New Ferrari simulator won't be available until next spring

Ferrari won't be able to exploit the assets of its new simulator at the start of the 2020 season, with the Scuderia's hardware expected to be up and running next spring.

Given the constraints on testing implemented for 2020, more resources and time are set to be devoted by teams to simulation programmes, a change which motivated the House of Maranello to replace its current decade-old system, nicknamed "the spider".

However, the introduction in 2021 of F1's budget cap also incited Ferrari to bring forward its multi-million dollar investment in its new, state-of-the-art virtual device.

Ferrari keeps Wehrlein in simulator role for 2020

While the Scuderia initially hoped to rely on its new simulator for the development of its 2020 car from the outset, a delay means the system won't be exploited until the season is well underway.

Ferrari has retained Mahindra Formula E charger Pascal Wehrlein as its simulator driver for the 2020 season.

The Italian outfit is currently the first team scheduled to unveil its 2020 car, with the presentation taking place in Maranello on February 11.

Ferrari enjoyed a strong second half to its 2019 season, winning three races, and with regulations unchanged for 2020, the Scuderia is expected to be once again at the forefront of the title fight.

©Ferrari

However, team boss Mattia Binotto cautioned against the prospect of Ferrari defeating its mighty Mercedes rival.

"To open a winning cycle and to be in front of Mercedes in a stable way, it will still take a few years," Binotto said, quoted by Motorsport.com's Italian website.
"But I know that as Ferrari we always have a moral obligation to try every year. We, therefore, start with the goal of doing very well in 2020, we don’t start to finish second.

"However, if one is to say that the team should reach the maturity and the know-how sufficient and necessary in all aspects to be dominant, it is fair to say that this is not done in two days."

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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.