During the early 2000s, Ferrari achieved five consecutive championship victories under the leadership of Jean Todt. However, the Scuderia dropped the ball when the regulations changed in 2005. Drawing parallels between that era of dominance for Ferrari and the present Red Bull team, Todt perceives similarities in their respective achievements. The Frenchman highlighted that Red Bull should learn from Ferrari’s missteps in 2005 and avoid making similar mistakes after their current dominance.
Todt expanded on this topic in his discussion with the Italian newspaper La Stampa. As quoted by F1 Maximaal, he said, “Do you remember 2005? The same team, the same drivers after a season full of victories, and although we had to miss Schumacher, we were no longer competitive.”
The former Ferrari boss highlighted the events of 2005 when the Italian team, despite six constructors’ titles, had to settle for a third-place finish. Additionally, Todt noted that in the following year, although the team was fast, they faced setbacks and lost races because of reliability issues.
Red Bull is also on a similar run of dominant championship campaigns as Ferrari from 2000 to 2004. Max Verstappen is delivering flawlessly as Michael Schumacher did on track back then. Although, with the 2026 regulations incoming, Todt hopes the Austrian team doesn’t become overconfident and drop the ball then or even before that, despite having a sorted operation.
As of now, the former Ferrari boss is no longer part of Formula 1. Todt resigned from his role as the chairman of the FIA after the 2021 season. However, he expressed a desire to see Charles Leclerc emerge victorious. This preference is due to personal reasons, as Todt’s son has been a devoted follower of the Monegasque driver since his karting days.
What are the latest updates on the Ferrari’s 2024 car?
Ferrari concluded the previous season with a respectable third-place finish in the championship standings. Since then, the anticipation has heightened for their new model, the Ferrari 676 (works name). Recent reports suggest that the Ferrari challenger has improved in multiple aspects ahead of the 2024 season.
For the first time since 2022, the Ferrari’s 2024 championship contender aligns with the FIA’s weight limit of 798 kg. This weight reduction can provide Ferrari with a dual advantage. It could help in the improvement of the pace of the car and also help to preserve tires better over the long run.
The Scuderia has achieved this weight reduction due to a more compact battery, a narrower gearbox, and a lighter body. According to F1’s calculations, a 10 kg reduction is estimated to lead to a three-tenths-of-a-second improvement in performance.
The SF-23 from the previous year exceeded the weight limit by 6 kg. However, the current focus on this year’s car weight brings Enrico Cardile into the spotlight, deserving full credit. As the Ferrari technical director, Cardile’s efforts in reducing the car’s weight have significantly improved the team’s chances of being a title contender in the upcoming season.
Adding to the positive developments, the 2024 Ferrari car also successfully passed the FIA crash test. This stands in contrast to Red Bull, as reports suggest their RB20 car did not pass the crash test on its initial attempt.
Additionally, encouraging data from the wind tunnel and promising results from simulator tests for 2024 have further boosted Ferrari’s outlook. With these positive updates, Ferrari drivers may enjoy a better-performing car in the upcoming season.
