2021 was a year of great change. But even more significantly, it was a year of great success and historic announcements. The changes started at the top with the appointment of Benedetto Vigna to succeed Louis Camilleri as CEO.
Vigna’s arrival was a powerful manifesto for a Ferrari future packed with innovation, vision and targeted strategies designed to guarantee the company a privileged position in a constantly and rapidly changing world. Vigna’s appointment was strongly backed by Chairman John Elkann and he first walked into the historic Maranello headquarters a few days after Ferrari’s memorable victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans which came hot on the heels of our historic triumph in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. What these two very different wins shared were the GT Racing staff’s enormous dedication and determination, and Alessandro Pier Guidi’s blistering talent. The Italian driver had been a force to be reckoned with in the GT championships for several years but in 2021, he set out to completely dominate the running, taking his second LMGTE Pro world title with teammate James Calado. This in turn put Ferrari back on top of the world for the seventh time, four years on from its last triumph in 2017.
All in all, 2021 was an unforgettable season that will go down as the Prancing Horse’s most successful ever in a production car-derived championship. It came thanks to the 488 GT3 and GTE which since 2016, have delivered 119 titles across national and international series as well as an almost surreal tally of 473 wins. One of the unwritten rules of motorsport is that “winning helps you win”. From that perspective, the men and women working the GT Racing Activities department headed by Antonello Coletta laid the foundations for an electrifying future after the announcement that Ferrari would return to the top world endurance class in 2023, exactly 50 years after the 312PB gave it its last world title. LMH, which stands for Le Mans Hypercar, is a class filled with dreams, hope and a driving ambition to win Ferrari back the role that befits it, as emphasised by Chairman John Elkann at Le Mans where he started the legendary French endurance race. But this won’t be our only challenge: Maranello has already begun working on the design of the new GT3, the heir to the impressively successful 488.
The GT wins were part of a season of huge growth for the Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1 too. Charles Leclerc and new arrival Carlos Sainz put Maranello back on the Constructors’ podium, finishing in third position. Against this positive backdrop, Ferrari presented the revolutionary 296 GTB. This latest evolution of the Prancing Horse’s mid-rear engined 2-seater sports car redefines the whole notion of fun behind the wheel. In fact, it guarantees pure emotion not just on the limit but even in day-to-day driving. It is also genuinely revolutionary as it introduced a whole new type of Ferrari engine, a 663 cv 120° V6 turbo coupled with an electric motor that adds another 167 cv. This is the first 6-cylinder ever used in a road car sporting the Prancing Horse badge: its massive 830 cv combined output delivers both unparalleled performance and exhilaratingly innovative soundtrack unique of its kind.
There were revolutions large and small on the communications and brand front too. After the launch of its new Corporate Identity, Ferrari made a stylish debut in the fashion world with its first ever fashion collection designed by creative director Rocco Iannone. The catwalk show took place between the productions lines where the Prancing Horse models are built. The collection is right at home in its natural habitat: the new Ferrari Stores which were completely redesigned as part of a project that also involved the successful renovation of the historic Ristorante “Cavallino”, now in the talented hands of chef Massimo Bottura. Big names, just like Flavio Manzoni head of the design team that crafted the timeless lines of the latest addition to the Icona special series, the Daytona SP3, inspired by one of the iconic cars in Ferrari history, the 330 P4. A masterpiece unveiled at the Finali Mondiali Ferrari at Mugello in November, providing yet another opportunity to celebrate the Prancing Horse’s success story on and off the track.