The Ferrari F1 2021 project was certainly not an easy one for the Maranello technicians, as the legacy left by the SF1000 of 2020 has complicated the job considerably. If we then think of the regulations that had, in fact, frozen most of the development areas, then the statements of Team Principal Mattia Binotto at the beginning of the year that they would have liked to fight for the third position among the constructors; well … who would have bet on it?
If we were to take a picture of the current situation of Ferrari, the goal is not that far off. If it weren’t for the debacle in France, the Italian side would still be third in the standings. And then there are also the two pole positions scored by Charles Leclerc in Monaco and Baku. In short, this SF21 has shown progress.
“I think we have already shown that we are able to get back in front of the Mclaren and we now have two races in a row to reduce the gap”, the words of Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto interviewed by The Race.com and, more importantly, he still strongly believes that Ferrari is back on the right track to return to winning in 2022: “We know there are still areas that need to be improved. It’s great to have clear goals for the future ”.
The SF21 has shown its strength in the low speed corners and, thanks to the tokens spent on the rear, it manages to perform well even on bumps and curbs. These qualities, together with a low downforce set-up, made it possible to take first place on the grid in Monaco and Baku despite the gap in engine power. This came at the expense of greater tire wear on the race pace.
Ferrari SF21
This fluctuating approach worked until the Paul Ricard event. The zero in the standings by both drivers forced the Ferrari engineers to look for new solutions. In the first trip to the Spielberg Circuit we saw, however, a less performing Ferrari on Saturday but with an excellent race pace. The question remains as to where the Monegasque could have arrived without that additional stop on the first lap.
If we go back to the comparison with the 2020 car, Ferrari has adapted well to the aerodynamic changes imposed for this year. They spent the tokens well focusing development on the suspension design. These qualities, together with an increasingly solid team structure, bode well for the coming year.
But what does Ferrari still need to be sure of fighting among the top teams in the 2022 Formula 1 season. To be where history and myth require us to see it? The answer lies in the power unit. An improvement has already been seen this year but the gap between Honda and Mercedes is still evident. The choices on the engine to be used in 2022 will be fundamental because the freezing rules will also affect the ’23 and ’24 seasons.
It would seem that Ferrari has decided not to pursue the turbo split concept but to push more aggressively towards combustion technology. Ferrari’s success for next season and until 2024 could depend on this choice.
The Maranello team cannot miss this opportunity!
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