Ferrari unveil the SF1000 ahead of 2020 Formula 1 season

Ferrari launched their 2020 Formula 1 car - the SF1000 - at a lavish and passion packed ceremony at the majestic  Romolo Valli Municipal Theatre in the town of Reggio Emilia, with the team's top brass, and drivers Sebastian Vettel and Chalres Leclerc present for the occasion.

Chief executive Louis Camilleri said in his opening speech, “We are all very conscious of the huge responsibilities that lie on our shoulders and we clearly are very focused on the ultimate goal, which is victory. I believe we have the talent and determination to meet those ambitions. With responsibility comes a lot of pressure and we view that pressure in a positive manner because it has the effect of uniting us and also inspiring us."

Ferrari need to harness the pressure, manage the feud between their drivers and produce a very fast car should they want to sign in the new decade in style - as they did when Michael Schumacher began a five year streak of successive titles starting in 2000.

Beating Mercedes in this final season of the current turbo-hybrid era will be a tough ask, but it is also the best chance for the Reds to cause damage with the playing field expected to be at its most level in this age of Mercedes domination.

Nevertheless, talk out of the Scuderia is upbeat, and summed up by President John Elkann during his time on stage, “We are proud to represent Italy around the world,” he said. “Even though Ferrari has won 238 of the 991 Formula 1 races run to date, our thirst for victory is stronger than ever. In the coming season, we will continue to face very tough opposition."

"That only serves to spur us on to do more and to do even better. What distinguishes us is the amazing collective effort of everyone in Ferrari’s Gestione Sportiva, both on and off the track. That is our strength."

The Ferrari SF1000 is the 66th F1 single-seater built at Maranello. It will run in anger for the first time on day one of testing at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona on 19 February ahead of the season opening Australian Grand Prix weekend which begins on 15 March in Melbourne.

2020. New decade, same goal.

Discover all contents at https://t.co/3v8D5ebZmw#SF1000 #essereFerrari ???? pic.twitter.com/eXXUWhgc3U

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 11, 2020