Ferrari: Hindered for the end of season?

Here's an excerpt from Ted Kravitz's report from Malaysia:

Ferrari appears to have a problem with the pneumatic systems on their 056 series engines.

Both Ferrari engines in both Saubers failed on Sunday in Malaysia due to problems in the pneumatic system. Pedro De La Rosa's engine didn't make it as far as the grid.

While covering Friday practice on the Red Button, we observed Ferrari topping up the air in Fernando Alonso's engine. In parc ferme, too, the FIA allowed Ferrari to change the pneumatic line in Felipe Massa's powerplant and the pneumatic pressure regulator in that of Fernando Alonso.

After the race in Malaysia, Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali said he thought Alonso's engine failure was due to different reasons than the pneumatic failures at Sauber, so we'll have to wait and see what they find.

We're also yet to understand whether these are the same sort of problems that affected the Ferrari engines when they overheated and had to be changed after qualifying in Bahrain.

Indeed, during the race the following day, Ferrari admitted that both new units also got too hot, which led to the repeated radio instructions to both drivers to move out into clear air in an attempt to cool the engines.

Both Alonso and Massa have already used three new engines each up to this weekend. Only one of Alonso's is healthy. One overheated and had to be changed in Bahrain and the other blew up on Sunday.

So Ferrari are on their fourth new engine for both cars in China - meaning Alonso and Massa will have used half of their 8 fresh engines for the year - and we're not even a quarter way through the season.Ted Kravitz

3 races down 16 to go, and the Ferrari team have used 3 for both Felipe and Fernando... Not going well is an understatement to be honest.

The rule clarification as far as i know, they can use over the 8 alotted engines, BUT if they use a 9th or 10th, at the race they change it, its a 10 place grip drop?

The rule clarification as far as i know, they can use over the 8 alotted engines, BUT if they use a 9th or 10th, at the race they change it, its a 10 place grip drop?kipi19

Yeah - every new engine, so if they make the 9th last two races, they'll only get the grid drop for the first of those two races.

FERRARI: NO WORRY ON ENGINE SITUATION

Ferrari is adamant there are no reasons to be worried about the reliability of its engines following an in-depth analysis on its failures in Malaysia.

Fernando Alonso was forced into retirement from the Sepang race after his power unit failed with two laps to go, on the same weekend that the Sauber team, also using Ferrari units, suffered engine problems.

The team had made precautionary engines changes in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, leading to fears about its engine allocation for the rest of the season.

Ferrari said on Tuesday, however, that the engines have no issues and they will be used again in this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.

And engine chief Luca Marmorini also revealed that the problems suffered by Alonso in Malaysia were probably related to the fact that he had to use it differently due to a problem with his gearbox.

"We have carried out an in-depth study into what happened and the two problems are not related to one another," Marmorini told Ferrari's website. "In Sepang, Fernando's engine suffered a structural failure, of a type we had never seen during the winter.

"We believe there was a role played by the unusual way in which the driver had to use the engine during the race, because of the gear selection problems he experienced right from the start. Additionally, there is no connection with the problem the Sauber team experienced on the engine front at the last race, which we believe was down to an issue with electronic sensors.

"Each car has eight engines it can use per driver over the season and we plan our useage strategy around this. As a precaution, we opted not to use the Bahrain race engines in Australia, but they will be used in China, having concluded that they are fit for purpose, despite what happened at the Sakhir circuit."

Marmorini, whose team is leading both championships ahead of the Shanghai race, says the Maranello outfit has reasons to be very pleased about its pace so far.

"I'm happy because I think the Ferrari package is quick, even if it could always be quicker of course," he added.

"Having said that, our pace in the race can give cause for satisfaction on the engine and car side, even if we still have much work to do on the engine front, getting even more out of it, working within the restrictions of the current regulations."

The engine boss also admitted it has been very hard to judge the unit's true performance so far given the unusual race conditions.

"Unfortunately, I would say that so far, it is impossible to have a clear picture of how this side of the package is working, as there has not been a single race weekend not affected by the weather," Marmorini said. "In wet conditions, fuel consumption is a bit harder to control and becomes a less important factor.

"It's fair to say we have done a good job so far, based on work carried out last winter, but we continue to work on this aspect of engine behaviour to improve still further. Once we have a race weekend that is completely dry, we will get a clearer picture of where we stand."

SOURCE: Autosport

ED: Good move there really - if there are still heat issues, better to use those engines at a circuit where temperatures will be down, like China.

Ferrari have traced the engine failures suffered by Fernando Alonso in Malaysia and China to a defect in the pneumatic valve system, out of which too much air leaks during races. The FIA may allow them to rectify the problem on grounds of reliability.BBC Gossip Column

So pretty much what Ted was mentioning were issues for Alonso in Malaysia. After seeing the blow-up in China too, Alonso wouldn't have gone very far in to his debut Ferrari race if they kept the engine in. Will have to see if that's the decision that could ultimately help Fernando to a third title.