The Scuderia has decided that on February 13, it will unveil the new race car with a remote presentation: at Fiorano, there will be no television crews or journalists to cover the debut of the 676 on the 15 km Fiorano track. Last year’s show had generated too many expectations for an SF-23 that ultimately disappointed, so Fred Vasseur prefers to keep a very low profile, even though there’s an optimistic atmosphere in the Racing Department. We will find out if it will be a paying choice…
It’s a cold, icy winter. And it intends to remain so, even though a temperature rise is expected during the week. But one thing is the weather, and another is the atmosphere in Maranello. The 676 is being born in the Racing Department: since the beginning of the new year, everything has been quiet at the Scuderia. Absolute silence reigns. It’s not pessimism that prevails in the upcoming season, but a bit of apprehension. Apprehension about repeating last year, when the anticipation for the SF-23 was accompanied by expectations that became almost desperate.
Fred Vasseur’s arrival at the helm of the Maranello team, wind tunnel numbers suggesting the red car as a possible title contender, had fueled an expectation and confidence that was not matched by the performance of the car driven by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.
Last year’s presentation at Fiorano, on Valentine’s Day, seemed deliberately designed to reconcile Scuderia fans with Ferrari. A warm embrace, immersive in the living room: sponsors, journalists, television crews, super fans, and gatecrashers. The launch of the SF-23 had become an unmissable event. Maranello, the center of the world. A general mobilization that led to occupying every inch of the trackside network to witness those 15 km that the FIA grants as the first cry of a new car.
Everything beautiful, everything perfect except for the red car that betrayed expectations. Wrong car, a challenging start to the championship. Just look at the drivers’ expressions to understand that something was off. It took until Singapore, after the illusion of Monza, to savor the joy of victory, to interrupt Max Verstappen and the Red Bull RB19’s triumphant march.
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Fred Vasseur hasn’t forgotten that lesson. On the contrary, he has internalized it. Already at the Christmas press lunch with the international media, the Frenchman seemed very subdued. Now the team principal wanted to create a real break. Fiorano yes, presentation yes, but behind closed doors.
On February 13, Ferrari will unveil the 676 as if COVID were still present. Sponsors inside (that’s fair), everyone else outside, including television crews. Meetings with managers, technicians, and drivers will be virtual: 20-minute sessions via Zoom. The car will be seen in photos: not the one debuting in the Bahrain testing session, but the one from the 200 km filming day at Fiorano. Let’s hope it doesn’t become a “masked” red car with Photoshop touch-ups.
Ferrari is raising the wall. It seeks a low profile, fears illusions, and decides to close itself off. Of course, everyone should be free to behave as they see fit at home, but there will be a middle ground between the (stunning) show of last year and the fear of confrontation. We will find out if it will be a sign of strength or great weakness.
F1 needs a strong, competitive Ferrari that returns to being a challenger, if not a winner. That is the goal. Evidently, the Scuderia is self-sufficient…
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