NO! Anniversary cars always suck: 150 Italia, SF90, SF1000. Just call it F2022, that alone brings a few tenths per lap, trust me.
Exactly. IIRC the 150 Italia started its (uncompetitive) life as the F150, which wasn’t to the liking of some car manufacturer from Michigan.
First win in Dubai. So only rose water Mark my words. I’ll look back here after the race hehe Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
A slight 'hedge' for Ferrari vs other top teams for 2022 - https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/ferrari-naive-to-think-it-will-be-easy-to-catch-red-bull-and-mercedes/7067095/ Ferrari: "Naive" to think closing Red Bull and Mercedes F1 gap will be easy By: Luke Smith Jan 3, 2022, 7:50 AM Ferrari believes it would be "very naive" to think it will be easy to catch Red Bull and Mercedes under Formula 1's new technical regulations for the 2022 season. Image Unavailable, Please Login This year will mark the start of a long-anticipated new technical ruleset for F1, forcing teams to pursue different aerodynamic concepts and manage the introduction of the new 18-inch tyres. It will provide an opportunity for all teams to make a big step forward, with Ferrari in particular looking to return to the front of the pack after two years without winning a race. The importance of this season's new ruleset prompted Ferrari to suspend development on its 2021 car early last year despite its tight battle with McLaren for third place in the constructors' championship. Even with the early end to its upgrade cycle, Ferrari beat McLaren to third by 47.5 points in the final standings as Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr combined to score five podiums and two pole positions. At the top of the standings, Mercedes and Red Bull found themselves embroiled in a close fight for the championships last year that went all the way to the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. But Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies said that despite the need for Mercedes and Red Bull to focus on their 2021 cars because of the title fight, he did not expect it to have a big impact on its prospects for this year. "I'm sure they had to develop this year," Mekies said. "However, they are in both cases incredible organisations, and it's enough to look at the results to see it. Image Unavailable, Please Login Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF90 mule Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images "Therefore, I would not underestimate for one second their capability to produce a great 2022 car. "Yes, they had to spend more on 2021, but if you look at the results they have produced in the last 10 years, one and the other, you will need to be very naive to think that it's going to be easy to close the gap. "Because ultimately, you still have to close the gap. Even us, we look at the 2022 car numbers compared to where we are, and if compared to where we are is X number of tenths slower to these guys, then we need to get that gap plus the gap to them. "So I would not be too worried for them." Ferrari has already promised that its car for this year will feature "a lot of innovation", including a power unit that is "significantly different" to the one used through 2021. The team has not challenged for a championship since 2018, while its title drought dates back to 2008, when it last won the constructors' crown.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/ferrari-deter-drivers-pushing-limits/ Image Unavailable, Please Login Ferrari want their drivers to stay within “the limits” in 2022 to keep crash costs down and not blow the team’s development budget under the cost cap.
I can empathise, 2021 was a bit "crashtastic". Not cheap, and hard on the mechanics with all the over night rebuilds. However, who knows where the limits of the 2022 car will be ? I fear they will be discovered the hard way, as before
Ferrari ends 9 year partnership with UPS. https://www.motorsportweek.com/2022/01/05/ferrari-ends-nine-year-partnership-with-ups/
I’m prepared to be disappointed when Ferrari isn’t consistently challenging for victories. I’m being pessimistic because the last 13 years of optimism haven’t worked.
So just remember the 21 years between Schekter and Schumacher and you will have faith in Ferrari again !
New hype train ? Image Unavailable, Please Login tami. @Vetteleclerc . @GiulyDuchessa reports interesting things regarding Ferrari (a thread): • Ferrari feels the new PU is a big step forward • New ICE has a completely different use of the combustion mixture (talks of an innovative oil management) + use of new composite materials inside the PU
GO Carlos!! Norris: More people realised what Sainz is capable of in F1 at Ferrari By: Luke Smith Jan 7, 2022, 3:55 AM Lando Norris believes more people are realising what ex-McLaren Formula 1 team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr is capable of since his move to Ferrari. Image Unavailable, Please Login Norris spent two seasons racing alongside Sainz at McLaren prior to the Spaniard’s switch to Ferrari for 2021, where he partnered Charles Leclerc. Sainz enjoyed his most successful season in F1 to date last year, scoring four podium finishes en route to fifth in the drivers’ championship ahead of Norris and Leclerc in sixth and seventh respectively. Sainz’s performances have prompted Ferrari to already seek talks to extend his contract beyond its current period at the end of 2022. Norris also enjoyed a fruitful 2021 campaign as he scored his first F1 pole in Russia and came close to winning the race. He picked up four podiums, including a second-place finish at Monza. Discussing his own progression through his third F1 season in 2021, McLaren driver Norris said that the step he made in his second year in 2020 was perhaps less obvious because of how well Sainz was performing. “I think my second year was good,” Norris told Autosport. “Carlos, I believe, is one of the best drivers in Formula 1. It also didn't make me look as good, because he's an extremely good driver, and he did a very good job - like, fair play to him. “I think I got shadowed a bit by him, because he was doing an exceptional job. I think this year I've taken that next step which would have been the same or maybe a bit better than him.” Norris put his own progression down to “a combination of understanding everything from the past few years”, as well as an improved car that he felt more confident driving to its limit. Norris also cited the arrival of his new team-mate, Daniel Ricciardo, as helping him take a step forward, giving him motivation to try and prove himself up against an established grand prix winner. The British driver thought it was a similar story for Sainz when he went up against Leclerc - widely heralded as a future F1 champion - at Ferrari. “I always had the motivation to want to beat Carlos,” Norris said. “At the same time, with Daniel, I didn't feel nervous in any way when he came. A lot of people thought maybe I did, or asked the question, because he's a multiple race winner he's got podiums. “Everyone knows what Daniel is capable of because he's been in a car that's won races. Whereas with Carlos, no-one knew as much what he was capable of, because he's been in a Toro Rosso, a Renault and a McLaren. “More and more people are actually realising what he is actually capable of, and the kind of driver he is when he's gone up against Charles and beaten up him quite often.” https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/norris-more-people-realised-what-sainz-is-capable-of-in-f1-at-ferrari/7103182/
We are told some news will.be coming from the Scuderia tomorrow.......that's it. (Jean Todt joining as a consultant????)
Maybe both? Or maybe a boring Swiss tech company has become our official end plate sponsor? You never know with our guys.
Despite these years I remain a strong optimist when it comes to Ferrari. Champagne is ready for our first 2022 victory !
