Not in a long time, if ever, have Ferrari been under such immense pressure to deliver in Formula 1 as they are this year and their hopes for the 2016 season lie with the SF16-H, which was revealed to the public on Friday.
Why is the 2016 challenger more important than previous Maranello offspring? Because it is the fruits of the year old regime that took over in a revolution instigated and led by Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne early last year.
It is also the first Ferrari in which quadruple F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel was been actively involved in developing almost from scratch. It is the car that will determine if the massive changes at Maranello were in fact worth it and, crucially, if the team have the right brains to take them forward.
Furthermore the SF16-H simply cannot fail from the moment it runs in anger starting next week in Barcelona at the first pre-season test. And then it has got to be a serious challenger to the might of Mercedes at the season opener in Melbourne next month as deemed by Marchionne himself.
Big pressure on the neat piece of kit which now sports, as predicted, substantial dollops of white on the predominantly red livery, conjuring up images from the seventies, and giving it a distinct retro look.
"A shortened nose, a tapered rear end and an intriguing red-and-white livery are the signature features of the new SF16-H. The name refers to the hybrid powertrain, which enters its third season in the Formula One World Championship," wrote the team in the first media snippet about the car.
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