Ferrari are waiting for FIA approval to introduce an upgraded Formula 1 engine and new Shell fuel as early as next weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. The move would bring the third version of Ferrari’s 067/6 power unit to Spielberg, with the package designed around ADUO-permitted changes to the internal combustion engine.
The update is tied to a new fuel developed by Shell for Ferrari’s revised combustion concept, according to reporting from Motorsport.com. Ferrari are understood to be chasing a reduction in their power deficit to Mercedes, with the Maranello team hoping the new configuration can convert more of the fuel’s energy into usable output.
Why the Austria timing matters for Ferrari
The timing is significant because Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari victory in Barcelona has already sharpened expectations around the team’s development path. Austria now looks like a potential test of whether Ferrari can back up that momentum with genuine power-unit progress.
The reported change centres on higher combustion temperatures and pressures, made possible by Ferrari’s steel-alloy cylinder-head concept. If the FIA signs off the upgrade, Ferrari will arrive at the Red Bull Ring with a package that could influence both straight-line performance and the team’s immediate fight with Mercedes.
For Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, the key will be whether the update delivers usable race pace rather than just theoretical efficiency. Ferrari have a short window to turn Barcelona optimism into a sustained championship push, and Austria may now become the first real answer.
