted by 16hp and 10hp respectively.
Reports of Ferrari’s increase comes at a time in which there are also rumours that the Italian squad has found one second in lap time compared to 2022.
Renault, who supplies Alpine with engines, is reported to be the only team that hasn’t found a power boost by addressing reliability.
As a result, the French manufacturer is said to be “suspicious” of its rivals as the new campaign approaches.
Gazzetta claims that Mercedes has worked on reducing internal mechanical friction, while a new lubricant formulation from supplier Petronas will increase the efficiency of the engine’s combustion.
Red Bull, who took over the power unit built by Honda, has found 10hp as it has focused on improving the reliability of their MGU-H and MGU-K units, while also working on the engine’s auxiliary pumps.
Ferrari had a number of on-track reliability concerns during the 2022 season, but it is now supposedly able to turn its engines back up amid the injection of engine fixes.
Speaking recently to The Race, Alpine executive director Bruno Famin outlined that performance gains from reliability corrections are known to the FIA, who monitored the situation in 2022.
“Behind the reliability issue you often have a potential performance gain, of course,” he said. “The limit is not exactly always super clear.
“If you have a water pump issue, as we had in ‘22, it’s quite clear it’s a pure reliability issue, there is nothing to gain in having a better or different water pump.
“If need to change the material of the piston rings, OK, you will be able to have something stronger to have more performance, then where is the limit? It’s not obvious.
“The process in 2022 with the FIA and the other PU manufacturers has been quite good, it has been transparent at least in that everybody was aware of the request and this is very good. It has been well managed by the FIA.
“Now I am expecting the FIA to be a bit stronger in the future.”
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