Ferrari has become the first team to confirm when their 2019 Formula 1 car will be launched.
At a time when most now simply take the covers off in Barcelona, the Scuderia remains one of the few squads to hold a proper unveiling ceremony, doing so at Maranello in an event that is now live-streamed.
The new car, under the current logic, should be named the SF72-H but that could changed to honour former chairman Sergio Marchionne who died this past summer.
It also carries a lot of expectation to continue the progress made over the past two seasons and finally result in a season-long battle with Mercedes for the championship.
“The group led by Mattia Binotto has been working on next year’s single-seater for months now,” team boss Maurizio Arrivabene revealed at the Autosprint awards on Thursday.
“The engines are already running on the test benches and there are parts of the car that are already in production.
“The parts more related to the performance will arrive at the last moment, even if the tension increases because the time is less and less. On February 15 we will present the car and everything must be ready for that day.”
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The biggest changes for next season will be in the wings which are wider and simpler than in recent years as part of an effort to improve the on-track racing.
There is uncertainty over just how helpful they’ll be in achieving that aim, however, but Arrivabene stayed clear of making predictions.
“It is too early to give an overall picture of the car,” he added. “Simulations are being done and we are working on the simulator, but the real test bench is only the track.
“That’s where you confront yourself, comparing the data you’ve collected during the winter period, and especially where you confront yourself with others.
“The technicians are working hard to complete the car. We have some information from the guys who work on the simulator, but it’s still too early to talk about performance.”
Arrivabene then concluded by hinting Ferrari is putting all of their eggs into Sebastian Vettel’s basket for 2019 as Charles Leclerc steps up alongside from Sauber.
“He is a guy who has yet to express the best of himself in Ferrari, but I am sure he will be able to do it next year,” the Italian said of the German.
“This year we lost in the semi-finals, but we never gave up. Obviously, we need to take one more step. We must understand all the mistakes we made together.
“Seb can teach Leclerc so much. We have great confidence in him, he is a talent but we have to protect him and make sure that his arrival does not burn his talent.”
