How Ferrari got its F1 recovery plan working

After its worst campaign in 40 years, the famous Italian team had to bounce back in 2021 – and it appears to be delivering. Although it concedes the pole positions in Monaco and Baku paint a somewhat misleading picture of its competitiveness, the team is heading into the 2022 rules revamp on much stronger footing to go for wins again

Alex Kalinauckas Jun 18, 2021, 12:12 PM

Upd: Jun 19, 2021, 10:09 AM

“Guys, this is only the first qualifying but, compared to where we were last year, it’s quite a big step forwards. We hope to fight for poles, but I think we should be satisfied with the step we’ve done – at least here. And congratulations to Carlos – he pushed me massively.”

Charles Leclerc’s team radio words to Ferrari as he toured in after sealing fourth place in qualifying for the 2021 Bahrain Grand Prix rather neatly summed up both the team’s position at that point, and how its campaign has played out since.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.