'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ferrari's primary objective for the 2024 F1 season would be to finish ahead of Mercedes. The Italian team introduced its 2024 challenger while the German team is going to launch its challenger soon after. In all of this, it would be remiss to not point out that there is a rivalry simmering between the two giants just behind Red Bull.
The 2024 F1 season is going to be quite interesting when it comes to the battle between Ferrari and Mercedes. While at the start of the season, everyone is keenly interested in whether anyone could be challenging Red Bull, and for both teams, the challenge is to close the gap to the front, there is no doubt that both these teams are looking over their shoulders as well.
Keeping all that aside, there is a very high probability that the primary target for Ferrari would be to beat Mercedes this season. Here's why.
#1 Mercedes was P2 in the championship last season
For Ferrari, the Fred Vasseur era is all about making incremental improvements. The team finished the championship third last year behind Mercedes. The next step has to be incremental improvement and finishing second in the championship. That has to be the target as the Italian squad tries to get back to winning ways in the future. In that sense, anything less than P2 is going to be considered a failure.
#2 Red Bull might still be a step too far
If we are realistic about the 2024 F1 season, then we're not going to see Red Bull face much of a challenge this year as well. The car was just too good last season and had ample time to develop. Looking at how much grasp Adrian Newey already has of the car, expecting anyone to close the gap to the front is a bit of a stretch.
Both Ferrari and Mercedes will be realistic on this front and when it comes to keeping expectations in check, this might be at the forefront.
In 2024, Red Bull might just be too far ahead of everyone else and in that case, the battle would be for the runner-up position. The Italian team found itself in that position in 2022 but lost it in 2023. 2024 is the season where the team will be hoping to regain it.
#3 This adds validity to Lewis Hamilton jumping ship
Lewis Hamilton has selected Ferrari to be his home in 2025 and while this is surely a vote of confidence from him, it would also count for nothing if Mercedes ends up running circles around the Italian team this year. In that case, Hamilton would be going to a lesser team. That's certainly not desirable, and definitely not a scenario that would be ideal when it comes to bringing in an F1 legend.
