Ferrari to unveil revamped car…in Hungary

Mark Scott
Sebastian Vettel Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel Ferrari aerial PA

Ferrari has undertaken a “significant change of direction” with their SF1000, but will not be introducing their revamped car until the third round in Hungary.

The Scuderia were off the pace in pre-season testing back in February with Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto painting a dreary picture of his team’s chances of success in 2020.

But the team has now decided to stop going down their originally planned development path and are heading down a new route.

However, that means their Barcelona-spec SF1000 will be used in the first two races of the season in Austria.

“This weekend the car will run in the same configuration used towards the end of the Barcelona tests,” Binotto confirmed in Ferrari’s Austrian Grand Prix preview.

“This doesn’t mean we have been twiddling our thumbs in the very limited time of just five and a half weeks in which we were able to work on the cars, because of the stringent procedures involved in working around the pandemic as well as the total shutdown of activities required by the FIA in agreement with the teams.

“The truth is that the outcome of the tests led us to take a significant change of direction in terms of development, especially on the aerodynamic front.

“First, we had to understand why we did not see the results we had expected on track and how much to recalibrate the whole programme as a result.

“It would have been counterproductive to continue in the direction we had planned, knowing that we would not have reached our goals.

“Therefore we decided to come up with a new programme that looked at the whole car, knowing that not all of it would be ready for the first race.”

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Instead, Ferrari are looking to introduce their wholesale changes at the third race of the season in Hungary.

Binotto continued: “Our aim is to introduce the updates at the third race on 19 July at the Hungaroring.

“Apart from that, over and above the actual development of the car itself, these past few weeks we have worked a lot on analysing its behaviour, with simulation work and with the help of our drivers and I think that will prove its worth in Austria.

“We know that, at the moment, we don’t have the fastest package.

“We knew it before heading for Melbourne and that hasn’t changed. Having said that, the Spielberg circuit has different characteristics to Montmelo and the temperatures will be well above those of February.

“In Austria, we must try and make the most of every opportunity and then in Hungary, with the new development step we are working on, we will be able to see where we are really compared to the others, while having to take into account the developments our competitors themselves will have brought along.”

Binotto would not be drawn on saying where he thinks Ferrari are in the pecking order and believes a “clearer picture” will emerge after Saturday’s qualifying session.

He added: “The truth is that trying to make predictions at the start of such an unusual season is even more pointless than usual.

“There will be a few pointers come the end of the three hours of Friday practice, but a more accurate idea will be available after Saturday’s qualifying.

“Only then will we start to have a clearer picture of the hierarchy among the teams, but then there is always the uncertainty that comes with the opening round, in terms of reliability and tyre performance over a race distance.

“We must try and be perfect in everything we do, in preparing for every session and in how we carry out our tasks. The aim? To bring home as many points as possible, as is always the case in fact.”

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