Fuel system issue forces Ferrari into Sainz F1 chassis change
Ferrari has been forced into changing the chassis for Carlos Sainz’s Formula 1 car ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix due to a fuel system issue that emerged on Friday.
Ahead of his home grand prix weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Sainz finished second in opening practice on Friday before taking fourth in FP2, ending the day three-tenths of a second off team-mate Charles Leclerc’s benchmark time.
But Ferrari has now revealed that a fuel system issue on Sainz’s car has prompted it to complete a chassis change ahead of Saturday’s running in Spain.
The switch was reported by FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer in his most recent update on Saturday morning, confirming the scrutineering declaration form for the car had been completed after the chassis change.
Ferrari subsequently confirmed that this was “due to a fuel system issue”. There is no penalty or sanction for the chassis change.
Ferrari debuted a number of updates for its F1-75 car on Friday at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which Sainz felt had “definitely got potential” as the team looked to get back in contention against Red Bull at the front of the pack.
“We've seen some changes in the behaviour of the car which is good when you bring upgrades, because you want to see some actual changes,” Sainz said.
“So yeah, [I’m] happy to see them working and happy to see them performing. At the same time, I think we didn't do the right steps going into FP2 and we we made ourselves a bit slower.
“We know maybe which direction not to go, and we need to go back into a feeling that I had in FP1 that was better.”
Despite topping the timesheets in FP2 for Ferrari, Leclerc was uneasy about the team’s long-run pace, having complained that his tyres were struggling. He said after FP2 that he hoped Ferrari could “find quite a bit of pace for tomorrow” and that “at the moment, we are just not strong on race pace”.
Sainz is not the only driver to have undergone a chassis change ahead of final practice in Spain on Saturday.
McLaren was forced into switching the survival cell on Lando Norris’s car as a result of damage that was found by the team on the underside of the car after running over the kerbs.
The FIA also confirmed that both Ferrari and McLaren broke the curfew in order to complete the change, each using the first of two exceptions for the season.
Related video
The key tech points that put Aston Martin's F1 car updates in the spotlight
De Vries: F1 move chance is currently "out of my hands"
Why WTR Acura lacked pace to beat MSR in Daytona 24 showdown
Filipe Albuquerque admits that he knew it would be a tall order for Wayne Taylor Racing to overcome sister Acura squad Meyer Shank Racing in last weekend's Daytona 24 Hours.
How MSR took Acura to the first win of sportscar racing's new era
After much anticipation, the new dawn for sportscar racing got underway with a result that mirrored last year's IMSA SportsCar Championship's season-opener run to the previous DPi rules. Here's how Acura once again took top honours in the Daytona 24 Hours with a 1-2 led by Meyer Shank Racing, as the new GTP class for LMDh hybrid prototypes made its bow
Alonso's pushy trait a boost for me in 2023 F1 season, says Stroll
Aston Martin Formula 1 driver Lance Stroll says Fernando Alonso's pushy nature will be a boost to both him and the squad this year.
Porsche aims to “learn quick” from Daytona 24 Hours disappointment
Porsche’s director of factory racing Urs Kuratle says his team will gain valuable answers from its disappointing results in the Daytona 24 Hours.
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
The potential-laden F1 car that Ferrari neglected
The late Mauro Forghieri played a key role in Ferrari’s mid-1960s turnaround, says STUART CODLING, and his pretty, intricate 1512 was among the most evocative cars of the 1.5-litre era. But a victim of priorities as Formula 1 was deemed less lucrative than success in sportscars, its true potential was never seen in period
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? LUKE SMITH asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.