Hamilton and Leclerc await Ferrari engine verdict as 15hp gain claims come under pressure

The focus is on a redesigned turbocharger being evaluated on the test bench. Ferrari has been working to extract additional performance from its power unit, with early estimates suggesting the development could be worth as much as 15 horsepower.

However, those figures are now reportedly being viewed with greater caution inside the project.

The reported reduction in expectations does not necessarily mean the upgrade has failed, and could be an attempt to simply reel in expectations ahead of the team's home race next week.

Monza, however, provides an especially interesting test case. The circuit's long straights place a premium on power and efficiency, making even a relatively small improvement potentially valuable. Ferrari will therefore have to weigh the expected performance gain against reliability, drivability and the risk of introducing a revised component at a crucial point in the season.

For the team's drivers, any additional performance could be significant, especially given Mercedes decision to provide championship leader KImi Antonelli with a new power unit, set to trigger a grid penalty.

A 15hp improvement would sound substantial on paper, but if the latest estimates are closer to a more modest figure, Ferrari may need to determine whether the real-world gain justifies moving ahead with the new part.

For Hamilton and Leclerc, the question centres on whether Ferrari arrive at Monza with a genuine engine advantage, or will the highly anticipated turbocharger upgrade prove less powerful than initially suggested?

Hamilton said after the Dutch GP that the team needed to "turn up the heat" on the competition and a revised turbo with added performance benefit would certainly help.

Either way, the decision could provide an important clue about Ferrari's development path for the remainder of the season as they both look to make up ground on Antonelli.