Jun.5 (GMM) Ferrari has decided to race its performance-upgraded engine this weekend in Canada.
Earlier, although the Italian team had traded in some in-season performance ‘tokens’, it was unclear if the new engine would actually be used this weekend.
But in Montreal, Sebastian Vettel confirmed the news.
“Hopefully it is a step in the right direction and brings us a bit closer,” he told reporters, “but you cannot expect miracles from one day to another.”
However, the German driver admitted Ferrari was having to be “aggressive” as it tries to close the gap to dominant Mercedes.
“I think if you’re not the best then that (aggression) is the only strategy,” he is quoted by Speed Week.
Some reports suggest Ferrari’s new engine moves the team just 15 horse power shy of Mercedes, with the Montreal layout and Pirelli’s soft tyres also expected to suit the SF15-T.
Vettel said: “Mercedes is still the strongest team. So it (victory) would need a lot of things coming together.”
Meanwhile, the Ferrari driver did not want to get into a war of words with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who has claimed Vettel is “not doing much for F1”.
Vettel responded in Canada: “He has certain opinions about some things, which is fine, but I’m not too bothered.
“He is old enough to say what he wants,” the German is quoted by AFP news agency.