F1 Insider Worries For Ferrari - Nothing "Outrageous or Adventurous" in 2023

Ted Kravitz gives insight into the Maranello-based squad.

As per the Sky Sports F1 correspondent Ted Kravitz, Ferrari's potential to compete for the F1 championship in 2023 rests on a singular factor, but if that doesn't go to plan then "they haven’t got the car or anything particularly outrageous or adventurous to rely on".

During the winter season, the Italian team has exuded positive energy, and their SF-23 unveiling last week was a tremendous triumph, causing an enormous sensation in Maranello.

Despite Charles Leclerc grabbing nine pole positions during the previous season, the Ferrari's exceptional speed did not result in many race wins. This was due to problems with reliability and strategic decisions, resulting in a considerable setback for the team.

At the end of the year, Ferrari found themselves an incredible 205 points behind Red Bull in the Constructors' Championship, with Leclerc trailing Max Verstappen by 146 points in the Drivers' standings. Consequently, the question arises: Have they done enough during the offseason to mount a genuine challenge against Red Bull?

Kravitz is optimistic that Ferrari can be a fierce competitor, but he is apprehensive that their chances of success may hinge on one critical element, potentially creating an over-reliance on it.

Speaking to colleague Craig Slater in a recent video, he said:

"I think they are relying on their perfection of the power unit from last year, and pinning their hopes on that.

"Now that’s fine as long as their testing work over the winter on the dyno actually proves that they’ve got on top of that [reliability issues in 2022]. But if they haven’t, they haven’t got the car or anything particularly outrageous or adventurous to rely on back there.

"I’ve got high hopes for Ferrari, I think they can be up there and sustaining a championship challenge to Red Bull all season long.

"I’d like to think it’s going to be very tight, it’s going to go down to the last race between what eventually will be Charles Leclerc potentially and Max Verstappen. I don’t think it will, but something interesting I think is that we do have the new boss Fred Vasseur."

Kravitz went on to praise the new Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur. He continued:

"I think he is in the Jean Todt mould because he’s not coming out with any pronouncements, any kind of media lines that you can really of grab hold of.

"But one thing he did say about whether they have a number one driver or not, he said Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, they have equal equipment and they will have equal chance to go for the championship until which time I decide, said Vasseur, it’s in Ferrari’s best interest to favour one person for the championship, and then I will make that call.

"I thought that was more than Mattia Binotto has ever said about focusing on one driver for the championship."

The three days of pre-season testing begin tomorrow (Thursday 23 February) until Saturday 25 February in Bahrain.