In a surprising move ahead of qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix, Ferrari decided to revert Lewis Hamilton to the older ADUO 1 power unit. This means both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will now run identical engine specifications, eliminating the power deficit that had been a talking point.
According to Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz, Hamilton returned his newer engine to the pool to save mileage. "Lewis has given the new power unit with the development to the ADUO, the opportunity for development upgrade that he ran in Monza, Lewis has returned that to pool to save the mileage on it," Kravitz reported. "He is running the same power unit for the rest of the weekend as Charles Leclerc. So there is no longer, after Friday, from today [Saturday] onwards, there is no longer a power deficit between Leclerc and Hamilton, which is good for Charles Leclerc."
This decision comes as a relief for Leclerc, who was forced to use the older ADUO 1 unit after his massive crash at the Italian Grand Prix last weekend. He had expressed concerns about losing time, particularly in the first sector, though he was unsure if it was purely power-related. "I think most of the people put a new power unit, or a newer spec, for today and I kind of had the same spec," Leclerc said after qualifying. "And that's on me obviously for last week. So maybe I didn't do the step forward that the others did on that side. Having said that, I think the lap was quite clean."
Hamilton impressed by qualifying fourth, just 0.006 seconds ahead of Leclerc, and missed his first pole in three years by only 0.189s. This shows that even with the older engine, he remains competitive. Leclerc, meanwhile, will start behind him.
Ferrari is still unsure whether Leclerc's ADUO 2 power unit can be used again. "For now, we don't know yet," Leclerc admitted. "There are some checks that we have to do. So yeah not 100% sure yet." The team must conduct further assessments before making a decision.
The choice to revert to older engines at a track that is not overly power-sensitive, like Madrid, might be a smart move to save engine components. With strict regulations, mileage management is crucial, especially with a long season ahead. However, it also raises questions about Ferrari's long-term performance as they battle rivals like Red Bull Racing and Mercedes.
For fans, the duel between Hamilton and Leclerc with equal machinery will be fascinating. Both now have the same weapons, and internal competition at Ferrari will intensify. Will Hamilton's championship experience give him the edge, or will the younger Leclerc rise to the occasion? We'll find out on race day.
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