Constructors' champions Mercedes, meanwhile, predict "a hell of a fight" with rejuvenated Ferrari at the top of the sport next season
Monday 12 October 2015 11:01, UK
Ferrari will have to repeat the size of their performance jump from last winter if they are to challenge Mercedes for 2016's world titles, according to technical director James Allison.
Mercedes clinched their second successive Constructors' Championship in Sochi on Sunday with four races to spare after a second season of dominance under F1's turbo regulations. Although Ferrari have rebounded from a dismal 2014 to emerge as Mercedes' nearest challengers this year, the Scuderia's three race wins pale in comparison to their rivals' 12.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Allison estimated that Ferrari have made up eight tenths of a second on Mercedes this year - just over half of their 2014 deficit - but they will have to find as much again to draw fully alongside in 2016.
"We're not putting any frighteners on them this year but I hope we will be able to do so in the future," the Englishman said after Sebastian Vettel finished second behind Lewis Hamilton in Russia.
"We have made a good step forward this year but we need to do as much again the following year. That's what we are aiming to do."
Having spotted a loophole in the regulations to allow in-season engine development for this year, Ferrari have continued to close the gap to Mercedes' class-leading power unit.
As the regulations stand, that loophole has been closed off for 2016 - meaning manufacturers have to spend all of their 25 development tokens for 2016 by February 28. However, Ferrari and others are pushing that deadline to be relaxed.
Nonetheless, Allison predicted: "We have got a good chance of being competitive with or without in-season development.
"There's a meeting coming up where that will be determined one way or another, but we hope to put a car on the grid from race one next year that is a competitive car."
Indeed, Mercedes are already bracing themselves a more sustained challenge from F1's most successful constructor in 2016.
"We were expecting them to be strong next year but they've proved that earlier than anticipated," Toto Wolff told Sky F1. "So I have no doubt next year it's going to be a hell of a fight."
Ferrari last won the Constructors' Championship in 2008, which at the time was their eighth title in 10 seasons.
Don't miss Wednesday night's F1 Midweek Report for analysis of the Russian GP and all the latest talking points in the sport. GP2 team owner Trevor Carlin and F1 Racing magazine editor Anthony Rowlinson join Natalie Pinkham in the studio at 8.30pm on Sky Sports F1
