New Ferrari car out on Feb.11; boss ‘flattered’ by Hamilton’s interest

Ferrari will launch their new Formula One car on Feb 11 and expect it to have less outright speed than this year’s but be better equipped to take the fight to champions Mercedes after a disappointing 2019.

Team boss Mattia Binotto told reporters at the Maranello factory that Ferrari were aiming to put a lot more aerodynamic downforce on the as-yet unnamed 2020 car.

The sport’s oldest, most glamorous and successful team have not won a drivers’ title since Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen was champion in 2007.

“We are not expecting to be as fast on the straight as we have been,” said Binotto. “Our car is aiming for more downforce and by consequence, we are certainly working more on drag.”

Binotto said the new chassis was going through crash tests while developments continued in the wind tunnel, with a few more sessions to run before finalising the package for initial Barcelona testing in February.

Binotto said there would be “quite significant changes on the engine”, with the power unit a source of controversy this year amid speculation Ferrari were bending the rules —allegations they have firmly denied.

Ferrari started 2019 as favourites after setting impressive times in testing but failed to live up to expectations. Binotto called the opening race in Australia “a cold shower”.

Mercedes won both titles for an unprecedented sixth year in succession while Lewis Hamilton, who ended the year as a six times world champion, won 11 of 21 races.

Ferrari won three, two with Monegasque newcomer Charles Leclerc who out-performed four times world champion team mate Sebastian Vettel, but suffered reliability problems and team and driver errors.

Binotto said Ferrari, whose driver lineup will be unchanged, would not start 2020 as favourites.

“We didn’t have the best car in 2019,” he said. “So, we cannot be the favourites. The ones that won the championship this year, the ones that won the last titles are setting the bar and are having the fastest car by the end of the season.

“So we are the challengers.”

Ferrari chief executive Louis Camilleri saw encouraging signs for the future even if the team had not met their ambitions.

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari chairman John Elkann have met socially but talk of a move for the six times Formula One world champion is premature, according to Camilleri.

Ferrari had previously not confirmed the meetings, while not denying them either.

“I think it has been public that Lewis has had conversations with our chairman,” Camilleri told reporters at a lunch at the Italian team’s Maranello factory.

“It was a social event, which has sort of been blown somewhat out of proportion, but it was a social event. They have some common friends.”

Italian media have reported Hamilton twice met Elkann this year, triggering speculation that the 34-year-old Briton could move to glamour team Ferrari once his Mercedes contract expires at the end of 2020.

Binotto said at the lunch that Ferrari were “flattered that Lewis, in particular, and other drivers want to come and join us.”

“It’s totally premature and we’ll look at our options at the appropriate time and we will see what is the best fit for us as a team.”

Ferrari’s 2020 line-up is four times world champion Sebastian Vettel, who will also be out of contract, and 22-year-old Monegasque Charles Leclerc who has a longer-term deal.

Reuters