'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ferrari director Laurent Mekies has predicted fewer in-season upgrades for his team in 2022, owing to F1's new cost cap.
F1 introduced a cost-cap to make the sport more feasible for smaller teams while keeping it competitive without giving the bigger teams more advantages. The cost cap was $145 million in 2021. It is expected to drop down to $140 million for the 2022 season.
Regarding the impact the cost cap will have on the Italian outfit's developmental plans during the season, Mekies said this during an interview with Autosport:
"Not compared to this year, because this year obviously was near zero, or at least for us was very little, but if you go back to 2019, 2018, we think you will see less. In 2018, 2019, in the big teams, you had something every race on the car or every other race."
Mekies then went on to add:
"It sounds difficult from our perspective to have a high number of updates with the constraints that we have."
Mekies is also concerned with the upcoming pre-season testing sessions in Barcelona in February. He has warned that should any issues come up, the team will need to address them with utmost haste. This too could eat into the section of the budget set aside for updates later during the season.
Ferrari name Mick Schumacher and Antonio Giovinazzi as 2022 reserve drivers
Mick Schumacher and Antonio Giovinazzi have been confirmed as the Scuderia's reserve drivers for the 2022 F1 season.
Schumacher also has a full-time F1 seat with Haas, alongside Nikita Mazepin. Giovinazzi recently left Alfa Romeo at the end of 2021 to go drive in Formula E from this year.
Team Principal Mattia Binotto confirmed the news during an interview where he said:
"Whenever he (Antonio Giovinazzi) will be at the race track he will be our reserve driver. And as well he will be available to our customer teams, so both Haas and Alfa Romeo. For the remaining 11 races. Mick Schumacher will be reserve driver for Ferrari."
Ferrari will still have Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz as their primary driver pair for the 2022 season. They also plan on negotiating a new contract with the Spaniard.
