D-Day minus 2 for Ferrari’s new war horse

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Ferrari has released a picture of its new contender, the SF-23, sitting under its cover in Maranello.

The Scuderia’s 2023 war horse will be unveiled at its team launch that will take place on ‘red’ Tuesday – or Valentine’s day – at the Italian outfit’s base.

Little has filtered about a possible livery tweak for the SF-23, although there have been whispers about the presence of a flash of yellow on the car’s bodywork, something perhaps similar to the design used on Ferrari’s new 499P Hypercar.

However, there has been more chatter about the SF-23 itself, which the Scuderia and its drivers - Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz - hope will carry them to the world title.

Nothing has transpired about the machine’s overall design, which is expected to be an evolution of last year’s F1-75, but Ferrari is rumored to have improved both the performance and the reliability of its hybrid power unit.

However, reported gains of 30bhp were laughingly dismissed by Ferrari's new team boss Frédéric Vasseur.

The Frenchman is hoping to succeed where his many predecessors have failed since 2007 and 2008, the last seasons in which Ferrari won the Drivers and Constructors’ titles respectively.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.