F1, the new Ferrari will be all red: it's a return to its origins
by Giorgio Terruzzi
Red, red, red. The new Ferrari of Formula 1 will look like a magnificent, sophisticated monochrome. The only interference: a slight touch of gray, the color already appeared on the Ducati fairing by MotoGP, in addition to the race number. Therefore, no more white areas, present on the Maranello cars since 1970 (on the aerodynamic slopes of the magnificent 312B), occasionally interrupted, in the following seasons, by aluminum or black wings. The latest addition to Maranello will be unveiled on Thursday and will offer a glance deeply connected to the Italian motoring tradition and Ferrari, an image matched to the single-seater signed 312 that disputed the 1969 World Championship, drivers Chris Amon and Pedro Rodriguez: bodywork, mustache and completely red aileron. The white, then, was supplied only by the exhaust of the twelve-cylinder engine. Redder than Ferrari in 2007 with which Kimi Raikkonen won the World Championship, characterized, albeit lightly, by white friezes.
The graphic choice is due to a series of reasons connected to the Cavallino partners: the absence of the Santander brand (red on a white background) that characterized aerodynamic wings and appendages, combined with the new strategy of the sponsor Philip Morris, determined to pursue a sort of revolution on the subject of smoke that deviates from the traditional white-red cigarettes. Not just graphics, of course. The Ferrari destined to fight against Mercedes for the 2018 title, has lengthened the pace. This is perhaps the most significant technical element of a car that stands out as an evolution of the SF70H, in the absence of major regulatory innovations. A technical choice similar to that adopted last season by Mercedes that increased the distance between the front wheel axle and the rear wheel axle, complicating the initial set-up but being more competitive on the distance.
The shortest step meant for Vettel and Raikkonen obvious advantages in the most tortuous tracks, like Montecarlo or Singapore: a heritage that the designers of Maranello must have judged in any case insufficient to aim to beat Hamilton and Bottas with the new three-pointed star: expected appearance the same February 22, a few hours before the presentation Ferrari, just to reiterate the heads up. Moreover, some key elements of Ferrari 2017, a high performance machine and therefore a precious "base" of reference, seem to have inspired several rival teams, especially in the aerodynamics of the sides.
Therefore, we will have an absolute Red, more "long" and certainly developed, evolved, innovated in an enormous quantity of less visible and yet decisive elements. To what extent do not know at the time even the men who work for months, without a break, on a project full of heavy responsibilities. With the intention of putting on the track a Ferrari capable of spinning immediately, starting from the inaugural GP of Melbourne on March 25, but above all to grow until the last match (Abu Dhabi, November 25), nine months long for exactly 21 steps certainly certain tiratissime. Avoiding if possible a fatigue recovery, what made the last part of the last season breathless, when that beautiful balance, finally reached, broke under stress from run-up.