Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto says F1's new regulations are "a clear opportunity" for the Scuderia, and one that should allow the Italian outfit to win races in 2022.
Ferrari has spared no effort to improve its performance this season, putting the full weight of its engineering and human resources into its 2022 contender.
From the development of a new V6 power unit to the design of an all-new innovative car that was approached with "an open mind" according to Binotto, the Scuderia has left no stone unturned in its bid to join the battle at the top of the grid.
Ferrari is clearly aiming to win races this year, but is keeping its expectations in check when it comes to winning the title outright.
©Ferrari
"What will be important for us next year is to keep on growing," said Binotto last month, quoted by The Race. "And it is to further reduce the gap to the competitors.
"The new regulations are a clear opportunity. The hope is to be competitive and for me to be competitive is to be in the position of winning races.
"Would that mean that we can fight for a championship? If I look at today, the gap is still big.
"But as Ferrari, it’s part of our DNA. What is important is to be capable of fighting at least in some races for pole and for the win.
"That is the simple consequence of continuous growth and improvement. I would be disappointed if we have not improved from this year."
Binotto admits that there's a risk the Scuderia, like any one of its rivals, could find itself outpaced at the start of 2022 given how each team will have interpreted the sport's new rules.
But the Swiss engineer is confident that Ferrari will respond swiftly to any early weakness that may emerge.
"At the start of next year, maybe at the start of the season, there will be a difference in competitiveness between the cars because of the way each team may have interpreted the rules and solutions you may bring," he said.
"What is important as Ferrari is being capable of understanding weaknesses and addressing them very quickly.
"It’s team reaction which will be key."
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