“Incredible” Ferrari euphoria before Imola

After his luxury watch was stolen in a dimly lit alley, the prospect of bright red festivals at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari is more than a consolation for Charles Leclerc. The 24-year-old from Monegasque will probably have digested the shock by the time he gets into the Ferrari F1-75 during training on Friday in front of a crowd that is expected to be sold out. “It will be incredible,” Leclerc already predicted.

Almost 100 Tifosi are expected at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix , and like Leclerc, they actually only want one thing: a home victory on the track that bears the name of the legendary company founder and his son. “We’re coming home, Tifosi,” Ferrari tweeted. The fact that this year, for the first of three times, there will be a sprint race over 100 kilometers on Saturday with eight World Championship points for the winner gives what may have been a slightly rainy race weekend in northern Italy another special touch. In any case, Leclerc already knows what victories in a Ferrari in Italy feel like.

Charles Leclerc wants his first Imola victory. © ANSA / SIMON BAKER / STR

In 2019 he won the Grand Prix in Monza. It was his second Formula 1 victory. He had to wait a long time until the third. But it seems to have been worth it. “Two years ago we said that we had to work hard to be competitive again,” Ferrari boss John Elkann recently said at the shareholders’ meeting, according to Italian media reports. After two difficult years, the new season has started in an exciting way and Ferrari can compete at the highest level, said the 46-year-old chairman of the supervisory board. A long period of suffering It was a time of suffering. Ferrari was in a dead end. Only the new rules for this season caused a 180-degree turnaround and the first Leclerc victory since Monza. The car concept stands out from the others, the engine has become the most powerful in the field. Mattia Binotto said he was certainly surprised too. The Scuderia team boss did not expect such a powerful car right at the start of the season.

The now 52-year-old took over the position in January 2019. Only now does everything indicate that Ferrari could celebrate its first world championship drivers' title since Kimi Räikkönen's triumph in 2007 by mid-November at the latest. It will also be a great relief for the entire sporting country of Italy if the World Cup kicks off in Qatar one day after the Formula 1 final - without the Squadra Azzurra. The European champions missed qualification in the playoffs. It remains to be seen whether there could even be enough of an era at Ferrari.

Ex-pilot David Coulthard recently jokingly commented as a TV expert during Leclerc's victory from pole position with the fastest race lap in Melbourne and the lead over the entire distance that he felt a slight tremor. “A flashback to the time when Michael dominated in the Ferrari.” Schmumacher took Ferrari's last victory in Imola Michael Schumacher also ensured the last Ferrari victory in Imola during his memorable time with the Italian racing team. That was 16 years ago, and there had been no racing in Imola since then until the return in 2020. After Lewis Hamilton's victory in 2020 and Max Verstappen's success, Leclerc now starts as the big favorite. “Ferrari is the new benchmark.” Red Bull Motorsport Director Helmut Marko Victory at the opening round in Bahrain, second place in Saudi Arabia, victory in Melbourne. Leclerc scored 71 points. His lead over second-placed Mercedes newcomer George Russell: 34 points. Record world champion Hamilton is only sixth in the second Silver Arrow with 28 points, while defending champion Verstappen is seventh in the Red Bull with 25 points. “Ferrari is good at any temperature, on any track, with any type of tire. They are the new benchmark,” said Red Bull’s motorsport director Helmut Marko Sports picture .

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“Incredible” Ferrari euphoria before Imola

Ferrari, Italy, home race. And the Scuderia starts as the top favorite! It's supposed to be a festival all in red. The World Cup fight could also prove to be a balm for the Italian football soul.

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