Formula 1 is truly a kaleidoscope: the reality of the paddock can be seen with different colors depending on which side you look at in regards to the overall image.
The example of Ferrari is illuminating on this issue: last year the Scuderia had already achieved two podiums with Charles Leclerc (second in his seasonal debut in July in the Austrian GP and third in the British GP, with two races in between without any points), while this year he is still without a podium finish.
The lucky start to the season was better than the disastrous continuation of the SF1000 with the team from Maranello relegated to a disappointing sixth place in the Constructors’ World Championship.
Yet looking at things from another angle, it emerges that the Italian side has so far collected 60 points against 43 in 2020 and Carlos Sainz has brought 20 as compared to Sebastian Vettel’s 9 in the last season.
In short, the picture is different because the SF21 is in the running to be the third force behind Mercedes and Red Bull in a challenge that promises to be exciting with McLaren which, at the moment, is ahead of the Scuderia by just 5 points.
And the Monaco GP comes at the right time to change the Maranello team’s season: no one dares to make predictions in the Racing Department, but in Maranello there is an optimistic air for next weekend.
The SF21 in Spain showed an impressive pace in the final sector at Barcelona, which was usually the source of greatest suffering for Ferrari at the Circuit de Catalunya, and, instead, was now one of the points where Charles Leclerc was able to defend himself better. A sign that Ferrari can aspire to express its maximum potential on the streets of the Principality.
The simulations carried out by the Reparto Corse technicians feed a certain optimism and the more possibilists do not deny the idea of aiming for a podium. If Lewis Hamilton and Max Vestappen still seem out of reach, the attack on Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez may be achievable, aiming for a third place that would give consistency to Ferrari’s position in the current standings.
In Monte Carlo we will see the cars in maximum load configuration: in addition to the rear wing seen in Catalunya, we will have a floor capable of ensuring maximum load (we could review the three fins in front of the rear wheels that appeared in Portugal in free practice and then set aside). Of course there will be updates to the front suspension to increase the steering angle in order to tackle the Loews hairpin which is the curve with the lowest speed of the season (about 54 km / h) –
In the Principality, aerodynamic efficiency and engine power give way to the search for maximum downforce and the ability to know how to manage the tires. Enrico Cardile’s engineers on understanding tires seem to be making concrete progress and the fact that in Moanco it won’t be hot over the four days (minimum temperatures of 13 degrees at night, with maximums of 21) could play in favor of Ferrari.
The city circuit, which is the shortest in the calendar (3,337 meters), is a continuous succession of corners that help bring the tires up to temperature and make them work in the right operating window.
Pirelli has chosen the softest compounds at its disposal for this appointment, so we will see the debut of the C5.
Ferrari, therefore, wants to raise its head and challenge the top teams for the first time: Charles Leclerc plays at home and will be able to count on an audience of fans as he will have his own red stand in the area that goes from the Tobacconist to Swimming pools. The Monegasque will not have to give in to emotion and pressure because his past on the streets of the Principality are marked more by disappointments than by events to remember.
But the Maranello team wants to forget the recent past and look to the future with conviction and great motivation. It seems that they are all the ingredients for Ferrari to have some satisfaction. The important thing will be not to disappoint expectations..
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