It is a season beyond expectations that of Ferrari. The Red team still cannot be satisfied with its performance – there is still talk of a fight for third constructors place with McLaren – but the growth indicators are all there with respect to a horrible 2020 and the prospects of an equally negative 2021, considering how much the development of the cars was blocked. Instead, Ferrari managed to improve both from the motor point of view (especially with the updates brought to Sochi), and from the aerodynamic point of view. In the constructors’ standings, McLaren is only seven and a half points behind from third place. Also thanks to Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, capable of making a constant contribution and balanced.
One figure underlines this aspect: Ferrari is the team that has the most appearances in the top-10 – and therefore in the points – in 2021. 26 times out of 32 occasions (considering the 16 Grands Prix), Leclerc and Sainz scored points. No other team, not even the very strong Mercedes, has managed to do the same: the reigning champions, together with Red Bull and McLaren, are in fact at 25. The only true defaillances of Ferrari date back to the disaster of Le Castellet (with Sainz and Leclerc out of the top-10) and to the 11th place of the Spaniard in Portimão. For the rest, with a little more luck, the Red team could have significantly increased the loot: in this regard, it is necessary to remember, in this regard, the sensational knockout of Leclerc in his Monaco, the accident at the Hungaroring and the tire lottery. at the end thrilling of Sochi. However, Ferrari is not the only one to be able to complain: for example, Mercedes can do it on the zero of Valtteri Bottas in Monte-Carlo, or on those of Lewis Hamilton in Monza and Baku; likewise Red Bull for the Max Verstappen accident in Azerbaijan; or the McLaren, dry twice in a row with Lando Norris, the victim without blame at the Hungaroring and in the farce of Spa.
This is the ranking of the top-10 positions after 16 races:
Ferrari 26
Mercedes 25
Red Bull 25
McLaren 25
Alpine 21
AlphaTauri 16
Aston Martin 12
Williams 6
Alfa Romeo 4
Haas 0