Lewis and Kovi feeling benefit of power boost, claims BMW

Rival teams believe Mercedes’ V8 engine is kicking out about 25 horsepower more than any other 2.4 litre unit on the F1 grid. That might explain why the team has managed to gain an edge on Ferrari in the last three GPs.

“If those numbers are right, then an advantage of 25 horsepower with the same air resistance brings a benefit of four-tenths (per lap),” BMW’s technical head honcho Willy Rampf said. He sounds like a fun guy.

Auto Motor und Sport claims that recent technical tweaks, including the “antler” nose wings that debuted in Hungary, are allowing the McLaren MP4-23 to perform more efficiently through the air, and so make better use of the Merc engine.