• First Barcelona Test, Day Two

Ferrari admits some exhaust concerns

Fernando Alonso was confined to the Ferrari garage for the middle part of day two after running an exhaust to the end of its life © Sutton Images

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Ferrari's head of engine and electronics Luca Marmorini says the team will have a new exhaust layout at the final pre-season test but admitted some concern over introducing it to the car so late.

Fernando Alonso's running on day two of the second test at Barcelona was reduced after some burnt bodywork had to be replaced when Ferrari ran an exhaust to the end of its life. Last year the team struggled to get the Coanda effect exhausts working on the car in pre-season testing, and Marmorini admitted that not having enough time to test a new solution before Melbourne carried some risk.

"Failing an exhaust, especially on the primary part, can force you to stop the car so it's as critical as failing a piston or a gearbox," Marmorini said. "So we have a lot of concern about introducing an exhaust solution without the right amount of tests, but we have to push until the end. Until now we have a process to test on the dyno and in free practice some different exhausts, so we are trying to keep the same. But the more you push on this the more direct the impact can be.

"So, for example, this morning we tried to test the exhaust until the end of its life because we definitely need to know where is the limit of the life of the exhaust so that we don't stop the car. But I think the engine people are a little bit uncomfortable with this. But we will be sure that in Melbourne we have solutions that have been tested enough."

Marmorini also said that he had seen the Williams and Caterham exhaust solutions and that Ferrari would have a new design at the final test.

"It is very interesting and we are working on a different solution as well. The advantage of the exhausts is not making the car much faster than another one; it is only contributing to the last few tenths. At the moment we are working on a solution different to them but we are also working on the dyno and in the wind tunnel a completely different solution. We will put on the car what we think is the best [solution].

"We do expect a similar advantage from working the exhaust last year, nothing more."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.