At least one Formula 1 race win for Ferrari in 2021 shouldn’t be too much to ask for, vice-chairman Piero Ferrari claims.
This year, the Italian team is hoping to rebound from their worst season since 1980 in 2020, as an underpowered engine and draggy chassis saw them slump to sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.
But as the Scuderia marks another historic moment later this year, Ferrari hopes the team can return to the top step of the podium for the first time since the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix.
“2021 marks the 70th anniversary of our first Formula 1 victory at the 1951 British Grand Prix when Froilan Gonzalez triumphed at Silverstone,” the son of company founder Enzo Ferrari told Quotidiano‘s Leo Turrini.
“Now, I hope to win at least one Grand Prix in the season that is about to begin in Bahrain. I don’t think I’m asking too much.”
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At the same time, however, following last year’s problems…
“At Maranello, we are all aware we cannot aspire to the World Championship, but I want to find proof in the 23 races that await us that we understand what was wrong and that we know what to do to get back on top,” the vice-chairman added.
“Of course, the road will be long, the run-up complicated. But we are Ferrari, we have to give a signal.”
So far, the early signs are positive as Ferrari found themselves battling McLaren and AlphaTauri at the front of the midfield in Bahrain, with Charles Leclerc finishing sixth and Carlos Sainz eighth.
“I feel relieved, certainly. For me that was important, so coming here and seeing the car has progressed put the team somehow in a serenity, let me say, where we can even work in a better manner,” said team boss Mattia Binotto.
“So that was important, not only from the engine but as I said, all from engine, chassis, drag, aero, tools, correlation – that was all-important for us and that was key.”
However, in terms of Ferrari achieving the podiums and wins Piero asked for, Binotto acknowledged: “The gap we are still missing to the top competitors was still big, so it’s still a long way. It will also depend on track to track.
“We know we will not work much on the development of the car because we are all focused on the 2022 car design and development back at Maranello, which I’m pretty sure is the same as the other competitors.
“But if I look at the race, we’ve got feedback from the drivers, they’ve started learning the car, they are starting to know the limitations and eventually we may address them.
“I think the next three or four races will indicate the true performance and potential of our car compared to the others, so we will wait for them before we have a verdict.”
Speaking before the season though, Binotto did make it clear he envisages a time when Ferrari is once again number one in F1.
“The World Championship will come because, thanks to the work of each of us and the support we receive, we will be able to become the best team of all,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“When I don’t know, but I’m sure it will come.”