F1, Ferrari presents the new SF-23. Leclerc: "The goal is to win the World Cup"
MARANELLO - Go Ferrari always! With this greeting, Benedetto Vigna concluded his speech to sponsors and guests, a few minutes after the first ignition of the single-seater power unit which inaugurated the sporting season in Maranello. The SF-23 was seen making its debut in its very first meters, first with Leclerc, then - after a long wait to adjust the seat and pedals - with Sainz: two laps and three each. Very little, because every minute counts and precious time cannot be taken away from the 'shakedown' for the official films and, above all, for the next session in Bahrain, when the progress of the winter will have to be checked on equal terms with the opponents.
Strong optimism
On a day that will go down in history, there was no lack of strong optimism, with a tone similar to the one Steve Jobs had accustomed us to: «It will be a single-seater that will have no precedent in terms of speed». Only that it is not a mobile phone, but another type of object of desire. It is the most prestigious racing car in the world and the global spotlights don't miss its attention, because Ferrari is Ferrari and, as everyone knows, many years have passed since Raikkonen's last world victory.
The spirit was also guaranteed by a perfect sunny day, initially cool but not too much, in front of an international audience of stakeholders, the media and, above all, many, many fans. A grandstand on the Fiorano track filled with 500 people dressed in team jerseys: employees, family members and invited students. And then quite a few fans, the one with a capital T, willing to follow the team around the world.
A bright and memorable day, lucky in the weather but also auspicious in choosing the day: it is no coincidence that we wanted to organize an important event again in Maranello - after years of stoppage due to Covid and the previous "fashion" of inaugurations only in streaming -, with combined presentation and demo day (this is the denomination to respect the test quota available to each team): only a few laps, but the scheme is almost that of the old days. Less cylinders, less noise, less public, but a lot of participation and emotion: even the trucks from the nearby road greeted those present on the track with their horns.
The premises from a technical and "superstitious" point of view are also excellent. First of all, the car was authentic, no delays or excuses: nobody brought it too close in order not to reveal details and news to the competitors. And it was precisely Valentine's Day that was chosen, to emphasize even more, if possible, the red soul, affection and culture that reign in the best-known and most loved team in Formula 1.
