Ferrari is returning. It is not yet an comeback with great fanfare, a trumpet blast aimed at beating the competition. Rather, it is a hymn to concreteness, to the philosophy of small steps, aimed at guaranteeing a bright tomorrow. A lot of commitment and good cohesion, a new working method and the awareness of having to give its best in the future. Which of course does not mean neglecting today. The present serves as an experiment, as a test in view of the 2022 Formula 1 season, when the Maranello team will no longer be allowed to make mistakes.
After the 2020 purgatory, Scuderia Ferrari was called to redeem itself. The need for a change has become increasingly pressing, an urgent need that cannot be postponed. Now that the initial part of the championship has been closed, we have much clearer ideas about the progress shown by Ferrari. And it is not really a trivial matter. The two pole positions scored by Charles Leclerc, albeit in a daring way, brought a nice boost of energy to the whole team. The Italian side is finally proving to have what it takes to compete, to have some arrows in his bow.
Of course, this is still not a fight on equal terms. Mercedes and Red Bull remain almost paired to contend for the primacy, while Ferrari fights to find a place in the sun and keep the status of ‘best among the others’, that third place that Team Principal Mattia Binotto indicates as the main goal of this 2021 season. It seems there is a probability of reaching this goal, despite the close fight in the middle of the group, especially with an excellent McLaren, who is currently chasing very closely and is waiting for the opportunity to strike back.
Mattia Binotto believes in it: “I think we have already shown that we can get back to the front, since now we have been doing it for two races in a row. We know there are still areas that need to improve. But it’s nice to have clear goals for the future.” Telegraphic and crystal clear, the Ferrari team principal summarizes the positive moment of the Maranello team. The engine, although still deficient, showed a notable improvement. But what was most surprising was the efficiency in the low-speed corners, which made the SF21 extremely competitive on city tracks such as Moanco and Baku. It also showed a good pace in Barcelona, especially in the third sector.
Ferrari remains a point of reference in qualifying, where it is capable of giving remarkable performances. More problems are still found on the front of the race pace, sometimes incomplete. The power unit is still behind and often, as in Baku, a compromise must be sought in order not to be penalized by the engine deficit that still afflicts the car. In any case, Maranello has taken the right direction, showing a reactivity which allows us to hope. The choice to focus on rear rear suspension, in Mercedes style, seems to have paid off. Now everything is in the hands of the engineers.
In fact, the engine will be the keystone for future Ferrari successes. The issue of engine development freezing forces Ferrari to design an adequate power unit right away. No hesitation or false starts are allowed: the time of indulgence is over. It is still unclear whether Ferrari will opt for the change, introducing the split-turbo solution (already successfully used by Mercedes and Honda), or will continue to rely on traditional architecture. And in Maranello they are working hard to avoid being caught unprepared at the moment of truth. The countdown has already begun. And we expect a rocket start.
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