SUMMARY
- Despite battling Red Bull in 2023, Ferrari narrowly misses securing Constructors' P2, ending with disappointment.
- Ralf Schumacher doubts Ferrari's championship efforts in 2024, citing "silly mistakes" by Sainz and Leclerc.
Ferrari and its drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc fought tooth and nail against the dominating Red Bull during the 2023 season. Until the very end, the Italian team tried to solidify their spot in the constructors’ championship by replacing Mercedes in P2. Much to their chagrin, they missed their stance for the second position by a narrow margin, which undoubtedly came off as a disappointment.
According to ex-Formula 1 racer Ralf Schumacher, they will not be in the running for the championship this upcoming season. He blames this on the “silly mistakes” made by Sainz and Leclerc. After Max Verstappen named his hard-fought competitors for 2024 based on their previous campaign, Prancing Horse seems to be the least of concerns for the reigning champion.
Ferrari drivers: Unpredictable contenders for F1 2024 title
Ferrari last won the drivers’ championship in 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen and the constructors’ championship in 2008. However, in the ground effect era since 2022, they have struggled to win races, facing tough competition from Red Bull’s RB19. Despite this, Ferrari experienced a stroke of luck in the previous year. Sainz won at the Singapore Grand Prix, making him the only non-Red Bull driver to do so.
💥 Ralf Schumacher: “If Ferrari doesn’t win it’s because of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.”
👉 “When they lead a race, they stumble or crash, and if they don’t crash into each other, they still make stupid mistakes.”
[@Corriere] #F1 pic.twitter.com/PbXvwaw60H
— F1informativo (@informativoF1) January 19, 2024
Nevertheless, Schumacher criticized both drivers, suggesting that their “silly mistakes” could hinder the team’s title aspirations. Questioned on the Formula For Success podcast about omitting Ferrari from potential threats, he responded, “It could be possible, but both drivers, you never know what they’ll do: they’re leading a race, they spin off or they’re crashing.”
The German further added, “Not really into each other but making silly mistakes, which very often surprises me…At the moment, I would not see them as the biggest contender, but maybe I’m wrong.” Despite skepticism, Ferrari’s prospects seem hopeful. Team boss Fred Vasseur recently revealed that the 2024 car will be 95% new, showcasing a unique approach towards development.
Prancing Horse reveals an innovative approach to chase Red Bull
Ferrari dropped a significant hint about adopting a distinct F1 2024 car concept in their quest to catch up with reigning champions. In the previous campaign, the Austrian team ruled the grid by winning 21 out of 22 races, allowing Verstappen to secure his third consecutive title. Nonetheless, the race at the Marina Bay circuit derailed the winning the streak the Dutchman had maintained.
🚨 THE LAUNCH OF THE
2024 FERRARI F1 CAR IS ON FEBRUARY 13 pic.twitter.com/4lh4ElKOei— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) December 17, 2023
In 2023, the RB19’s anti-dive suspension emerged as a key strength. However, Ferrari’s technical chief, Enrico Cardile, dismissed the notion that suspension plays a pivotal role in the current era. He revealed, “The suspensions and setup are overrated, in my opinion, at this point. With the setup, you can work within a window in which the car works. But the car gives you this window.”
Cardile also said that, “Today, the suspensions are designed to support the aerodynamics and still deliver reasonable kinematics. The layout of the suspension has to be massively wrong to have an influence.” This conversation took place during an interview with the German publication named Auto Motor und Sport. Ferrari is gearing up to launch their 2024 challenger on February 13.