After closing the gap in the standings, the championship now seems within reach for Ferrari, which can at least aim to challenge McLaren and Red Bull.
Ferrari’s dominance in Texas, culminating in a historic one-two finish that had eluded the Maranello team on American soil since 2006, has reshuffled the cards in the championship race. The updates introduced throughout the season appear to have elevated Ferrari, under Vasseur’s leadership, to a new level of performance, fueling the hopes and dreams of the Scuderia’s supporters.
RED BULL’S STRUGGLES AND NORRIS’S INEXPERIENCE
On one hand, Red Bull has faced increasing difficulties since Miami, with Verstappen often struggling for useful placements, sometimes far from the podium. On the other hand, McLaren has repeatedly shown a lack of the composure necessary to make the best decisions regarding the championship. Despite having a car that, according to many, is in a league of its own, the Papaya team has often employed confusing strategies concerning its drivers. Adding to this is what should be McLaren’s star, Norris, who has consistently appeared immature and lacking the hunger needed to compete against rivals like Max.
Since Miami, with Lando Norris‘s victory, the tide of Formula 1 seemed to have changed. However, Lando has frequently left crucial points behind in the championship chase and dreams of glory.
In Monaco, Lando failed to secure a fast lap in qualifying and even ended up behind his teammate. In Montreal, a misunderstanding with the team under Safety Car conditions cost him the victory and an additional seven points in his battle against Verstappen. In Spain and Britain, timing issues related to pit stops again plagued him. A collision with Max in Austria resulted in a DNF. Then came a disastrous qualifying session in Baku and a missed opportunity in Austin. Overall, Norris is still chasing a championship that he could have and perhaps should have dominated since the sixth round.
CONSISTENT, FAST, AND HUNGRY FERRARI
In stark contrast, Scuderia Ferrari has adopted a different attitude, now rekindling its championship dream.
Ferrari’s season has been a rollercoaster, swinging between podiums and victories, framing the dark period following Monaco until their return to the podium in Belgium. This dark period stemmed from a potentially flawed and counterproductive update package, which the Italian team managed to rectify, returning to victory at Monza with a masterful race by Leclerc.
Yet again, this resurgence is marked by two missed opportunities in Baku and Singapore. Nevertheless, Ferrari has once again shown it can learn from its mistakes, delivering a convincing one-two finish in the U.S. that revives hopes for the championship. After the thrilling weekend at the Austin Grand Prix, the Maranello team has closed to within 8 points of Red Bull and 48 points of McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship.
“48 points to recover is not a small number,” Leclerc remarked after Sunday’s victory, “but if we keep doing what we are doing… why not?” Nothing in modern Formula 1 should be taken for granted. Red Bull reminded us of that in 2021 when they ended Mercedes’ dominance, and the same Red Bull has faced its own challenges this year.
REFLECTING ON KIMI’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RUN WITH FERRARI
The last Drivers’ Championship for a Ferrari driver was in 2007, when Kimi Räikkönen claimed the title ahead of a debuting Lewis Hamilton in McLaren. That year was characterized by a dramatic and thrilling championship that, two races from the end, saw Hamilton leading, followed closely by Fernando Alonso (-12) and Kimi Raikkonen, who was 17 points behind the Englishman. With the old points system still in place, where the winner earned just 10 points, only 20 points were available two races from the end.
It seemed poised for a two-way fight between the McLaren teammates. However, in China and Brazil, the unexpected happened: Kimi won both races and ultimately clinched the Drivers’ Championship after Hamilton’s DNF in China and a seventh-place finish in Brazil.
Remembering the past, with five races remaining and about 200 points available, what would it cost to dream of a championship that Ferrari has been without for so long? Everything will depend on how the Scuderia approaches the season’s finale, where Ferrari finally seems to be in control of its own destiny. Next, they head to Mexico before going to Brazil and returning to the U.S. for the Las Vegas GP. It’s an interesting series of races, with tracks that seem to suit the SF-24’s characteristics well.
In summary, Ferrari can dream of the championship, but to achieve it, they must demonstrate that they have learned from the past and, above all, from the missed opportunities this season.
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