During the traditional press conference before the start of the season, Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto announced plans for the Scuderia in the company of drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Binotto stated that it had to be clearly better than in the catastrophic 2020 season, but also that Maranello will soon devote itself to the car for 2022. In other words, don’t expect too much from Ferrari this year.
We still have to wait for the first images of the Ferrari SF21. Binotto wants to work on the new car for as long as possible, and the scarlet car will not be presented until March 10. In anticipation, the Italian was already able to give some positive first impressions from the wind tunnel and test bench.
“The car is better than last year’s”, says Binotto, who only saw his team finish sixth in the constructors’ World Cup last year. “Fortunately, because last season we fell short in terms of both power and aerodynamics. The car for 2021 will be more efficient, and I expect the whole team to regain its competitiveness. ”
Whether a Ferrari driver can be expected on the highest podium step again? “The technical regulations don’t change that much, and the gap with the other teams was big,” Binotto analyzes. “You don’t get that poem in one winter. Moreover, we do not really intend to have the car evolve much in 2021. We will soon be concentrating on the car for 2022, as it must be designed according to virtually completely new regulations. ”
In other words: Ferrari is almost letting 2021 shoot. Not a favorable prospect for the drivers, therefore. Charles Leclerc (23) and newcomer Carlos Sainz (26) form the youngest Ferrari duo since 1968 (then with Jacky Ickx and New Zealander Chris Amon) and judging by their well-considered words, they especially want to work well together.
“It’s always a bit of a compromise,” says Leclerc. “A driver always wants to be the fastest, so his teammate can also beat, but at the same time we also have to make sure that the team makes progress. We cannot make each other’s lives miserable. ”
Team boss Mattio Binotto quickly picks up: “No driver is more important than the team.” Anyone who wants to see a late sniff at the sacked Sebastian Vettel does not even have to put in a lot of effort. In any case, replacement Carlos Sainz seems to want to make less of a mess than his German predecessor.
“I’ve never had any problems with my teammates, so I don’t see why that should be the case now,” the Spaniard explains. “In addition, in the first few races I will mainly have to focus on helping Charles and the team. Before the start of the season, we can only test for three days, and that limited time still has to be divided between the two drivers. With a day and a half of preparation with the new car, it is almost impossible to be able to give 100 percent immediately, as I was able to do last year at McLaren. But of course I intend to get rid of that deficit as soon as possible. ”
Although there is a good chance that Sainz and Leclerc will have to bite their teeth in 2021, and that the real renaissance of Ferrari will not arrive at the earliest in 2022.
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