Are you specifically mentioning the ICE modes or the power unit as a whole? If they were running a proper qualifying simulation, then their ICE modes are effectively locked the second they role out of pit-lane into qualifying, since they're required to use the same ICE modes for qualifying and the race. Red Bull very well might've just been readjusting their deployment of the ERS system and/or regen before and after their fast laps whilst Ferrari might've had everything pre-adjusted. Not saying that is how each team runs it, but just because it is testing doesn't mean the teams test all the exact same way.ryaan2904 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 6:24 amIdk about the engines being artificially restricted, but I did notice that in testing Ferrari almost never changed any power modes. Especially on day 3, where everyone kindof bumped it up a little. I watched a number of verstappen onboards as well as tsunoda onboards (since they were the fastest 2 times). From there, what I noticed was that the two Honda powered teams definitely ran a quali-sim. Ofc, I'm 100% sure they didnt run on full power, but they switched engine modes. You can confirm that by watching their in-laps and the outlaps. As soon as they ended their flying laps, they always switched engine modes.
Conversely, with Ferrari, neither Leclerc nor sainz switched between any engine mode before or after the flying lap. They prepped the car same as others before the flying lap but no settings were changed on the engines.
So there is more to come from that Ferrari engine. How much? That we'll have to wait and see.
That being said, nothing stopping any of the teams turning up the engine modes prior to the lap and turning them down again in testing, as its effectively free reign... but I wouldn't be talking up Ferrari's power unit potential purely based on them not adjusting settings on a potential qualifying sim.