Maybe. I will be more interested in Ferrari being in sportcar endurance (my first love) rather than in F1. I think Ferrari has more chances of winning races and the WEC than GPs and F1 titles. But the WEC isn't structured like F1, and there will be less financial rewards from the organisers. Also, Ferrari will not enjoy the same privileges, but technically, they can have a lot of success. They have already surprised many this year; winning Le Mans was a class act.
It absolutely is more than a warning shot. No different than when than when Honda entered IRL-Indycar while in Champ Car, or when Audi entered into ELMS/ILMC while they had issues with the ALMS series. You don't make those moves unless you're unhappy where you are.
100%. I hope Ferrari really do intend to stay for the long haul in WEC, like they say they intend to. WEC is awesome right now. It's what F1 used to be for me. V6's vs V8's, small engines vs big ones, massively different aero and chassis concepts, and the engines actually sound different! Imagine that! And they're racing on real race tracks that aren't giant parking lots. I'd love to see WEC go to Donington, the Nurburgring and Jerez.
You go that right !! More technical freedom, diversity of brands, and proper race tracks, which is very important to me. Wait for next year with Lambo and Isotta joining, and Alpine next !!!
Did you see the Renault/Alpine? Mouth watering. I make no apologies in saying these cars are far more beautiful than modern F1 cars. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Agree. I would close down the F1 section and focus on WEC. The F1 team is nothing but disappointment since 2008. Complete waste of resources and energy. With this move, they probably can start designing proper, beautiful, less powerful, old school curvy roadcars.
not really though. F1 is a money making gold mine for Ferrari. So why would they leave? No reason for it. None at all. And no, they won't suddenly start making less powerful, more old school road cars, either. Today it seems what sells is oversized, heavy cars. So long it goes ludicrously fast (and only 2/10 of that performance ever used) and looks good, it sells.
Yep!!! That Purosangue(Pure Blood) V12 naturally aspirated monster SUV is completely sold out for the next 2 years.
Ferrari is in a unique position: the Scuderia is financially self sufficient. The carefully selected generous sponsors largely cover the operating budget. Also it benefits from financial advantages from FOM in the annual redistribution of proceeds. Ferrari has been able to finance its Hypercar racing program with the F1 surplus budget.
Ferrari is not unique in that, Red Bull is self sufficient as well, I'd be highly surprised if Merc isn't as well. Mclaren, Aston, Alpine must be quite close as well.
Ferrari, the car company, doesn't need to subsidise the Scuderia at all for several years. At Alpine and Mercedes-AMG, Renault and DB still contributed to part of the budget still until recently. The budget cap changed all that.
I, personally, gave up on Ferrari when there were no more manual transmissions. I still enjoy my F355B M6--probably my last sports car.
1/ This car is a nonsense. Why put this glorious NA V12 in a SUV ? 2/We don't care about european legislators and their dictatorship in the making.
Car prices, car sizes, a rubbish F1 team, and all that bloody fashion crap have driven me back into the arms of "Ze Germans". I have just ordered a manual Porsche 992 911T. My F12 is just too much car for my local lanes (size) and the UK roads (power). Plus the warranty is ending in spring. The replacement looks like costing half a million pounds, being huge and just giving me more horses that I don't need. My 1961 250 GTE and support of the WEC team will just about keep me in the F Club, and that's just fine.
Would have had a lot more respect for Ferrari if they made something that out-Boxstered the Boxster for 75 grand.
Understood. I didn't expect Ferrari to make an SUV. Personally, it's sacrilegious IMO. But, I'm sure they now see the money behind the Purosangue as far as the margin on the SUV when it comes to the balance sheet.
