"The most important victory is the one I have yet to achieve."
In the 98 seconds of video with which the Rossa presented its seventieth Formula 1 car, only Drake Enzo Ferrari speaks.
And it seems to call everyone to order, after a difficult season for Maranello, which hasn't celebrated a drivers' title for 17 years (Kimi Raikkonen was at the wheel) and a constructors' championship for 16. From today, with the SF-24 unveiled, yes he's serious.
The launch took place on the Fiorano circuit, with a small number of guests while the usual small crowd watched from the road adjacent to the track.
Photo story F1, Ferrari SF-24 - Photo - Ansa.it
Among those present were the president of Ferrari, John Elkann, the CEO, Benedetto Vigna, and the vice president, Piero Ferrari, as well as the team principal, Fred Vasseur, and the drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, who also wore helmets for the very first laps (five in total) on the new car.
It will be repeated tomorrow with the collection of images and photographs for marketing and communication use.
The SF-24 superimposes white and yellow bands over the classic red livery, while black moves backwards.
The effect is notable, we will understand more about the performance in Bahrain with the tests on 21-23 February and the race on 2 March.
"This season the objective is to always be at the front: I want to repay our fans with many good races and return to dedicating victories to them", promises Leclerc, according to whom obtaining "two or three victories is not my objective, I want to win as many as many races as possible."
He promises "something to get excited about to the fans who supported us even in the most difficult moments" Carlos Sainz, on the last lap of the carousel on the Red.
The focus is on 2024, but it is useless to pretend that there isn't a stone guest: that Lewis Hamilton who will abandon Mercedes at the end of the season to move to Maranello.
For Leclerc, it means having the most successful driver of all time as a partner.
For Sainz, the need to find another seat next year.
"There was a bit of a surprise", admits Sainz, who however assures that he feels "privileged to be part of Ferrari and to still have another year ahead of him. There will be a total of four in the Ferrari team as drivers".
The Spaniard doesn't think he's at his last resort: "I hope it's not my last chance to fight for the title, there are many options open for 2025 in the market."
But now "I still have the goal of becoming champion in Ferrari".
F1 video, here is the SF-24: white and yellow stripes for the new Ferrari
Leclerc, who remains, is waiting for the seven-time world champion: he signed the renewal knowing that he could find him as a teammate, because "this type of agreement doesn't happen overnight, it takes time and I was aware of those negotiations before signing my contract."
And it has already been heard with Lewis: "We naturally wrote to each other, as I said he is a great champion with a lot of experience and very successful. It's always interesting to have a new teammate, you learn different ways of working, of riding, even more so when the new teammate is a seven-time world champion."
But now his partner is Sainz, with whom "it went great and we have another year together".
Vasseur cuts it short: Hamilton's arrival "is a huge opportunity for the team, for sure", but "we want to stay focused on 2024. We don't want any kind of distraction.
This is why we made the announcement so soon".
For him, who took over from Mattia Binotto in January 2023, it is the first car built entirely under his responsibility.
For further information Agenzia ANSA Ferrari SF-24 easier to drive, renewed livery Cardile: 'The only constraint, a robust and sincere single-seater' (ANSA)
"This year we have to start again from where we stopped at the end of last season, when we were constantly in the top positions. The most challenging championship in the history of Formula 1 awaits us and we agree with Charles and Carlos: we have to be more cynical and effective in taking advantage of opportunities, trying to bring home points in every race and continuing to improve in all aspects", the team principal exhorted.
The asphalt ruling is near.
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