Alpine have reportedly developed a new power unit, reports claim their 2021 F1 engine was lacking 35 bhp

The Alpine F1 team has developed their 2022 power unit, according to Auto Motor und Sport, who spoke to their technicians. According to the reports, their 2021 engine was 35bhp less powerful than the Mercedes one, which is the most powerful one on the grid.

Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, the Alpine technicians said:

“If we can get the engine stable, we’ll make a big leap.”

While the Alpine F1 team’s engine lacked power, Mercedes’ engine did not. The Brackley-based team’s engine, however, derated faster and had reliability issues in 2021, while Alpine’s engine was significantly more reliable. Even if the Alpine F1 team can make up even 15 bhp more on their new engine, the rest of the deficit can be overcome with aerodynamics.

According to the German publication, Alpine's new 2022 engine that is being developed is a completely new engine and is very different from the technical concept that produced its previous engines. If all goes well on the engine developmental front, the French team are expected to be competitive in the upcoming season.

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Alpine F1 team believes their car was as strong as Mercedes

Alpine F1 technicians told Auto Motor und Sport that their car chassis was as good as that of Mercedes. According to the German publication’s analysis, the French manufacturer’s car suffered at the circuits where the Mercedes would suffer, and was similar in performance. The only difference between the two packages was their engine where the Brackley-based team had the better engine compared to the Enstone-based team.

Describing the similarities in the packages, the Alpine F1 team technicians spoke to Auto Motor und Sport and said:

“We were always strong on the tracks where the front tire was the limiting factor. Traction was our weakness. And our car didn’t like bumps.”

Although Alpine had a win in Hungary and a podium in Qatar, the team expect more from the 2022 season when the new aerodynamic regulations come into effect. The new 2022 cars will allow room for development for mid-field teams like Alpine and allow them to target more podiums and wins.

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