F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Ferrari first team to announce 2024 launch event

Ferrari have named the day for the launch of their 2024 contender, making them the first of the ten teams on the grid to put a definite date in next year's calendar.

Speaking at a media event in Maranello, team principal Frederic Vasseur said Ferrari would take the covers off its new car on February 13, one day before Valentine's Day.

The successor to this year's SF-23 is currently codenamed 676 but will receive its proper designation at the launch event, which will be attended by Vasseur, drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, and other top team staff.

“The launch will take place on the 13th of February, Vasseur revealed. “You will see the rest on that day." The launch typically takes place at Ferrari's Fiorano test circuit close to the team headquarters.

Last year the launch took place on the 14th which made them the eighth team to break cover, with only Mercedes and Alpine staging later events. Red Bull had been first up on February 3, starting where they finished - out in front.

Pre-season testing will begin in Bahrain a week later on Wednesday 21 February, with Vasseur quipping that the timing of the launch event meant "we will have one day more before the test!"

“No, it's quite tight, more seriously," he continued. "We have the test a bit [earlier than 2023] and it's quite a challenge to put everything together. It means that we had no other option.

"It's quite challenging to be all ready for Bahrain," he admitted, adding that he expected many other teams to use Valentine's Day to stage their launch events this time around.

Ferrari came into 2023 hoping that their car would enable them to seriously challenge Red Bull not just for wins but ultimately the title. Unfortunately that did not go to plan.

©Ferrari

Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race with victory in Singapore, but Ferrari as a whole faltered and finished only third in the constructors' standings behind not just Red Bull but also Mercedes by three points.

“We had a tough first six months until Monza, and our reaction was a good one," Vasseur said. “I'm quite proud of the reaction of the team during the season as a group. It means that as a group we work pretty well.”

Vasseur - who took over the role of team principal from Mattia Binotto at the start of 2023 - is determined to keep expectations under control this time around and not make any rash predictions or promising.

“I don't have to promise something,” he told Italian media. “The best way is to be focused on what we are doing to deliver.

“The Christmas gift will be if we're able to do a good job in March, not for Christmas. On Christmas the gift is just based on promises and I don't want to make promises," he said.

“We'll see in March if it's going to be the Easter gift.”

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.

Recent Posts

Aston Martin says performance shortfall led to Fallows exit

Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough has shed some light on why the team’s former…

9 hours ago

FIA clamps down on plank loophole after Red Bull complaint

The FIA has issued a pivotal Technical Directive to F1 teams ahead of this weekend’s…

10 hours ago

F1 drivers blindsided by race director Wittich’s sudden exit

The abrupt removal last week of FIA race director Niels Wittich with just three races…

12 hours ago

McLaren relaxes ‘papaya rules’: Norris and Piastri free to race

Oscar Piastri has confirmed that McLaren’s team orders—dubbed the "Papaya Rules"—have been largely relaxed, giving…

13 hours ago

Cheers to the forever young pure racer Jacques Laffite

The forever young Jacques Laffite turns 81 today, but the years haven't aged this pure…

14 hours ago

Las Vegas GP: Wednesday's build-up in pictures

The neon lights of Las Vegas are set to illuminate the Formula 1 world once…

15 hours ago