"We won't spend much time developing the 2021 car"

While we were all waiting for Ferrari's new car on Friday, we were instead only presented with the new team clothing. It remains to be seen whether the Italians will keep a big trump card in reserve as much as possible. What is certain is that this trump card will have its effect from the first race.

"The start of the season is very important. I don't expect the balance of power to change much for the rest of the season," team boss Mattia Binotto is quoted as saying by Auto Motor und Sport. That reality is partly due to the rigid regulations for next season, but largely because the team is focused on the 2022 car.

"We will not spend much time on the development of the 2021 car," Binotto said. So if Ferrari want to compete for podiums or even wins this season, the car will have to be good right from Bahrain. There is therefore little or no opportunity to correct any miscalculations in the wind tunnel, a problem that Binotto believes the Scuderia has faced on more than one occasion in recent years.

Whether Ferrari fans can breathe a sigh of relief in Bahrain will largely depend on the straight-line speed, as Binotto calls it. This was due not only to a lack of power, but also to the car's high air resistance. He expects this to be less of an issue in 2021.