I’ve been working on the theory for a few years now that one of the biggest issues with F1 is that a huge number of fans have decided to support a team which has always been a bit shite. Ferrari are actually they are a pretty average team that only has good overall stats because they’ve been in the sport far longer than anyone else.
Previous to the Schumacher-era they had not won a drivers championship since 1979. The Raikkonen win came on the tail end of the mid-2000s streak and he only nabbed it at the last minute because Alonso and Hamilton were squabbling with each other. If you consider that the modern era of F1 started in 1980 (which is arguable but bare with me), then Ferrari have only had one patch of success in that time, despite having had the best drivers, enormous resources, and even aid and backing from the sports governing body. People make a big deal about how Ferrari only target the driver’s championship, but that’s only because they never have a car capable of winning the constructors, and are relying on a superstar driver to outdrive the shitbox that’s underneath them.
I do think the modern Ferrari under Binotto is much more likeable than it’s been for a long time, and Leclerc is clearly a great talent and a seemingly lovely lad, but it is a bit of a poisoned chalice at this point.