Ferrari target mid-February launch date for 2022 car
Ferrari’s 2022 challenger will be unveiled to the world in mid-February, team boss Mattia Binotto has confirmed.
For a number of reasons, there will arguably be more eyes on each Formula 1 team’s car launches next year than there ever has been before.
Not only is anticipation high due to the thrilling nature of the 2021 campaign, but also because the regulations are being changed hugely for 2022 and beyond, meaning the cars will all look considerably different.
Ferrari will be hoping the same will be said about the pecking order with the Italian team looking to build on their successful 2021, in which they beat McLaren to P3, and regularly challenge for wins and titles again.
Whether their car will be good enough to do so will remain unclear until the start of the season in March, but we’ll at least get our first look at it a month beforehand, Binotto has revealed.
“The car will be presented middle of February,” said the team principal at an end-of-season media call.
“We have not decided yet the date. From the 16th to the 18th of February, that will be the date, but it’s something that will be finalised in the next weeks.”
Our #Tifosi when asked how soon they want 2022 to start 😉#essereFerrari 🔴 pic.twitter.com/1PjuInhV6b
— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) December 18, 2021
With the vast resources they have at their disposal and the strong progress they made this year, many expect Ferrari to be back at the very front of the field again next year.
It’s near impossible to tell whether that will be the case at the moment though with all the teams starting from scratch and keeping their work very much under wraps.
Binotto says that lack of a reference point from competitors as well as the budget cap makes things challenging but remains optimistic that objectives will be reached.
“We know that we have no references to the others and the competitor. That’s the most difficult one, we have no guide on what is going on with the others,” he added.
“But it’s important for me to know that we are reaching our objectives and it’s progressing to plan. We know that the change in the regulations is a big opportunity, and for us as well, [it’s] an opportunity.
“We’ve got a budget cap since 2021 which will be even more restrictive next year, again a big challenge. But on all of that, I have to say the team is well organised and, for me, working strong.”
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