In Formula One, no name is more glamorous than Ferrari. From the famous red livery and prancing horse logo to its quintessentially Italian heritage that gives it such a strong following in its homeland, the name has a sporting status similar to Juventus or one of the Milan clubs in football.
Historically, Ferrari has an unequalled F1 record. With a combination of precision engineering, a glamour name that attracted the best technicians, and the employment of some of the finest drivers, from Juan Manual Fangio and Niki Lauda to Michael Schumacher, it has won no fewer than 16 constructors’ championships.
The first of these came in 1961 and they had triumphs in every decade until the 2010s. That last fact, however, may seem somewhat galling, coming after seven victories in the 2000s, when Schumacher was behind the wheel of the best car on the track.
That will not change this year. At the time of writing (ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix), Ferrari sits fourth in the Constructors’ Standings on 122 points, 199 behind runaway leaders Red Bull. 2023 will mark 16 years since the last Ferrari triumph, either for the team or one of its drivers.
Last year at least brought some hope, after Charles Le Clerc took an early lead in the Driver’s Championship. However, before long Red Bull’s engineers made a few tweaks and its car, along with Max Verstappen, soon swept into a lead they were never to relinquish, a superiority that has continued relentlessly through 2023.
Other teams come and go. Williams, once a regular challenger at the top, seldom manages a point these days. Red Bull did not exist before 2005. Benetton won two titles in the 1990s before becoming Renault F1 and 2009 winners Brawn were absorbed into Mercedes GP after existing for one glorious year.
In that respect, Ferrari remains a fixture in a changing world. But for all its heritage, the brand and the team need to take strides forward in engineering a car that can once again have the prancing horse dancing to the tune of ultimate victory.