Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz revealed Ferrari’s 2023 F1 Car, the SF-23 on February 14. The duo even managed to complete a couple of laps in the SF-23 in front of cheering Tifosi at the Fiorano race track.
After putting on a spectacular show in front of fans and with both drivers getting an early feel of the car, the optimism and motivation have soared in Maranello. But Ferrari is yet to find out if they have plugged the issues that tormented them last season.
According to Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna, “The Ferrari SF-23 will be a single-seater that will have no precedent in terms of speed.” But will it live up to its expectations and end Ferrari’s 16-year wait for a Champion?
Reliability is key to Ferrari’s success
According to Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s first analysis, the new car felt good and felt pacey. But the real challenge is knowing if Ferrari’s challenger will be reliable enough to beat Red Bull.
While Max Verstappen only had 2 DNFs last season, Leclerc and Sainz had 3 and 6 respectively. The unreliability of the car came into the picture when Sainz’s engine caught fire during the Austrian GP.
New Team Principal Fred Vasseur claims the team have addressed the issue during the development stage of the car. But not much can be understood until the Pre-season test commences.
He shared, “I see the priority for everybody is reliability because that’s where you are at this stage of the season. If you don’t have the reliability, then you are not able to do these three days of testing.”
He added, “We have done the mileage we needed to do on the dyno, and we are all optimistic. But only in Bahrain will we know where we are in terms of engine performance. So far it is ok.”
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Vasseur is proud to work with Ferrari
2023 will also be a major challenge to Fred Vasseur who attains the position of team principal. Vassuer was appointed following Ferrari’s decision to sack Mattia Binotto after 4 seasons.
Vassuer described the car launch at Maranello, “It’s intense, as you can imagine. You can feel the responsibility for the team. It’s a great honour.”
But the French man understands his duty is to end Ferrari’s 16-year wait for a World Champion. And when you are Ferrari, the only result that matters is a win.
“But at the end of the day, I think the most important is to be successful, We will have to deliver. I don’t want to be very happy because I am at Ferrari. The most important is to win and the challenge is in front of us.“
Vassuer claims both Charles and Carlos will be treated without any preference. And as the season progresses the strategy will favour one driver based on their standings.
Also Read: Carlos Sainz Reveals Charles Leclerc’s Unusual Nickname During Ferrari SF-23 Shakedown
