Ferrari

Ferrari is the oldest team in Formula 1. Since the inception of the sport, Scuderia Ferrari has been on the grid, boasting the most drivers’ and constructors’ championships in its rich history. Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Mike Hawthorn, Phill Hill, John Surtees, Niki Lauda, Jody Scheckter, Michael Schumacher, and Kimi Räikkönen have all brought the coveted championships to the tifosi. The unparalleled successes are a result of the tenacity and stubbornness of the team’s founder: Enzo Ferrari.

Enzo Ferrari: A Stubborn Visionary

Enzo Anselmo Giuseppe Maria Ferrari was born in 1898 in Modena. As a driver, he achieved modest results in the 1920s until he founded Scuderia Ferrari in 1929. The team raced with Alfa Romeo cars, and after 5 years, Ferrari was appointed head of the brand’s motorsport division. During this period, the Cavallino Rampante, or Prancing Horse, was first seen on a car. The iconic rearing horse has since been featured on the nose of the Alfa Romeo Bimotore.

The logo was used during World War I by Francesco Baracca, a top pilot of the air force. Baracca’s parents, who were good friends with Ferrari, gifted the logo as they believed it would bring luck. Ferrari had a falling out with Alfa over the company’s direction just before the outbreak of World War II and was fired. He was also prohibited from using the Ferrari name for four years.

Early Successes with Big Names

In 1943, Ferrari established its factory in Maranello where the motorsport activities truly took shape, despite a bombing in 1944. The team participated in the first Formula 1 race in 1950 with the Ferrari 125. The first of more than 240 victories followed a year later when Fróilan Gonzalez won at Silverstone. Alberto Ascari became the first world champion for Ferrari in 1952. When the team joined forces with Lancia, the titles quickly followed: Juan Manuel Fangio (1956), Mike Hawthorne (1958), Phil Hill (1961), and John Surtees in (1963).

A Period of Decline and Recovery

Then a lean period began. In 1968, Ferrari sold a large part of its passenger car division (90 percent) and Scuderia Ferrari (50 percent) to the large Fiat. It was not until 1974 that major successes were celebrated again with world titles for Niki Lauda in 1975 and 1977. In 1976, Lauda was on course for the title until his nearly fatal accident at the Nürburgring. These were golden years with Lauda’s titles, four constructors’ titles, and another driver’s title for Jody Scheckter in 1979.

The Last Title Witnessed by Enzo Ferrari

This was the last title that Enzo Ferrari witnessed, as he passed away in 1989. The 1980s, with two constructors’ titles, stood in stark contrast to all the successes. The first to come close to a driver’s title again was Alain Prost in 1990. He lost the title in the last race to his eternal rival Ayrton Senna after the infamous start crash in Suzuka.

The Schumacher Era

In 1996, two-time world champion Michael Schumacher brought about a turnaround at Ferrari. Along with him came Ross Brawn and top designer Rory Byrne. In his first year, Schumacher claimed victories in Barcelona, Spa, and Monza, finishing third in the championship. In 1997, the German battled until the final race but lost to Jacques Villeneuve in Jerez. His patience was tested in 1998 and 1999 when McLaren and Mika Hakkinen proved too strong, but the reward came in 2000. Schumacher gave Ferrari its first title since 1979, followed by another four. Schumacher and Ferrari dominated until 2004, with the German winning a total of 72 races with Ferrari. This was the most successful period in the history of the racing team.

Post-Schumacher Era

After the Schumacher era, only one driver’s title followed with Kimi Räikkönen in 2007, along with two constructors’ titles in 2007 and 2008. Felipe Massa narrowly missed the title in 2008. Over the years, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel were brought in as the top drivers to bring renewed success, but both ultimately fell short of delivering new titles to the tifosi.

Ferrari’s Quest for the Championship Title

Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz currently form the duo for Scuderia Ferrari. The team started the 2022 season promisingly, but reliability issues and human errors from both the drivers and the team led to another disappointing season. The same pattern seems to be repeating in 2023. With the arrival of team boss Frédéric Vasseur, the team occasionally impresses, but still sometimes misses the mark strategically. The patience of Ferrari’s global fan base is being severely tested. They ended the season poorly, with a fifth and seventh place, they only managed to secure a third place in the constructors’ championship as a team.

However, Ferrari plans to take a new direction from 2025. Even before the start of the 2024 Formula 1 season, it was announced that Charles Leclerc has extended his contract for several seasons. Surprisingly, the Monegasque will have a new teammate from next season, a fact that was announced less than a month later. Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, will join the Italian team from 2025. Whether he will help the team to the title remains to be seen.

Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Details

Strategic Improvements Needed for Ferrari

Despite the team’s efforts, there is still room for improvement in Ferrari’s strategic approach to the championship.