Ferrari – A long road to 2022
Despite a clear resurgence in form during the previous two Grand Prix races, Ferrari completed its worst race of the season in France. Plagued by tire issues, Ferrari returns with a score of zero points, which does not bode well for the future.
A pole in Monaco, then in Azerbaijan: Scuderia Ferrari once again thrilled fans at the start of the 2021 season. France marks the return of traditional tracks, and summer heats, everything the Ferrari SF21 dreads to perform.
Issues with tire usage
The team confirmed that they can only exploit a small tire usage window.
Thus Pirelli tires wear out much too quickly. But the drivers also suffer from a lot of graining.
A difficult equation to solve that is causing a lot of trouble for the Scuderia in the quest for an optimal strategy.
Binotto confirms:
« We have not been able to operate the tires as we should and our performance is strictly related to the tires and how we operate them. »
This is not reassuring for the two upcoming races on the Austrian track.
A zero score for the Italian team on French soil.
Charles Leclerc complained about his front end all weekend. He didn’t find the pace in qualifying, even less in the race where he finishes 16th, sandwiched between two Alfa Romeos.
On his side, Carlos Sainz isn’t doing much better by finishing 11th, almost one lap down from the leader.
Ferrari has announced the end of development of the SF21, in favor of the creation of the car planned for 2022 and the change in technical regulations.
A season ending in agony?
If strategists fail to better exploit the current chassis, the rest of the season could be at the same level as the 2020 campaign.
Binotto concluded:
« I have no answer for now. I think what we need is to analyze all the data. When we come back, we will have a big analysis session, and we will do some simulations. I think this will be part of the work we have to do »
The third place in the constructors’ championship, which was the objective at the beginning of the season, now seems impossible to achieve.
Following the French Grand Prix, Ferrari lost its place on the podium to McLaren, with a deficit of 16 points.
