Video: Lewis Hamilton Takes First Lap in Ferrari F1 Car, Posts Photos of Helmet, More
Jan 21, 2025
British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton takes part in a farewell event for the Mercedes F1 Team at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur on December 10, 2024, before he races with Ferrari next season. (Photo by MOHD RASFAN / AFP) (Photo by MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Anyone who wondered how Lewis Hamilton looked in red now has their answer.
On Wednesday, Ferrari posted video and photo of Hamilton taking his first lap in his new car ahead of the 2025 season.
The F1 legend previously took to social media and posted his first photograph wearing a Ferrari race suit along with an image of his new helmet. Hamilton won seven world drivers' championships during his illustrious career at Mercedes, but he is switching to Ferrari for the upcoming campaign.
He met with Ferrari's Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur, CEO Benedetto Vigna, chairman John Elkann and other team members in addition to the fans during his first official work with his new side.
While the switch to Ferrari will mean a new environment, cars and team around him, there will at least be a familiar face. Laurence Edmonson of ESPN reported Tuesday that Hamilton's former performance coach Angela Cullen is joining him once again at Ferrari.
Cullen worked with the seven-time champion from 2016 until early in the 2023 season when she left to work with Marcus Armstrong in IndyCar.
Now that the introductions are out of the way, the question becomes when will Hamilton start working with Ferrari's 2025 car.
Edmonson noted his first drive is expected to happen at its launch on Feb. 19, which will be an important first step. It will also be intriguing to see his reaction, as he was rather open about some of his concerns with Mercedes' cars during his final season.
Hamilton's move from Mercedes to Ferrari will be a major storyline during the 2025 season, especially as he and everyone else look to close the gap on Red Bull's Max Verstappen. While Verstappen is still behind Hamilton for overall championships, he has won the last four straight and figures to once again be the driver to beat in the new campaign.
F1 Stars Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz Do Voiceovers in Disney Movie 'Lightyear'
May 25, 2022
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 21: Charles Leclerc of Ferrari celebrates the pole position after qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain on May 21, 2022. (Photo by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Formula One stars Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will be heard in the international versions of the Disney animated movie Lightyear.
A video released Wednesday showed the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers providing voiceovers for the movie:
"It was a completely different experience from what I have done in the past," Leclerc said, via TMZ Sports.
The teammates will be voicing the same character, with Leclerc appearing in the Italian version of the movie and Sainz will be in the Spanish version.
Both drivers currently sit in the top five of the F1 standings, with Leclerc especially in the midst of a breakout year with two victories. The latest cameos signify their continued rise to stardom on the international stage.
Considering rival Lewis Hamilton already had a cameo in Cars 2, Leclerc and Sainz had to keep up the pace.
Ferrari Confirm Kimi Raikkonen Will Leave Team at End of Formula 1 Season
Sep 11, 2018
MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 02: Kimi Raikkonen of Finland and Ferrari celebrates on the podium after the Formula One Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo di Monza on September 2, 2018 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Ferrari have confirmed Kimi Raikkonen will leave the team at the end of the 2018 Formula One season, with the Finn set to rejoin Sauber.
Motor sports journalist Dimi Papadopoulos relayed a press release from the Scuderia's team principal Maurizio Arrivabene on Tuesday:
Ferrari announces that "at the end of the 2018 season, Kimi Raikkonen will step down from his current role". No info on his replacement yet, but it will be Charles Leclerc
Raikkonen then posted on Instagram that he will be moving back to Sauber. "Guess who's back?!" he said. "Next two years with [Sauber] ahead! Feels extremely good to go back where it all began."
The veteran's replacement at Ferrari was also finalised on Tuesday, as Charles Leclerc was confirmed as the Scuderia's second driver for 2019.
The current Sauber man posted the following message on social media, saying the move is a dream come true for him:
To a person that is not part of this world anymore but to whom I owe everything of what is happening to me, Papa. To Jules, thank you for all the things you learnt me, we will never forget you, and to all the persons that supported me and believed in me. 2/3
I will work harder than ever to not disappoint you. But first, there is a season to finish with an amazing team that gave me the opportunity to fight and show my potential. Let's go @SauberF1Team â¤ď¸
The move brings an end to Raikkonen's second spell at Ferrari, having rejoined the team in 2014 as a team-mate for Fernando Alonso and more recently Sebastian Vettel.
The Finn didn't win a grand prix in his second spell with the team, though. Raikkonen won the world title with Ferrari in 2007, and during the 2010 and 2011 seasons he decided to take a break from the sport, focusing on rally driving.
After making a comeback with Lotus in 2012, Raikkonen eventually found his way back to Ferrari. However, the 38-year-old has provided a supporting role to Vettel in recent years, meaning his chances of race wins have been limited.
Will Buxton paid tribute to the 38-year-old on social media:Â
The edge that made the Iceman such a force earlier in his career hasn't appeared to be quite there lately, though, with just two pole positions in the last two years for Ferrari.
Still, the longevity he has shown in his career is remarkable:Â
Kimi Raikkonen is now in the Top 10 of both youngest and oldest #F1 pole sitters
2003 European Grand Prix 23 years, 8 months, 12 days (P9)
Leclerc is at the start of his driving days and has impressed in his debut season with Sauber so far. The 20-year-old, who is a former Ferrari academy driver, has picked up points on five occasions in the 2018 F1 season, with his best finish a sixth place in Azerbaijan.
In 2019 he will trade places with Raikkonen and the pressure will be a lot more intense on the young Frenchman. While he won't be expected to push Vettel immediately, the front of the grid can be unforgiving in F1.
Raikkonen, meanwhile, will want to show he still has something to offer the sport back with Sauber. The onus will now be on the team to provide the former world champion with a competitive car for the 2019 term.
Brazilian F1 Grand Prix 2017 Results: Sebastian Vettel Wins Race at Interlagos
Nov 12, 2017
Ferrari's German driver Sebastian Vettel (L) powers his car ahead of Mercedes' Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas during the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 12, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / EVARISTO SA (Photo credit should read EVARISTO SA/AFP/Getty Images)
Sebastian Vettel won the 2017 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos on Sunday, while world champion Lewis Hamilton recovered from starting in the pit lane to claim fourth place.
The Ferrari driver snatched the lead from the start, passing Valtteri Bottas, who had started on pole, and leading into the pitstops.
Hamilton carved through the field and briefly took the lead as Vettel and Bottas pitted before stopping for supersoft tyres, allowing the Ferrari to regain the lead and drive to victory.
The official Formula 1 Twitter account provided the final standings at the end of the race:
Vettel was the big winner at the start, passing Bottas, while behind there was further drama that ensured the safety car was sent out.
Daniel Ricciardo spun off but managed to force his way back on to the track, before a collision between Esteban Ocon and Romain Grosjean saw the former forced out with a puncture.
Hamilton, who crashed in qualifying, also had a good start, managing to force his way up to 14th in the early stages, per commentator Jonathan Legard:
#brazilGP Bottas needed a fast start to prove his mettle to Vettel and his bosses. Didnât happen. Safety car certainly helps Hamiltonâs cause - from last to 14th in less than a lap
Grosjean was then given a 10-second time penalty for ending Ocon's race, while Hamilton by this point was up into fifth place, 17 seconds behind race leader Vettel.
Bottas was the first of the leaders to pit, with Ferrari responding immediately and bringing in Vettel. He just managed to come out in front of the Mercedes, and Sky Sports F1 showed just how close it was:
That left Hamilton as race leader at the halfway stage, with Vettel and Bottas behind and Raikkonen and Verstappen in fourth and fifth.
The world champion eventually pitted on lap 44 for supersofts, with Riccardo also coming in, and resumed in fifth with a podium position definitely in sight.
Hamilton came out and started to reel in the leaders, setting up an exciting finish as he passed Verstappen for fourth and aimed for Raikkonen.
F1 on NBC Sports showed just how close things were at the front:
Hamilton is just 5.5 seconds off Vettel in the lead! Can he do it..? #F1onNBC#BrazilGP
However, the Englishman seemed to lose ground a little in the final laps and could not find a way past the Finn, being forced to settle for fourth place.
Elsewhere, there was plenty for the home fans to cheer with local favourite Felipe Massa, who will retire at the end of the season, finishing in seventh place on his final Brazilian Grand Prix.
Bahrain Grand Prix 2017 Qualifying: Results, Times from Friday's F1 Practice
Apr 14, 2017
BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - APRIL 14: Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H on track during practice for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 14, 2017 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel topped a tentative first and more representative second practice to begin Formula One's Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday, as the drivers sought to negotiate scorching conditions.
With a track temperature of 40 degrees centigrade, the teams opted not to push things too hard in the initial runs, with the focus on logging laps and accruing key testing data.
But it was Vettel who negotiated the Bahrain International Circuit the best to begin with, with Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton languishing down in 10th.
The second session was run in lower temperatures, and once again Vettel proved faster than Hamilton, who struggled to get a good lap in on the super soft tyres. The Brit did improve significantly and should be a contender on Saturday and Sunday.
FP2 Recap
Here's a look at the times from the second session, courtesy of F1's official Twitter account:
PROVISIONAL CLASSIFICATION (END OF FP2) âąď¸
Vettel tops the pile for the second time today đŞ
As shared by F1's official Twitter account, track temperatures dropped ahead of the second practice session, and the recorded times were expected to be closer to Sunday's pace:
Track and air temperatures significantly cooler for #FP2 đĄď¸
Ferrari and Haas didn't waste any time to start the second session, and Vettel continued his superb pace with a quickest lap of 1:32.615 after just a few minutes.
Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen beat that time on the soft tyres, while Hamilton made an error and had to abort his run. With track conditions changing rapidly, the initial runs seemed little more than a dress rehearsal for the runs on the super softs.
But while the temperatures were dropping, it was still scorching hot under the articifial lights, and less than 20 minutes into the session, Carlos Sainz's Toro Rosso ground to a halt. As shared by Autosport Live, it was a rather spectacular sight:
Sainz's Toro Rosso is parking in a cloud of smoke. #F1
After 30 minutes the top teams came out on the super softs, and again, Vettel set the first fastest lap, a 1:31.310. Surprisingly, Hamilton made a similar error that resulted in another failed attempt at a fast time.
When the Brit did complete a full run, he fell just short of Vettel's top time, another indication Ferrari may be better suited to racing in these conditions.
Red Bull were off the pace for much of the session but Daniel Ricciardo surprised with a good lap on the super softs, going third ahead of Raikkonen and Bottas. F1 Madness were impressed:
Ricciardo pops into P3. 1:31.376. That's quite a good lap from the Australian as he is 0.066s off Vettel. #BahrainGP#FP2#F1
Ferrari ran into trouble after the fast runs, as Vettel pulled to the side of the track shortly after emerging from the pit lane. Per Autosport Live, he described what happened over the team radio:
"Complete shutdown," was Vettel's description of that failure. No smoke or anything, it just stopped on him. #F1
He didn't spend too much time in the pits, but two major issues in two sessions are a bad omen for Ferrari heading into Saturday's qualifying sessions.
Max Verstappen had an unfortunate incident that limited the amount of laps he managed, as he ran over the T-wing that fell off Bottas' car.
FP1 Recap
The Formula One Twitter feed provided us with the results in full from an intriguing first session in Bahrain:
As the session started, the sun beat down on the track in Bahrain, making for extremely difficult conditions for all those involved in the racing. A lot of drivers were complaining of a lack of grip, which was to be expected in such surroundings.
BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - APRIL 14: Kimi Raikkonen of Finland and Ferrari walks away after breaking down on track during practice for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 14, 2017 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Clive Maso
For Raikkonen's Ferrari, the heat did prove to be a little too much, as smoke started to pillar out of the back of his vehicle.
He didn't return after being winched back to the garage, with Ferrari later confirming he'd suffered with "overheating in turbo area"; as noted by Phil Duncan of the Press Association, the Finn cut a lonely figure:
Raikkonen doing his best Stig impression here as he walks through the desert, complete with crash helmet and overalls, in 37 degree heat.
Back on track, it was Sergio Perez who had moved to the top of the standings in the Force India, although Vettel was able to usurp him on the soft compound.
It's anticipated that while Sunday's race will be much cooler than Friday's early session, the desert conditions may favour the Ferrari over the Mercedes. And Vettel, tied on points with Hamilton atop the standings, added credence to that view.
BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - APRIL 14: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari prepares to drive in the garage during practice for the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 14, 2017 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Lars Baron/Gett
Per the F1 Twitter account, the mark set by Vettel was comfortably quicker than what any of his rivals had been able to muster:
McLarenâwho confirmed on Friday that Jenson Button would be the man to replace Fernando Alonso at the Monaco Grand Prix this season, per BBC Sportâwere doing their best to stay refreshed in the punishing heat:
We're joined by two of our biggest fans in the garage today.
Behind Vettel, the Red Bull duo of Ricciardo and Verstappen moved up into second and third spot. While the Mercedes pair of Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas seemed content to wait until FP2 before showing their true pace, as they were 10th and 14th quickest, respectively. Â
Chinese F1 Grand Prix 2017: Start Time, Drivers, TV Schedule and More
Apr 8, 2017
SHANGHAI, CHINA - APRIL 07: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari sits in his car in the garage during practice for the Formula One Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit on April 7, 2017 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
The weather could play a major role at the 2017 Chinese Grand Prix in Formula One on Sunday, after low cloud, rain and smog hampered practice at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Sebastian Vettel will be attempting to further his lead at the top of the standings after claiming victory in the first race of the season on Australian soil.
However, further bad weather is predicted for Sunday's main event, raising concerns over safety, according to Andrew Benson of BBC Sport.
Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton drives during the first practice session of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Johannes EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)
Lewis Hamilton will be seeking swift revenge on Vettel after the German claimed maximum points in Melbourne, Australia.
The Brit was favourite to win the race, but Ferrari maximised their strategy and pace, and they pushed the Silver Arrows out of contention.
If the iconic manufacturer's race win was a shock, they now appear to have the chance to shape the world championship to their advantage as Mercedes tune their new vehicle and driving team.
Ferrari last won in China in 2013, courtesy of Fernando Alonso. However, the Scuderia have finally produced a vehicle that can match the power of Mercedes' best, storming down the longest straights with venom.
Ferrari's German driver Sebastian Vettel drives through the pit lane during the practice session ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 7, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / GREG BAKER (Photo credit should read GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Image
Rain could be the deciding factor on Sunday, and Hamilton is known to be one of the top drivers on the grid in adverse weather.
His aggression could be the difference if the sun refuses to shine, with heavy showers predicted overnight before the race.
If the track is dry, then the increased grip could give Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen increased hope, and the German has already proved he can live with Hamilton when the British driver fires off from pole position.
The alliance between McLaren and Honda has yet to prove fruitful, and the team are likely to struggle again in China.
Honda simply do not have the power to back the skills of Alonso, and it could be a miserable start to the campaign for the former world champion.
Ferrari SF70H F1 Car Launch: 2017 Images and Details Revealed
Feb 24, 2017
MARANELLO, ITALY - FEBRUARY 24: In this handout supplied today by Scuderia Ferrari, the team unveil their new SF16-H Formula One car on February 24, 2016 in Maranello, Italy. (Photo by Handout/Scuderia Ferrari via Getty Images)
Ferrari on Friday revealed the SF70H, the car that drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen will attempt to drive to glory in the 2017 Formula One season.Â
The Italian manufacturer released images of their latest innovation on Friday as Ferrari hope to make their way back into title contention in 2017:
Ferrari will be looking for major improvements with the SF70H this year after both Vettel and Raikkonen went without a win to their names last season.
The reputation of the constructor means Ferrari have come to expect a certain standard of competition each season, although Formula One writer Alan Baldwin noted an unfortunate coincidence of their latest car's name:
The new Ferrari is called the SF70H. Which has nothing to do with finishing 70 points behind Red Bull last year. #F1
The best Vettel and Raikkonen were able to muster last season was a handful of second-place finishes apiece as they finished fourth and sixth in the drivers' standings, respectively.
The hope is their luck will change in the SF70H, however, as Ferrari provided a more detailed look inside the car they hope can bring in their first drivers' championship since Raikkonen grasped the title back in 2007:
Formula One previously explained that rule changes to the chassis and tyres of the cars has put more of an emphasis on speed this season, and Ferrari's evolution to the SF70H reflects those changes.
Perhaps most noticeable among said changes is the fin on the engine cover and the increased size of the tyres, per Ferrari, as F1 on NBC Sports provided a closer look at the machine:
This will also be Ferrari's first full season without the services of former technical director James Allison, who left the manufacturer in July 2016 and recently joined rivals Mercedes, per the official Formula One website.
Ferrari have announced their newest creation just days before they're scheduled to take it to Barcelona for two four-day testing sessions, the first of which runs from Monday until Thursday.
The last few seasons in F1 have witnessed big changes to the power unit design and regulation, but this season's changes to bodywork law promises to see some of the fastest times known to the sport.
Ferrari will bank on the SF70H being their key to clocking the fastest laps for the time being, although we won't know what the creation is really capable of until F1 descends upon Catalonia next week.
Revised Expectations for Ferrari Going into 2nd Half of 2016 Formula 1 Season
Aug 16, 2016
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JULY 03: Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Germany crashes due to tyre failure during the Formula One Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on July 3, 2016 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Peter J Fox/Getty Images)
After kissing the kerb of Turn 17 for the 66th time in the German Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel lifted his right foot from the floor and coasted toward the Hockenheim finish line.
As a lapped Renault disappeared into the distance, the four-time world champion took Formula One's tiresome debate surrounding track limits to a whole new level by ignoring the apex of Turn 1 and taking to the run-off area to pick up fragments of discarded rubber.
At the end of another long, hard and forgettable race, Vettel's Prancing Horse was rolling around the tyre marbles with all the giddiness of a pig in you-know-what when something strange happened.
With the now-familiar grumble of a Ferrari V6 turbo engine at full power, the Haas VF-16 of Romain Grosjean flashed by and along the short straight toward Turn 2.
đš Vettel slows down on the penultimate lap of the #GermanGP đŠđŞ, probably thinking that the race was a lap shorter đ pic.twitter.com/pv08BORayf
Then, barely a second later, another carâthis time Carlos Sainz Jr.'s Toro Rossoâappeared from behind Vettel's right shoulder, retook the racing line and continued his pursuit of Grosjean and 13th place.
It was at that point, as Vettel rejoined the track and checked his mirrors for any more fast-approaching boy racers, that the realisation finally hit him: There was still one more lap to go.
When footage of that incident, which according to the official F1 website cost him "around 14 seconds" but thankfully no positions, emerged four days after the raceâall 67 laps of itâit was welcomed as an instant-classic blunder and used as evidence to prove racing drivers are indeed human after all.
But behind all the light-hearted comments and suggestions that Vettel simply couldn't wait to start his summer holidays and spend some much-needed time out of the Scuderia pressure cooker, there was a quite alarming truth.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 22: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari walks in the paddock during practice for the Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 22, 2016 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Even a driver as professional, diligent and attentive as Vettel is not immune to the madness that has infected Ferrari in 2016.
Such silly mistakes have defined Ferrari's season, a year in which they have occasionally had a car capable of matching and beating Mercedes but have all too often carried the aura of a team with no idea what to do with it.
Per F1 journalist Peter Windsor, their odd obsession with being on the softest available tyres at every possible opportunity saw them throw away potential victories in Australia and Canada, with reliability problems, on-track errors and overambitious strategic calls costing them further points.
As a result, at the halfway stage of a season they were expected to end their eight-year wait for a world title, Ferrari remain without a victory.
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JULY 03: Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari and Germany crashes due to tyre failure during the Formula One Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on July 3, 2016 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Peter J Fox/Getty Images)
They are third in the constructors' standings, 173 points behind Mercedes, and Vettel is 97 adrift of the championship leader, already reduced to a distant onlooker in yet another two-horse race between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
And despite Vettel's vow, per Autosport (h/t Eurosport), that Ferrariâhaving "understood a lot" about the "strengths and weaknesses" of the SF16-H car over the last few grands prixâshould "be stronger" in the second half of the year, their predicament could become worse before it gets better.
With major regulation changes on the horizon, it is probable that Mercedesâlike Vettel and Red Bull at the end of the last rules cycle in 2013âwill be allowed to win all of the final nine races of 2016 as those behind halt the development of their current cars with the aim of making a fresh start in 2017.
Team principal Maurizio Arrivabene's admission to Motorsport.com's Jonathan Noble that Ferrari have added no downforce to the SF16-H since May suggests the team have been prioritising next year's program for some time.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - JULY 22: Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF16-H Ferrari 059/5 turbo (Shell GP) on track during practice for the Formula One Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 22, 2016 in Budapest, Hungary. (Phot
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff recently revealed his team think that is the case, explaining how he believes Ferrari "switched off" the development of their 2016 car "very early," per Autosport (h/t Eurosport).
Ferrari's focus on exploiting the new regulations means the rest of 2016 is, to some extent, meaningless.
But while the results may be inconsequentialâespecially now that the main prize is out of their reachâtheir performances between now and 2017 are crucial in terms of rediscovering the confidence that took them so far a year ago.
Given the amount of errors made by Ferrari in the first 12 grands prix, the second half of this season should be treated as an interim period, an opportunity to compete without the pressures associated with fighting a losing title battle and to finally eradicate those careless, sloppy slip-ups.
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 08: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari wears his helmet in the garage during practice for the Formula One Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone on July 8, 2016 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty
For the pit wall, these final nine races should be all about making smart, well-considered strategy decisions and avoiding more Melbourne-esque mistakes.
For the mechanics, they should be about resolving any reliability issues in a calm, efficient manner and preventing a repeat of the Austrian and British GP weekends, when Vettel suffered three gearbox failures and two grid-place penalties in the space of seven days.
And for Vettel and team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, they should be about re-establishing their rhythm behind the wheel and cutting out the misjudgements, miscalculations and scruffy pieces of driving that have only magnified their team's ineptitude.
And if all that still isn't enough to topple Mercedes and a resurgent Red Bull, so what?
MONTREAL, QC - JUNE 12: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari on the grid before the the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 12, 2016 in Montreal, Canada. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)
All that matters now is that when Ferrari leave the circuit on the Sunday evening of each race, they do so in the knowledge they extracted everything possible from themselves and the machinery at their disposalâsomething that is still yet to happen in 2016.
Preventing a second winless season in three years and pipping Red Bull to the consolation prize of second in the championship would be a bonus.
Maurizio Arrivabene Has Taken Ferrari as Far as He Can in Formula 1
Aug 6, 2016
NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 08: Ferrari Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene in the Team Principals Press Conference during practice for the Formula One Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone on July 8, 2016 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
December 2014.
Less than three weeks after the final grand prix of another long, hard year, Ferrari's factory in the Italian town of Maranello was a dark, quiet and lonely place.
No Fernando Alonso. No Luca di Montezemolo. No Stefano Domenicali. No Marco Mattiacci. No Pat Fry. No Nikolas Tombazis. No Hirohide Hamashima.
And no light at the end of the tunnel.
With the exception of Alonso, who fled the sinking ship to dive onto the McLaren-Honda lifeboat, all those menâthose servants and, in some cases, stalwarts of the Prancing Horseâhad paid for Ferrari's first winless season in two decades with their jobs.
This picture shows the entrance of the Ferrari factory on December 5, 2012 in Maranello. The Ferrari 45 buildings's factory, where more than 3,000 workers produce the companyâs GT and Formula 1 cars is based in Maranello. AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS
And as the Christmas and New Year periodâa time for celebrations, fresh starts and ambitious targetsâapproached, those who remained were plotting a revolution.
As reported by ESPN F1's Laurence Edmondson, newly appointed team principal Maurizio Arrivabene was joined in the bunker by chief designer Simone Resta, a survivor of the cull, and Rory Byrne, a prominent figure of the Michael Schumacher era who had returned as a consultant.
Their task was simple in theory but complex in practice: to turn the garish F14-T car, with an overweight, underpowered engine and a nosecone reminiscent of a skateboard ramp, into a fighting-fit Mercedes beater.
The trio spent time staring at images of the F14-Tâclosely and carefully examining its dimensions, its curves, its hills and its valleysâwhen, all of a sudden, the lightbulb flickered into life.
Aware that Kimi Raikkonen had spent the whole year complaining about a numb front end and conscious that Alonso's replacement, Sebastian Vettel, required "more or less the same" front-end grip to perform at his optimum, Arrivabene asked whether the team could transfer the weight of the car further forward.
MONZA, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 06: Kimi Raikkonen of Finland and Ferrari drives during Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo di Monza on September 6, 2014 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
"We need six months," replied Resta and Byrne, which surely left the new boss wondering why it hadn't occurred to them to make those changes at least six months earlier when Raikkonen was in the midst of the worst season of his career.
"What can you do in three?" Arrivabene tried again.
"We have to work day and night."
"OK," said the former Philip Morris salesman, who had probably never even set foot on the factory floor, "I'll work together with you guys, come on."
More than anything else, that particular taleârecited by the man himself following Raikkonen's first podium appearance since his return to Ferrari in Bahrain last yearâperfectly explained why Arrivabene was such a resounding success in his first year on the Prancing Horse's saddle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWpXVqhIYEE
Upon his appointment, he found a team who were "quite divided" and "very defensive" and made it his aimâhis dutyâ"to put them together again," as he later told the official F1 website.
Despite his relative lack of Formula One expertise, he offered a fresh perspective and new ideas to a group of people who had become accustomed to trying the same things over and over again and expecting different results.
He gave them a much-needed injection of confidence after years of being scared stiff by repeated failure, and he harnessed all that creativity at Maranello, trusting his colleagues to work their magicâall of which was evident in their upturn in results in 2015.
Restricted to just two top-three finishes the previous year, the Ferrari drivers made no fewer than 16 visits to the podium as Vettelâwith 13 of those, including victories in Malaysia, Hungary and Singaporeâbecame the most successful debutant in the team's history.
So surprisingly triumphant was their so-called recovery year that Ferrari, more formidable than at any stage since Schumacher's retirement at the end of 2006, were expected to seriously threaten Mercedes in 2016.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - MARCH 29: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari celebrates in Parc Ferme after winning the Malaysia Formula One Grand Prix at Sepang Circuit on March 29, 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Yet that anticipated title challenge, that battle of the ages between Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, has not materialised, with Ferrari without a win and their lead driver 97 points behind the championship leader after the first 12 races.
Sure, there have been moments when they have dared to dream, most memorably when Vettel led the opening stages of the Australian and Canadian grands prix.
But reliability and strategic failuresâa function of president Sergio Marchionne's bizarre fixation with his cars being fitted with the softest available tyres at every possible opportunity, as revealed by F1 journalist Peter Windsorâhave seen Ferrari throw away the few chances handed to them.
Just like two years ago, the team's failure to reach their lofty targets has generated much speculation over the future of their management, whose decisions have been too bold, too aggressive and too ambitious for their own good in terms of car design and on race weekends.
In May, Marchionneâwho arguably sparked the slide by warning Ferrari to be "terrified" of failure last December, completely undermining everything Arrivabene had done until that point, per Motorsport.com's Jonathan Nobleâinsisted the team principal has his full support, according to Sky Sports' James Galloway.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 20: Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Ferrari drives ahead of Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park on March 20, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thomps
As Ferrari's barren spell continues, however, there is a growing feeling that Arrivabene has taken the team as far as heâa marketing manâcan.
If they are to take on and beat Mercedes in the near futureâas well as a resurgent Red Bullâthey require a leader with a background in engineering.
Someone like Ross Brawn, another blast from the past, who recently dismissed an approach to return on a Byrne-style consultancy basis, as reported by Motorsport.com's Franco Nugnes. Or perhaps Jock Clear, who arrived at Ferrari from the methodical environment of Mercedes at the beginning of this year.
Or, dare we suggest, James Allison, who was linked with Arrivabene's job before his departure from the team was formally announced ahead of the German GP, per Italian publication Autosprint (h/t GrandPrix247.com).
As reported by BBC Sport's Andrew Benson, Allison's exit was initially thought to be related to the death of his wife earlier this year, but it has emerged the relationship between the technical director and the Marchionne-Arrivabene gang "had broken down," rendering his position untenable.
The repercussions of allowing one of F1's brightest minds to walk awayâat a time Ferrari have admitted they have added no downforce to the SF16-H car since May, per Noble, and most teams are switching their focus to 2017's major regulation changesâare likely to be felt way beyond this year.
SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JULY 02: Ferrari Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene on the pit wall during qualifying for the Formula One Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on July 2, 2016 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
And the loss of Allison has only served to underline the limitations of the existing regime.
Arrivabene's arrival when Ferrari were on their knees was a masterstroke, for this relative outsider gave them the belief, the freedom and the platform to succeed in 2015.
But with the team stagnating at best, the Arrivabene Effect is rapidly wearing off. As frustrations rise ever higher, the man who almost single-handedly "put them back together again" is running the risk of ruining all his good work and tearing Ferrari apart once again.
A little less bravado, and a few more brains, may be required for the Prancing Horse to clear the hurdles standing in their way and progress to the next level.
