Among the thousand variables of an intense, beautiful, true race, in Imola one thing emerged clearly, the proof of a good design and a concrete recovery: the SF21 was fast in all conditions, on a dry track and on a wet track.
For a team that too often in recent years has faced unsolvable and irresolute problems of set-up, temperature or tire degradation, balance, to see how easily the SF21 “worked”, making itself drivable in both wet and dry conditions, is the clue that the the road taken is the right one.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finished in fourth and fifth place a GP faced in a diametrically opposite way. The Monegasque talent was surgical and brilliant in passing Sergio Perez at the start and dreaming of a podium that vanished only under unfortunate circumstances. Carlos was able to stand out and showed a great race pace, further proof of his skill and a quick adaptation to the new team.
Fourth and fifth, with some regrets. Because Ferrari has finally shown that it can see and aspire to the podium, and above all it did not show serious flaws. In Maranello they are still lacking something in terms of engine power, not to mention that in the Santerno circuit it had chosen a high load set-up, a decision that undoubtedly paid off in the corners, but not on the straight. In any case, these are details, certainly to be refined, but which do not change the overall judgment.
Apart from that it is clear Mercedes and Red Bull race in their own championship. At first glance they do not seem to be far ahead of the first pursuers, but like the droplet that slowly digs the mountain, the gap is still too wide over a race distance. Lewis Hamilton had no difficulties in making a comeback after his mistake by easily overtaking both McLarens and the two Ferrari cars.
In this way there is the risk of witnessing a split championship, where the real Super League will be made up of Mercedes and Red Bull, leaving the rest to fight for the place on the lowest step of the Constructors podium. Which then, we remember, is the declared goal of Ferrari. The Cavallino started from a very bad base, a bad car that generated too much resistance to forward movement, with problems of rear stability and cornering, and with an engine that was embarrassing to say the least.
Under almost frozen regulations, the Scuderia technicians were able to evolve the poor SF1000 and design this SF21 which is fast, stable, well balanced and equipped with a power unit that is decent. With the new rules that limit the rear load due to the reduction of the floor, Ferrari is the team on the grid that has shown the greatest improvment, returning close to fight for more important results, challenging the McLaren that many considered stronger, and leaving behind the highly expected Aston Martin (so far disappointing) and the modest Alpine, which in 2020 was also ahead of Ferrari.
These are facts, which show how the momentum is on the side of Mattia Binotto’s team, that the wind (perhaps) is changing. It is clear that Ferrari cannot be satisfied with the role of handmaid of the queens of the category, having to tend more and more to close the gap and reach that level. But just talking in these terms would have been unthinkable until a few months ago. For this alone, the current Ferrari deserves trust.
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