The Ferrari that was floored by its double innovation – F1 – Autosport Plus

Perhaps it’s a cliche to say, but Ferrari is arguably motorsport’s most evocative name. In its written or spoken form, the word creates – in the mind’s eye of a racing fan – a synaesthesia-like response, where the brain immediately triggers the image of a scarlet blur tearing down the straight at Monza, enrapturing the greater swathes of red furnishing the grandstands.

It’s a truly romantic image – unless you were in attendance during the 1992 edition of the Italian Grand Prix, of course. There, the legions of tifosi were forced to watch Jean Alesi peel off post-Curva Grande with mechanical issues on lap 13, before Ivan Capelli’s electronics packed up and hurled the home hero off the road at the Parabolica moments later. It was strangely conclusive of the Scuderia’s entire ’92 season.

The previous season had been tumultuous for Ferrari. Expectations to win the title were high after Alain Prost had gone so close the year before, but the team was caught in a political crossfire, and Ferrari’s decision to update 1990’s 641 chassis for ’91 was perhaps not the correct choice. Prost was unhappy with the resulting 642’s handling issues, and Ferrari had already set to work on the incoming 643.