Is the current Ferrari engine better than rivals, or are they cheating? (Update)

Now Toto Wolff and Mercedes are whining

UPDATE (GMM) Dr Helmut Marko has denied claims that Red Bull is pushing the hardest for the FIA to look into the legality of Ferrari's 2019 power unit.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Auto Motor und Sport this week: "We sent a number of questions to the FIA, but have not received any answers."

An unnamed rival team member added: "They (Ferrari) must have come up with something very clever.

"If it turns out to be legal, all we could do is take off our hats."

Horner's Red Bull colleague Dr Marko confirmed that the advantage enjoyed by Ferrari at present is considerable.

"We are talking about 40kW (54 horsepower)," he told Germany's Auto Bild.

"However, it's only on one lap. Especially in qualifying, the difference in speed at Spa and Monza was clearly noticeable."

But Marko denied that Red Bull is the driving force behind the questions being asked of the FIA about the Ferrari engine's legality.

"It's not mainly us who is pointing the finger at Ferrari. That's Renault and Mercedes," he said.

FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer is quoted as saying: "So far, everything is legal."

Christian Horner's crying towel

09/17/19 (GMM) Rival top teams are dubious about the performance of Ferrari's 2019 engine.

At Spa and Monza, where Charles Leclerc secured his first two victories back-to-back, the superiority of the Maranello-made power unit was clearer than ever.

"Right now, Renault, Honda and ourselves are at about the same level," Mercedes' Toto Wolff told Auto Motor und Sport.

"Only Ferrari stands out, and in a pretty serious way."

There are various theories floating around in the paddock. One suggests that Ferrari is generating more than the allowed kilowattage from the battery.

Another is that the engine is managing to store and then use extra fuel at certain moments between the mandatory sensors, while a third rumor is that the engine is burning extra oil for a power benefit.

An unnamed rival team member said: "They must have come up with something very clever.

"If it turns out to be legal, all we could do is take off our hats."

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said: "We sent a number of questions to the FIA, but have not received any answers."