In preparation for the upcoming race in Miami, Ferrari revealed a modified design incorporating blue elements to celebrate their 70-year presence in North America.
Despite Lando Norris’ expectation of being overshadowed by the Ferraris on race day, he surprised everyone by securing a podium finish, splitting the Red Bulls.
Charles Leclerc led the charge for Ferrari in fourth place, closely followed by Carlos Sainz, both making progress from their starting positions.
Leclerc seemed on track for his third podium of the year after overtaking Sergio Perez during a safety car period, but ultimately, Perez outperformed him.
This shift in position allowed Red Bull to extend their lead in the constructors’ championship by 44 points. However, Ferrari managed to match McLaren’s point tally with Oscar Piastri finishing eighth, maintaining a comfortable 55-point gap.
Team principal Fred Vasseur emphasized the importance of maintaining perspective after the race, highlighting their significant lead of 99 points over Mercedes, Red Bull’s closest rivals from the previous season.
In preparation for the upcoming race in Miami, Ferrari announced a modified design incorporating blue elements to commemorate their 70-year presence in North America.
Despite this change, Ferrari’s iconic scarlet red color remains at the core of their identity, as noted by Chandhok’s surprised reaction.
Ferrari also made another notable development by securing a title sponsorship deal with Hewlett-Packard, following in the footsteps of Red Bull’s partnership with Oracle.
This deal, reportedly of significant value, coincides with Ferrari’s highly anticipated new driver lineup featuring Lewis Hamilton alongside Leclerc, making it one of the most remarkable transfers in F1 history.
With Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, Mercedes may face potential commercial challenges as sponsors closely associated with Hamilton might reconsider their support.
On the track, Ferrari aims to take advantage of this high-profile addition and strive for their first championship since 2008, putting an end to their long-standing drought for a team of their caliber.