The Cavallino de Ferrari straightened up.At half mast for two seasons, the Scuderia is in full resurrection at the start of the championship, which will stop in Melbourne this weekend.After two races, she largely occupies the head of the manufacturers' ranking and Charles Leclerc sits at the top of the pilots.Well born, F1-75 has largely taken advantage of the change in regulation established in 2022 to return to the center of the game.
""""""""Ferrari's DNA is to win,"""""""" insists the main team of the Mattia Binotto stable who wants to hear it.Arrived in January 2019 at the controls of the Scuderia, the Italian quickly understood that the Maranello stable had a separate status in the world of F1.According to Sunday results, red does not have the same meaning.Red of happiness when it smiles.Red of shame when the Italian F1 get their feet in the carpet.
With three successes and 18 podiums the year of his enthronement, the owner of Ferrari was on an ascending slope.A year later, he shaved the walls after finishing 6th in the manufacturers' classification, his worst place since 1980.In this frantic race for development behind the untouchable Mercedes, the team had gone too far in the interpretation of the rules.
Two years to rebuild
In the eye of the FIA cyclone and other stables, the Scuderia develops an ingenious system to survive the Italian engine.A secret agreement signed between the International Federation and the Package Horse will lead to the compliance of Ferrari and, on the track, the loss of more than fifty horses on the Mercedes engine.A tray to drag for the reds as much as its missed SF1000.It is at the heart of this nightmarish season that the Italian stable decides to start its reconquest mission.
Even if it means dragging yourself in the middle of a peloton without any chance of catching up with competition and undergoing some humiliations, as much to launch its design office directly on the new regulation supposed to revolutionize F1 from 2021, and finally postponed in 2022.With the appearance of the covid-19 pandemic, these are two seasons that Ferrari had to refine his return.To win back a world title that has escaped him since 2008 (manufacturers), Ferrari used the year 2021 as a first launch ramp.It started with its new engine introduced during the second part of the season.
""""""""Knowing that from this year, the engines are frozen for four years, it was obviously important to start with a unit of power in those of our rivals,"""""""" explained Binotto before the first Grand Prix in Bahrain.""""""""At the end of last season, we had a delay of 20 to 25 horses, the first goal was to reduce this gap.""""""""
In view of the two qualifying sessions in Sakhir (Pole for Leclerc) and Jeddah (2nd and 3rd time), the Italian engine returned to the first level and could even have exceeded them.Even the client stables, relegated to the back of the grid in recent seasons and now regularly in the top 10, take advantage of them, like the Haas and Alfa Romeo.""""""""It is certain that we are not behind, and we may even be a little in front. Mais ce n'est pas une conclusion ferme"""""""", a tempéré Binotto.
Reliability and performance
On the chassis, whose regulations have changed in depth, progress is significant.F1-75 is quite daring in its design and technical choices, the most visible parts of which are the pointed nose, dug pontoons and air entrances.Validated choices very quickly on the track.With nearly 800 curly laps in Fiorano this winter, the car has shown a welcome reliability. """"""""C'est certainement l'une des préparations les plus faciles que j'ai eues avant une saison"""""""", reconnaît le Monégasque Charles Leclerc. """"""""Aucun problème majeur [alors que], surtout sur un projet aussi nouveau, vous vous attendez toujours à trouver des obstacles.""""""""
And the moment you've been waiting for… #bahraingp Wallpapers ✨ #Essereferrari Pic.twitter.COM/MYGP04UQ47
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 23, 2022Ferrari a surtout très vite mis le doigt sur le phénomène """"""""marsouinage"""""""" (rebondissement des monoplaces dans les lignes droites) rencontré par toutes les équipes. """"""""On a apporté quelques modifications pour ça, a juste indiqué Binotto qui pense désormais à optimiser son auto.These cars are so different from the past that you have to understand them before getting all the potential.It's underway.There is no longer to be drawn from the current package.We focus on it before bringing developments during the season.""""""""
In a position of strength?
Thanks to his double in Bahrain, first victory since 2019, and his double podium in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Ferrari now has a little margin on the competition before bringing the first touch -ups to his single -seaters.A comfortable position since the limitation of the budgetary ceiling constrains the teams in their developments over the season.In this little game, the advantage is always to the one who keeps it under the foot.Mercedes had understood this very well.But the silver arrows may have found their master this season.They trust the podiums and they are red.
