Antonelli implies that Ferrari "provided" an advantage to ADUO.
"I anticipate that there will be significant changes."
Kimi Antonelli has indicated that Ferrari might have received approval to narrow the engine performance gap with Mercedes; however, other sources suggest that this is not the case yet. Speaking with Sky Italia during the April break, the championship leader hinted that a substantial shift could be expected as early as the Miami Grand Prix. "I predict there will be some significant changes— for instance, the ADUO was granted to Ferrari, enabling them to enhance their engine," remarked the Mercedes driver. "They will definitely make up ground because their car is already competitive, so if they can additionally improve the engine, they will get even closer.
"But I’m not overly concerned. Ultimately, once I'm on the track, I will focus on replicating what I've done in previous weekends—aiming for the fastest lap, concentrating on myself, and on my tasks aligned with the goals set for each weekend.
"Furthermore, I'm confident that we will introduce some quite substantial updates," Antonelli continued. "The car is already strong, and there’s a positive synergy within the team, so I’m not overly worried, but I understand that other teams will eventually catch up."
Nevertheless, as per Eurosport Italia, Antonelli's perspective might be premature. The FIA has reportedly not yet approved access to the ADUO system, with evaluations scheduled to occur only after the Miami GP on May 3. Any engine-related improvements would likely be delayed until later, potentially as late as Monaco in early June.
Ferrari drivers have openly acknowledged where they believe the shortcomings are. "We are significantly trailing Mercedes," Lewis Hamilton stated. "I can’t explain why. I don’t grasp how they manage to extract so much more power from their engine. Perhaps we’ll figure it out eventually."
Red Bull is also seeking solutions, although their challenges seem more intricate. "The bodywork is considerably behind," former advisor Dr. Helmut Marko expressed to Kleine Zeitung. "However, Red Bull has a history of overcoming such challenges. It’s simply that the regulations are overly complex and the software plays a too dominant role."
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