Ferrari has revealed its 2023 Formula 1 car – the SF-23 – in an event at its Fiorano test facility.
The new design is due to go straight on track for a short shakedown run on Tuesday afternoon, with Charles Leclerc the first to drive it.
Last year, Ferrari mounted its first proper F1 title shot since the 2018 season, having put all its focus on preparing for the new 2022 regulations once its engine rules settlement with the FIA ahead of 2020 left it off the pace.
But despite the Ferrari F1-75 being the fastest car on raw pace across all of last season and Leclerc pulling out a 34-point championship lead (and 46 over eventual title-winner Max Verstappen) after just three grands prix, the team’s title bid dramatically collapsed.
Poor reliability, driver errors and strategic miscues meant the lead slipped away even before Red Bull’s development and weight reduction programme gave Verstappen a car he could win with relentlessly.
At the same time, Ferrari’s pace began to decline, its tyre wear in races became problematic and adjustments to its engine set-up to counter the reliability problems cost it power.
It didn’t win a race in the entire second half of the season and though Leclerc narrowly hung on to second in the drivers’ standings ahead of Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, he ended up 146 points behind Verstappen and officially out of the title hunt by early October.
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto came under increasing pressure as 2022 went awry, and was replaced by his Alfa Romeo counterpart Frederic Vasseur during the winter.
“It’s always emotional for a team to do the launch that we put so much effort – honestly not myself, I joined too late and my contribution is very small on this one,” said Vasseur at Ferrari’s launch.
“I can perfectly feel the work done on the car and now it will be a new journey on the project because the car will go to the race team. But it’s a great feeling; when you are back on track, it’s like when you are back at school and I can feel that everybody is very proud of the job done.
“This feeling is very important for the motivation of everybody and for the season.”
Leclerc and Carlos Sainz continue for a third season as team-mates. Sainz struggled to acclimatise to the 2022 car at first and made a poor start to the campaign, but recovered to closer to his strong 2021 form and took his first F1 win at the British GP.
“I can’t wait, 2022 was a good step forward compared to the two difficult years in 2020 and 2021,” said Lelcerc.
“I’m really, really looking forward to this new car, I think we’ve done a great job working on this and trying to address the weaknesses that there was on this car [the 2022 one].
“Hopefully it will be better but the goal is to win clearly.
“The feeling of winning is what motivates me, it’s what motivates all of the team too. I’m really looking forward to getting back into the car and to try and win that championship.”
