Reggio Emilia (Italy) (AFP)

SF1000 as 1000 Formula 1 Grands Prix: Ferrari presented its 2020 single-seater on Tuesday in a lavish ceremony that recalled the history of the Scuderia and in which drivers and managers claimed to have learned from last season's mistakes .

Red the curtain of the Romolo Valli theater in Reggio Emilia, red the velvet of the armchairs and the tapestries of the boxes, red the flags and caps of the thousands of tifosi massed in front of the building and red too, of course, the livery of the new racing car .

"I like it very much. It is much narrower in the rear than last year and it is also redder, it is even better," said German pilot Sebastian Vettel, to whom he did not escaped that the SF1000 was of a slightly more opaque shade than the SF90 of 2019.

While its rivals have opted for discreet presentations in recent years, Ferrari has broken with its habits this time and has moved some 30 km from its stronghold of Maranello, in Reggio Emilia, where the tricolor flag was created , then became that of Italy.

"And Ferrari is proud of Italy and of representing Italy," said John Elkann, president of the Fiat Chrysler group (FCA), which owns the nose-up brand.

"This is a very special year. These are the 70 years of F1, we have been there from the start and we are going to reach the figure of 1000 Grands Prix, which is something incredible," said his side. Mattia Binotto, the "main team" of Scuderia.

- On the same level -

Subject to a change in the calendar linked to the new coronavirus in Asia, this glorious milestone should be reached in June during the Canadian GP.

Meanwhile, Scuderia hopes that its new creation will allow it to aim for a title that has eluded it for a long time, 12 years for pilots and 11 for manufacturers.

"Maybe it looks a lot like the SF90, but I can assure you it is very different," said Binotto, assuring that the engineers had taken the "concept to the extreme" by working on the aerodynamics, suspensions or engine block.

"We still have to progress, especially on reliability," he added, recalling that Ferrari and the others had to face "the double challenge" of preparing in parallel for the coming season but also for the next one, which will see entry in force of a new technical regulation.

The team is also starting over on new bases with its drivers, Binotto having affirmed that Vettel and the Monegasque Charles Leclerc, who revealed himself in red last year, started this time on an equal footing.

"We have seen that they can both fight for the best results. They are both on the same level. It is up to them to race," he said.

- The lesson from Brazil -

A hard choice to accept for Vettel, quadruple world champion with Red Bull and twice vice-world champion with Ferrari?

"I don't see it that way. I don't see Charles going up and I going down. We have the same car and, for me, it doesn't change anything. That was also the case last season," said the German. 32 years old.

Last season, the association between the experienced Vettel and the young Monegasque, 22 years old, had however often turned to a duel, which had reached its climax when the two drivers had collided during the Brazilian GP.

But Leclerc promised that things had changed. "We have learned the lesson from Brazil. We are free to race but we are teammates. A lot of people are working behind us, as a team, and things like Brazil should not happen," he said.

"Now I know the team, the car, the people," added Leclerc, author of last season's spectacular debut for Ferrari (two wins and 4th in the world championship) and extended through the winter until 2024.

In front of the Romolo Valli theater, the tifosi hoped in any case for new triumphs. "This year, I expect a great Ferrari season, better than the previous ones. But whatever happens, I am always happy to support Ferrari," said Alessandro, prancing horse tattooed on the upper back.

© 2020 AFP