The changes Ferrari has made to try to topple Red Bull's F1 dominance

Ferrari began Formula 1's new ground effect era with a 1-2 in Bahrain last season, but it was soon overhauled by Red Bull and ended the year only just ahead of recovering Mercedes. The new SF-23 features several tantalising features that point to the Prancing Horse's ambition as it aims to get back to title-winning ways.

One year ago, Ferrari unveiled a car that looked every bit a Formula 1 title contender in the opening races of the 2022 season. The skirmishes between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen within those opening rounds were the set-up to a championship battle that ultimately fell flatter than a crepe on an apartment floor.

There were elements of the anti-climax that can be lain at Ferrari's door, particularly in terms of early-season strategic calls, but the championship seemed to be distinctly out of reach when Leclerc placed his F1-75 into the Paul Ricard barriers. The wheels had come off, and Ferrari had to spend the rest of the season soul-searching.

Share Or Save This Story

Author Jake Boxall-Legge

Having studied Automotive Engineering with Motorsport at the University of Hertfordshire, West Country-born Jake's original ambition was to design racing cars. During a year between studies in which he accidentally rekindled a love of writing, he took up a Master's in Motorsport Engineering at Oxford Brookes. Halfway through his master's year, he was offered a place on the Autosport Academy, conducting occasional freelance duties before becoming the press officer for Formula 2 and GP3 in 2018. Autosport offered him a return to the fold later that year to serve as its Technical Editor. His voice appears on a number of videos and podcasts, and can often be found writing about terrible Formula 1 cars in excruciating detail. In his spare time, Jake enjoys baking and blames his failure to make it past the Great British Bake-Off interviews on his tenuous grasp on choux pastry. His dream is to open a brunch cafe - and his willingness to make outrageous puns in inappropriate situations has earned him the contempt of his colleagues.