F1: a few positive factors emerge from Ferrari's weekend at Suzuka

While Ferrari faced a challenging weekend in Japan at the Suzuka circuit, with just six races to go, Red Bull secured its second consecutive Constructors’ World Championship (sixth overall). The young Dutch talent continued his unstoppable journey in a championship that, except for a sole incident in Singapore seven days ago, has left no room for the other teams. Meanwhile, his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez seems to absorb all the problems, should there be any, of his car.

The Suzuka circuit has marked the end of the fight for first place in the standings while simultaneously confirming the far from settled challenge for the second position, which almost feels like a victory. Following the pleasant interlude of Marina Bay with a celebration for their first seasonal triumph, the two Ferrari drivers have resumed the reins of their SF-23 and headed into a weekend they imagined could be quite complicated.

Fully aware of the improvements made to their car but also cognizant of the flaws that have often led to unfavorable results, the “two Carlos” have demonstrated considerable caution regarding their expectations for the race. Qualifying in fourth and sixth positions and then confirming those results in the race, the two red cars sought to collect as many points as possible to catch up to Mercedes in the championship. As of today, the Brackley-based team still maintains the lead.

Ferrari is gradually closing in on Mercedes.
At the end of the race, Charles Leclerc confirmed that he had employed cunning tactics, taking the opportunity to secure a pass on George Russell’s Silver Arrow, defining his move as risky but necessary to claim fourth place. Charles also acknowledged that they must contend with a formidable McLaren at the moment, emphasizing that he doesn’t feel overly concerned about the on-track battle, at least until Qatar, where Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri might maintain their competitive edge.

Fresh from his Asian victory last week, Carlos had to settle for sixth place, achieved through what he described as a reasonably clean race. This is despite his belief that his second pit stop cost him the fifth position, which he considered a sort of “sacrifice” compared to Leclerc, who was ahead.

Nevertheless, the Spaniard prefers to look ahead, considering the feedback received from the SF-23 during today’s race to be important and positive regarding the overall feeling on the track, concerning both race pace and tire degradation, a longstanding issue for the car. Ferrari’s race met their expectations since the team was aware that only a misstep by those ahead could open the door to a potential podium. However, this didn’t happen because the two McLarens confirmed the excellent pace that allowed their drivers, Lando and Oscar, to share the podium with Verstappen.

The 2023 racing campaign has undoubtedly left the spectators bored, as they hoped to witness a battle at the top. Nonetheless, the fight behind Red Bull has always been lively, involving several teams vying for the role of the second force. This “lesser shared objective” has nevertheless given meaning to this championship, especially considering how the competitive balance changes depending on the track.

Following a less than rosy start to the 2023 Formula 1 season, the Prancing Horse showed a slow, at times inconsistent, phase of recovery towards a partial comeback that resulted in the recent victory in Singapore. This was a success attributable to the teamwork, of course, facilitated by Red Bull’s dreadful weekend. In the last six races, Ferrari is targeting its predefined goal: to be the best after Red Bull.