Vettel expects “step forward” with ‘clever’ 2020 Ferrari F1 car

Sebastian Vettel says he expects Ferrari’s 2020 Formula 1 car to be a “step forward” from its predecessor thanks to many “clever” innovations.

Ferrari unveiled its SF1000 challenger in a special launch event at the Romolo Valli Municipal Theatre in Reggio Emilia near its Maranello headquarters on Tuesday evening, becoming the first F1 team to present its latest car.

Team principal Mattia Binotto explained Ferrari’s newest design is “extreme” and “completely different” to its 2019 SF90 concept, which was fast but proved inconsistent in terms of performance and reliability.

“It’s an incredible achievement with all the hours that go into the car. I like it a lot,” Vettel said.

"We have an opportunity to see it a little bit more and having a direct comparison to last year’s car, you can really spot the differences, especially when it comes to packaging and the back part of the car.

“I think it sits a lot tighter and there’s a lot of work behind that because it’s not so easy, so we found some clever solutions to be able to achieve that and I cannot wait to drive it.

“It’s also a little bit more red compared to last year so I think it looks great.”

Ferrari heads into 2020 looking to end a run of 12 years without any form of championship silverware, with its last title coming in the form of the constructors’ crown 2008.

Asked what he expects for the forthcoming season, which marks his sixth campaign driving for Ferrari, Vettel replied: “It’s impossible to predict but first of all, there’s a lot of hours and effort that went into the car.

“I think it is a step forward, and I hope it will feel like that when I drive the car but I can be sure of plenty of commitment from all the people that are here and at Maranello working to improve the car even further.

“I think that is something we can rely on and trust on, that’s something I would touch on if I had a crystal ball. But that’s part of the adventure and we have to wait.

“The batteries are recharged and I’m fully ready,” he added. “I think the team is ready and we all feel ready heading to the test and looking forward to going racing again.”