Ferrari missed out on 2022 F1 title as their engine never ran at maximum power level - Reports

Italian journalist Leo Turini reckons Ferrari were not running at full power all season because of their power unit's reliability issues.

Writing about Ferrari's predicament in his latest blog, Turini said that it would be difficult for anyone to look at the first five races of the season and believe what Ferrari are going through in the second half.

Ferrari won two of the first three races, making a stupendous start to the season. However, the power unit gremlins and other operational issues left the car compromised as Red Bull ran away with the title.

Talking about Ferrari's season, Turini wrote:

"This season of the Reds is difficult to explain to anyone who has attended the first 5 races of the F1-75 and then returned to Belgium. Officially the famous Technical Directive 39 is considered "negligible" because it has afflicted everyone."

He continued:

"However - since the first hour - we have repeatedly signaled that the data was too clear to dismiss the issue. But that's not the point, and it's good to be clear: Ferrari has lost the world chances for a precarious reliability that it is trying to implement in a significant way for next year."

Turini added that according to his sources, Ferrari have been running a compromised engine. If they sort that out, it could be one of the biggest boosts for their 2023 season. He wrote:

"It is no longer a mystery that the Maranello power unit has never run at the maximum power level. We are probably talking about 25/30 hp, or 6/7 tenths. Binotto candidly admitted that aerodynamic development has been frozen. According to what has been learned, 3/4 tenths of development on the current single-seater have been sacrificed for the benefit of the new car."

He continued:

"The 675 will have some major improvements and in many areas. The goal is to return to having much more load to widen the set-up options and obtain all the available power for which the Power Unit was designed. If these targets are met, there is no reason not to think we have a three-way fight after winter."

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Sebastian Vettel will be missed - Ferrari's Charles Leclerc

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was asked about Sebastian Vettel during the pre-race driver's press conference in Abu Dhabi, as the German will race for the last time in F1 this weekend.

Leclerc had some kind words to say, adding that Vettel would be missed on the grid. He said:

"He has been incredible. He's achieved so much in the sport. And there is nothing much more to say on that side, but as a person, he's been incredible. I remember, already in Formula 2, I was doing the simulator work, which, okay, it's not an easy work to do, because it's really, really tiring, and I thought that Seb probably didn't even know I was on the simulator. And I received a letter one day, just thanking me for all the hard work. And that meant a lot for me at that time. But that was only a small thing. Then obviously we became teammates in 2019 and 2020 also, where he has taught me really a lot."

Leclerc added:

"We've had our tense moments on track, but the respect off the track has never changed, and he's always been there for me whenever I had difficult times. And that was very different to what I was used to with my previous teammates."

Leclerc continued:

"Obviously, in Formula 1 it's normal, there's inner competition inside the tea, but he has always been super caring and trying to help me whenever I was going through more difficult times. But yeah, he will definitely be missed. I'm sure that he will enjoy his time off the racetrack, and that he will find other things that makes him happy.

Sebastian Vettel is set to end his career with 299 F1 races.