Ferrari entered the 2023 season hoping to take the fight to Red Bull after being second fastest on the grid in the previous season. However, with the first two races serving as proof, the Italian team has fallen down the pecking order. Red Bull has not only increased their advantage at the front, but Aston Martin has acquired the second-birth on the grid standings. This unexpected scenario has made the people at Maranello make a decision for 2024 already.
According to reports by Motorsport, the Italian team is ready to throw in the towel on their 2023 project just after two races. Why the early decision? For one, in Jeddah, the SF-23 was slower than the 2022 F1-75. In fact, the SF-23 was even overtaken by the disappointing Mercedes W14. This concerning scenario is completely opposite of what was expected of Ferrari’s 2023 challenger by many.
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In fact, after the leap taken by Aston Martin, the team is now no more than the third fastest on the grid. This scenario has led to an early decision by Ferrari. The Maranello outfit will start working on the 2024 challenger and this time will jump on the paddock’s bandwagon. The bandwagon of developing a car as close to the RB19 as they can.
The obvious reason is Red Bull’s superiority over the competition. Aston Martin is rumored to do so and is yielding great results. Ferrari will also follow the same route and attempt to copy the best car on the grid.
However, the team hasn’t lost hope in the SF-23 completely. The Maranello outfit still believes they can be the second fastest on the grid with continued improvements. However, it is clear that to fight for the championship, the Red Bull way is the correct way.
Nevertheless, the current season is done and dusted for the Italian team. In fact, it’s not just the team. Ferrari’s championship challenger Charles Leclerc has also thrown in the towel.
Charles Leclerc discounts Ferrari in comparison to the otherworldly Red Bull
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Albeit not for the entire season, Leclerc threw in the towel for the Saudi Arabian GP. Why? Firstly, despite pushing as much as he could, the Monegasque was still away from pole-sitter Sergio Perez. The massive difference in pace, even on one lap, made Leclerc admit the RB19 is out of this world.
“I think I put everything in it,” he said. “It was really on the limit. But on the other hand, Red Bull are on another planet and we are struggling a little bit. We need to keep pushing – that is what we are doing as a team.”
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Ferrari is a shadow of itself from 2022 or Red Bull has pushed itself even further. Whatever the case may be, Ferrari is not catching the RB19 and is ready to emulate the vehicle in 2024 in an attempt to become more competitive. Do you think it will work?