Ferrari SF-23 specs & facts

Charles Leclerc driving the Ferrari SF-23 during the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix

Ferrari's F1 car for 2023

The Ferrari SF-23 arrived at the start of the 2023 season under a cloud of transition and high expectations. After the operational disappointments of 2022, when Ferrari squandered a genuine championship challenge through strategic errors and reliability failures, Mattia Binotto departed as team principal and was replaced by Fred Vasseur. The respected French engineer had previously worked with both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz earlier in their careers, and his appointment signalled a renewed focus on discipline, communication and cohesion within the team. The SF-23 name itself marked a return to the traditional Scuderia Ferrari format, combining the team's initials with the year.

The launch of the Ferrari SF-23 was memorable for an unusual coin-toss tradition. Vasseur flipped a special coin, bearing Leclerc's race number 16 on one side and Sainz's 55 on the other, to decide who would drive the car first. Charles won the toss and completed the SF-23's first laps, with Carlos following shortly afterwards. In a further departure from recent practice, the SF-23 actually ran on track on its launch day, the first time Ferrari had done this since 2017. The new car debuted a striking revised livery featuring sections of exposed carbon fibre, a new matt red shade created by Ferrari Design, and the return of the historic "long F" logo on the rear wing.

Technically, the SF-23 was an evolution of the ground effect concept first introduced on the F1-75 in 2022. Ferrari's engineers focused on improving aerodynamic consistency and mechanical balance, areas where the F1-75 had sometimes struggled across different circuit types. The revised Ferrari 066/10 power unit delivered incremental improvements, and the team worked systematically to eliminate the reliability issues that had cost Leclerc crucial points in 2022. The suspension geometry and floor concept were refined in response to the data gathered throughout the previous season.

The 2023 Formula 1 season turned out to be one of the most dominant campaigns in the sport's history. Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing won 21 of the 22 rounds, and the Ferrari SF-23 was unable to match the extraordinary pace of the RB19. However, the team delivered a far more disciplined and error-reduced campaign than in 2022. Carlos Sainz provided the season's brightest moment for the Scuderia by winning the Singapore Grand Prix, Ferrari's only victory of the year, in a race where strategy, timing and the street circuit's unpredictable nature played perfectly into the team's hands.

Charles Leclerc was consistently strong in qualifying but struggled to convert raw pace into race victories against the dominant Red Bull. Ferrari finished third in the Constructors' Championship with 406 points, behind Red Bull and Mercedes. While the gap to the front remained significant, the SF-23 provided valuable development insights that directly shaped the more competitive SF-24 that followed. The season demonstrated Ferrari's growing resilience and strategic maturity, setting the stage for a genuine title assault in 2024.

Ferrari SF-23 Technical Specifications

• Chassis made from carbon fibre composite honeycomb, with halo protection for the cockpit
• Longitudinal Ferrari gearbox with 8 forward gears and reverse
• Hydraulically controlled rear differential
• Brembo ventilated carbon discs (front and rear) with electronically controlled rear brakes
• Push-rod front suspension, pull-rod rear suspension
• Weight including coolant, oil and driver: 798 kg
• 18" front and rear wheels
• Bodywork and seat in carbon fibre

Power unit

Name: Ferrari 066/10 / 1600cc / 15,000rpm / single turbocharger / 100kg/hr / 90°V6 / Bore 80mm / Stroke 53mm / 4 valves per cylinder / Direct injection max 500bar

ERS System

Hybrid energy recovery system / Lithium-ion batteries min 20kg / 4MJ capacity / 120kW MGU-K / 50,000rpm MGU-K / 125,000rpm MGU-H

Ferrari SF-23 launch photos

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