Ferrari release engine fire-up video during Red Bull’s New York City launch

Sam Cooper
A Ferrari logo emblazoned. Barcelona February 2022.

A Ferrari logo is emblazoned in front of the team's garage. Barcelona February 2022.

All eyes may have been on Red Bull’s New York launch but Ferrari attempted to steal some of the limelight with their engine fire up.

Just as they were at the beginning of the 2022 season, Ferrari and Red Bull have again been competing for attention with the Italian outfit attempting to spoil Red Bull’s party by interrupting their launch.

During an event that lasted little over an hour before releasing a car that looked identical to last year’s, Ferrari sprung their own surprise when they followed the trend of releasing a clip of their car being fired up.

The trend started with Mercedes firing up the W14 for the first time but unlike the Silver Arrows, there is no video to go with Ferrari’s clip.

Instead, a red pattern swirled around in the shape of a fingerprint with the sound of the engine roaring in the background.

Ferrari said the 2023 car, which is currently codenamed ‘Project 675’, was heard for the first time in the vehicle assembly area at their Maranello base.

New team principal Fred Vasseur and several team members including vice president Piero Ferrari and CEO Benedetto Vigna were in attendance to watch the engine spurt into life shortly after 11AM CET.

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“The initial fire-up is always a very special moment for a Formula 1 team, the first time that the power unit is brought to life when fitted to the chassis after months of work and development from the respective departments,” Ferrari said.

“The noise from the V6 hybrid made itself heard for just under two minutes, followed by a round of applause from those present. Then, as silence returned, the team got back to work on the car that will be officially launched on Tuesday 14 February in Maranello at 11.25.”

It is the first car of Vasseur’s reign with Ferrari opting to replace Mattia Binotto with the former Sauber man and his strong relationship with Charles Leclerc will have been a contributing factor to his employment.

The 54-year-old Frenchman said he believed his “close” relationship with the driver would benefit both of them.

“I’ve been following Charles since his karting days,” he told Canal+. “After a period at ART in F3 [GP3 as it was then known], he made his F1 debut with Sauber, so we’ve always been close.

“It’s an advantage for me, because I know him well, and it’s an advantage for him too, because he knows me well.”