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Can Ferrari Recapture Formula 1 Success?

by Mark Gero July 1, 2021 , ,

Only a few team names stand out in the history of Formula 1 racing. Ferrari is one. But recent times have not been kind to The Prancing Horse. Will glory ever return to Maranello?

Ferrari is the only team that has participated in the sport since its beginning in 1950, and the company has distinguished itself over the decades with 15 Drivers’ World Titles, 16 Constructors’ Championships, and participation in over 900 Grand Prix. Its success is not just in Formula 1 but also in sportscar championships (e.g., Lemans).

The names of those who have driven and won in Ferrari’s are some of the top names in motor racing–Niki Lauda, Jody Scheckter, Clay Regazzoni, Gilles Villeneuve, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, and Sebastian Vettel are included in that group.

(Watch a video on the emergence of Ferrari here.)

But the team and its drivers had a dry spell from the 1980s through the mid-nineties, and it seems that outcome is happening again today. Vettel was the pick to regain Ferrari’s championship footing, but he could never compete consistently with Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton. And, now, Vettel is driving for Aston Martin.

Today, Ferrari’s future is in the hands of two young drivers, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Jr. Leclerc has proven he can win races for the Scuderia. Still, Max Verstappen and Red Bull have surpassed Ferrari’s quest to challenge Mercedes. The big question is why? Is it the drivers? Is a problem with technology?

Despite uneven performances, which today positions Ferrari in the second tier of teams, the brand arguably has the most loyal fanbase in the world.

The Italians are emotional about motor racing, and the Tifosi, as they are called, thirst for championships. Ferrari’s home base–the town of Maranello–bustles with party life except when the team does poorly, which is often the case today. Ferrari competes with McLaren, not for a world championship, but for who might finish in third place.

The good (and possibly) hopeful news is that Ferrari managed to get double points in last weekend’s race in Austria. This weekend (again in Austria) offers another opportunity to move up the grid.

But no matter the outcome, history is revealed every time you see that red car coming down the circuit. Remember the history, the factory, the production, and the company. On the racing side, my wager is that the car will one day win again. And the Tifosi will celebrate!

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About Mark Gero

Mark Gero
Mark began his addiction to Formula 1 racing watching races on the television at Watkins Glen and attending Grand Prix races in person at Long Beach, California in the 1970s and early 80s. Turning to the journalism side of motorsports in 2001, Mark started by writing Grand Prix weekend stories for San Diego, California based All-Sports under Jerry Preeper. He left one year later for E-Sports in Florida. Mark’s big break came when he wrote for the late Mike Hollander at Racing Services. Then, in 2010, he joined Racingnation for three seasons. For the remaining part of this decade, Mark continued to advance, writing articles for the Munich Eye Newspaper in Munich, Germany, and returning to the U.S. to finish his degree in Journalism and Mass Communications at Ashford University. After graduating, Mark was hired by Autoweek before moving on to the racing website, Frontstretch, until late last year. Mark currently lives in Los Angeles, California.



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