It was a St. Valentine’s Day to remember for Scuderia Ferrari fans around the world. At around lunchtime, the SF23, the Maranello marque’s challenger for the coming Formula 1 season, was unveiled at the company’s Fiorano track. It is the 69th car built by Ferrari to compete in motor racing’s blue riband category, which starts with the Bahrain Grand Prix on 5 March.

The day was full of surprises, starting with the presence of 500 fans in a grandstand specially erected at the Fiorano track, making this the first real launch to be staged after two years of virtual car presentations. Before the launch, the drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz went to greet the crowd which included many members of the various Scuderia Ferrari Clubs and students from Muner, the Motorvehicle University of Emilia-Romagna, and some from the Alfredo Ferrari Higher Education Institute, along with their teachers.