Charles Leclerc says Alfa Romeo and Haas' presence among the top ten in qualifying in Bahrain is a further validation of the strength of Ferrari's new power unit.
Ferrari has spared no effort to improve its performance this season, putting the full weight of its engineering and human resources into its 2022 contender.
In a bid to bridge the power gap with Mercedes and Honda, the Italian outfit's engine department worked overtime last year to produce a new unit that Ferrari engine man Enrico Gualtieri has described as "an unconventional project, extreme in terms of vehicle installation, layout and many of the internal parts".
Ferrari's efforts appear to have paid off based on the level of performance showcased by the Scuderia's F1-75 in pre-season testing and this weekend in Bahrain.
And Haas and Alfa Romeo - two teams that have spent the last two seasons at the bottom of the field - have been the direct beneficiaries of the House of Maranello's new and improved power plant.
"I haven’t seen the data yet, but it definitely felt better than last year and it’s a step in the right direction," said Leclerc, commenting on Ferrari's engine progress after storming to pole on Saturday evening in Bahrain.
"I think that obviously one Haas and the Alfa shows that we’ve made a step forwards.
"But it’s not to underestimate the work that they’ve done, because they were also very quick in corners. I think it’s a combination of both – the car and the engine.
"But speaking of ourselves, it’s definitely a step forwards and we look quite strong on the straights now. So, it’s good to see this."
F1's regulations have imposed an engine freeze on manufacturers until the end of 2025 according to a two-term schedule.
The internal combustion engine (ICE), turbocharger, MGU-H and engine exhaust system were permanently homologated on March 1, while the same process will apply to the MGU-K, energy store and control electronics on September 1.
Engine development is therefore likely to be marginal in the coming months.
But Carlos Sainz, who qualified third on Saturday, just 0.129s adrift of Leclerc, says Ferrari needs "to keep pushing" on the engine front and work to extract more gains.
©Ferrari
"A big thank you and a great job to everyone in the power unit department," said the Spaniard. "Because for sure it’s also helping the other teams.
"We need to keep pushing because it’s not like Max was slow in the straights at all, or the Merc.
"So, we need to keep pushing on that front. But at least this year it looks like we’ve done a step in the right direction and it’s good to see from the engine department."
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