Ferrari has introduced a major upgrade early in the season for the Shanghai race. The Daily Express - Sport reports that Ferrari's 'macarena' rear wing was not used beyond practice due to reliability concerns. Driver Lewis Hamilton praised his team's efforts regarding Ferrari's upgrade.
The Daily Express - Sport reports that Ferrari's early upgrade could help close the performance gap with Mercedes. However, the same source states that Ferrari's early upgrade risks derailing Ferrari's season under the cost cap era, where efficiency in development is crucial. Abandoning parts early is financially risky, according to the Daily Express - Sport.
I'm really proud of the team for bringing this upgrade so early.
Mercedes and Ferrari are tied with 123 Grand Prix wins. Williams' boss James Vowles stated after the Australian Grand Prix that solutions for their overweight car are ready but not being rushed due to cost cap constraints. He elaborated that in a cost-cap-free world, changes to Williams' overweight car would be implemented quickly.
Meanwhile, rookie driver Arvid Lindblad made confident comments after his F1 debut in Melbourne. The Daily Express - Sport notes that Arvid Lindblad is inexperienced and 18 years old. Additionally, Zhou Guanyu had an emotional moment with fans in China.
We have solutions ready, but we're not rushing them because of the cost cap.
The specific reliability issues that prompted Ferrari's withdrawal, the exact cost of the upgrade under the cost cap, and the nature of Williams' solutions remain unknown.