F1 | Low profile and self-criticism, but Ferrari still seems stuck

A family photo that is a snapshot of hopes and fears, Mattia Binotto in the centre, the drivers at his sides, minimalism - the boss and the two protagonists on the track - like a reassuring, Christmassy and warm image, of a Ferrari that it longs to relaunch itself, but has to travel a road made more of brambles than fir trees.

Binotto puts his face to it, which seems to have become more than news mantras, he is self-critical, reiterating what is logical: Ferrari must not and cannot afford another such poor world championship, nor can it remain so far from the top.

The concept is quite clear; next is a transition year, the SF21 (oh finally a normal name!) will be the natural improvement and evolution of the unfortunate SF1000, with the difference however of being able to have a completely new power unit and, hopefully, a very distant departure from the crippled one and de facto invalidated by the FIA ​​with the famous secret agreement.

No particular proclamation, no cry for revenge, no promise. Congratulations to the drivers - to Leclerc who is increasingly the leader and to the new addition Sainz, who is rock-solid in his performance - a timid reference to third place in the Constructors as the objective (more or less minimum), the rating of 4, even a large one if desired, given to Ferrari in 2020 with dutiful and legitimate self-criticism.

However, what is perplexing is the sensation of a certain absence of clear, defined planning, with names, people, ideas. A real relaunch plan for a team that instead seems to be waiting for 2022 as "the year we cannot fail” on which a large part of the resources and efforts are allocated, yet something always seems to escape, as if the contours of this long-awaited relaunch were still blurred and undefined.

Ferrari does not give the idea of ​​a dynamic and aggressive team in the near future, and the doubts once again outweigh the certainties. Binotto talks about technical markets, about important additions from outside, yet he is still completely at a standstill. They will be needed for the 2022 project, of course, but wouldn't it have already been appropriate to strengthen the team? Why wait, but above all what to wait?

The famous internal reorganization for now has only meant the exit of the designer Simone Resta in the direction of Haas, and little more. The engineer from Imola was one of the strong names involved in the 2022 single-seater, and was "loaned" to the US team from one day to the next. However, without him being a substitute, with the tasks that seem to all fall on the engineer Cardile, one of the few technicians to whom Binotto has publicly entrusted technical responsibilities of the Red.

And then all of Ferrari, not just the Scuderia, finds itself having to choose a CEO to take the place of the resigning Louis Camilleri. The position is occupied for now by John Elkann on an interim basis, but it is clear that this is a makeshift solution with very few prospects for the future.

It is clear that the CEO of Ferrari will not be a man of motorsport, because Ferrari remains a company focused on automotive and commercial profits, not just a sports team. But the destiny, the image, the DNA of the Cavallino is inextricably linked to the presence, the successes and the Formula 1 cars. This is why it would be necessary to appoint in that role a manager with a true, authentic passion for racing and with some expertise in the matter. The fate of a team is at stake which, sitting in the end-of-year press conference, gives the idea of ​​a respectable little family that dreams big, but still doesn't know where to start to grow.

Ferrari must not leave Scuderia Ferrari alone. And Scuderia Ferrari should not leave its men alone, but should go to the market immediately and hire important technicians. “In 2022 we cannot fail”, yes, but 2022 is just around the corner.

Antonino Rendina

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