Ferrari Carry Burden of History and Expectation as they Unveil 2022 Car

Ferrari unveiled a stunning new car done up in a red and black livery in a throwback to the past. (Ferrari)
Ferrari unveiled a stunning new car done up in a red and black livery in a throwback to the past. (Ferrari)
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Ferrari Carry Burden of History and Expectation as they Unveil 2022 Car

Ferrari unveiled a stunning new car done up in a red and black livery in a throwback to the past. (Ferrari)
Ferrari unveiled a stunning new car done up in a red and black livery in a throwback to the past. (Ferrari)

Ferrari are aiming for a return to competitiveness in 2022, with their F1-75 challenger unveiled on Thursday carrying the weight of history and expectation for the sport's oldest and most successful team.

The Maranello-based squad have raced in every season of Formula One since the championship was founded in 1950 and have won more races and championships than anyone.

They have crowned some of the sport's greats including Juan Manuel Fangio, Alberto Ascari, Niki Lauda and Michael Schumacher.

But their last champion remains now-retired Kimi Raikkonen who won the title in 2007.

Last year the team, despite bouncing back from a dismal 2020 to take third in the constructors' standings, went without a win for the second season in a row.

"Our objective for 2022 certainly is being back to being competitive and being competitive means being capable of winning races," team principal Mattia Binotto told reporters following the car's launch on Thursday.

"That's the way we see it at the moment and I think we will be pretty happy if we will be in that position."

Formula One is introducing its biggest rules shake up in decades, with cars featuring revised aerodynamics and bigger 18-inch wheels aimed at improving the racing spectacle.

The new rules could shake up the established order and Ferrari, who unveiled a stunning new car done up in a red and black livery in a throwback to the past, are clearly eyeing this season as an opportunity.

The word innovation was repeatedly used during the launch of the challenger, designated the F1-75 mark 75 years since founder Enzo Ferrari manufactured the first car to bear his name.

At the same time the new rules are a step into the unknown. But, despite the uncertainty, Binotto and the team's drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz said the team's efforts into developing the car gave them confidence.

"Of course expectations are high because we are Ferrari, we are the team that is expected to win all the time," said Leclerc heading into his fourth season as a Ferrari driver.

"What makes me confident about this year's car is the work that I've seen in the past few months.

"It's never easy to know until you're really on track for the first qualifying of the year and see the final picture.

"But the feeling is good."



Japan Set to Seal World Cup Spot as Son Aims to Forget Spurs Woes 

Football - Premier League - Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - March 16, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - March 16, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
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Japan Set to Seal World Cup Spot as Son Aims to Forget Spurs Woes 

Football - Premier League - Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - March 16, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - Craven Cottage, London, Britain - March 16, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min looks dejected after the match. (Reuters)

Japan can become the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup this week while Son Heung-min will try to forget his Tottenham woes by firing South Korea to the finals.

Asian nations play two rounds of games, on Thursday and Tuesday, as qualifying for the enlarged 48-team tournament in North America approaches the business end in the region.

Japan will seal their spot with three qualifying matches to go if, as expected, they beat Bahrain at home in Saitama on Thursday.

Even if they stumble, it looks only a matter of time until they secure a place in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as they have another home match against Saudi Arabia next week.

Hajime Moriyasu's side are nine points clear of Australia at the top of Group C, having won five and drawn one of their six games in this phase of qualifying, scoring 22 goals and conceding twice.

Moriyasu named a full-strength squad led by Liverpool's Wataru Endo and Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma, but said there were plenty of other players who deserved call-ups.

"There are a lot of players who are showing what they can do in the J. League and in Europe and wouldn't look out of place in this squad," he said.

There are three groups in the third Asian qualifying round for 2026, with the top two in each going straight to the World Cup.

Japan are sitting pretty on 16 points with four matches to play but the five-way battle to qualify second from the group could go to the wire.

Australia have seven points, while Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and China all have six.

- Indonesia go Dutch -

The Socceroos, who are without several players through injury, on Thursday host an Indonesia side in Sydney led for the first time by Barcelona and Dutch great Patrick Kluivert.

Indonesia have leaned heavily on the Netherlands as they look to reach the World Cup for the first time since the Asian nation gained independence from the Dutch in 1945.

Indonesia have recruited a dozen players born in the Netherlands and in January added Kluivert as coach, with Jordi Cruyff also coming in as technical adviser.

South Korea are well on their way and will seal their spot at the 2026 World Cup with home wins over Oman and Jordan.

The 32-year-old forward Son has struggled for fitness and form in the Premier League this season, scoring seven times for Spurs, with the London club languishing in the bottom half of the table.

But the skipper continues to be South Korea's talisman, with 51 goals in 131 appearances.

"There are many discussions regarding his recent form, including his goal tally," said coach Hong Myung-bo.

"However, we must not forget everything he has accomplished so far."

South Korea have been dealt a blow with the loss of Bayern Munich center-back Kim Min-jae to an Achilles tendon injury.

South Korea top Group B with 14 points with Iraq, who are likely to clinch second place, on 11. Jordan are third on nine points.

Iraq next face Kuwait and Palestine, the bottom two in the group.

Iran lead the way in Group A with 16 points from six games, ahead of Uzbekistan on 13 and the United Arab Emirates on 10.

Qatar, who won the Asian Cup on home soil 13 months ago, are fourth on seven points.

Even if they finish outside the top two, their World Cup hopes will not be over.

The teams that finish third and fourth in the three groups go through to a further round of qualifying.