John Elkann, Ferrari chairman, asked Ferrari fans to wait for a world championship title. He doesn’t expect the team’s suffering to end this year and anticipate the team to be back on track in 2022.
The hybrid era of Formula 1 has been thoroughly dominated by Mercedes with six straight constructors’ and drivers’ championship titles. The team is currently leading the 2020 score boards.
Ferrari has the realization about the gap and is pushing itself to enhance it capability to challenge Mercedes dominance.
However, cost capping measures in F1 has hindered it capacity to compete in short term.
Elkann, speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, revealed that team might not be able to revive until new regulations come into play. New rules will reset all teams to a single point and it will provide an opportunity to compete at better terms.
“[Ferrari is going] through a difficult period that starts far back,” he said.
“We have not won a constructors’ world championship since 2008 nor a drivers’ one since 2007.
“There has been Red Bull’s winning cycle thanks to aerodynamic capacity and then Mercedes for their great ability in hybrid engine technologies.
“This year we are not competitive thanks to project errors. We have had a number of structural weaknesses that have existed for some time in aerodynamics and in the dynamics of the vehicle. We have also lost out in engine power.
“The reality is that our car is not competitive. You saw it on the track and you will see it again. Today we are laying the foundations for being competitive and returning to winning when the rules change in 2022. I am convinced of this.”
Elkann pointed to Chassis Freeze
Elkann pointed to a critical factor, chassis freeze, hindering progress. Chassis freeze prevents teams from making bigger changes over the next two years.
He spoke about its effects: “A lot, given that we have started off poorly.
“We must be realistic and aware of the structural weaknesses with which we have been living for a decade, and which the transition to hybrid [power units] has underlined.
“We have given the okay to the new rules that will start from 2022, because we believe it is right that there is greater competitiveness within F1.
“Our engineers, our mechanics and our drivers will find strength and creativity within those bonds [2022 Regulations] to bring Ferrari back up.”
