The more days go by, the closer we get to the second Grand Prix of the season. La Formula 1 returns to action and does it a Jeddah, on a track that will already be able to tell us a lot from a global point of view.
The problem in Bahrain
The focus is naturally on Charles Leclerc. The pilot of Ferrari, after the race in Bahrain, seeks redemption and above all wants certainty in his vehicle. The SF-23 in fact, in the previous GP, abandoned him on lap 41, forcing him to retire. Not a good start, also considering the dominance of Red Bull with the one-two from Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Once back in the GES, the Maranello technicians have worked to try to understand what had stopped Leclerc. According to reports, in particular from Motorsport.com, the problem is with the new control unit, which had been assembled before the start of the GP. This control unit would have gone haywire, muting the engine, without however affecting the Power Unit. A nasty twist of fate, considering that the ECU used was already the second of the only two that teams can fit to avoid the penalty.
Leclerc shouldn't be penalised
So the question everyone is asking is: Will Leclerc mount a third unit, serving penalties in Jeddah? It hasn't been said yet. In Maranello, in fact, there is still a little hope regarding the first control unit which shouldn't be completely compromised. On Friday, with free practice, the elements of the power unit will be checked and only then will it be understood whether in the end to risk or incur the gearbox. At the moment calm is preached in Maranello, because the penalty is not so obvious and avoiding it would undoubtedly already be a good start to a weekend that promises to be fiery.
