As the candy-striped interpretive dancers preceded the unveiling of Ferrari's SF1000 challenger for 2020, carrying their partners on their backs, one wondered if it was an allegory for the weight of expectation on the Formula 1 team's shoulders.
Arming its car with the grandiose title of 'SF1000', Ferrari certainly has a great deal to prove this season. While Autosport waxed lyrical about the team's chances following testing, we - and many others in the paddock - were ultimately left disappointed as the SF90's limitations in low-speed corners were exposed dramatically at the Australian Grand Prix season opener.
The new car bears significant similarities to last year's chariot, but there are many changes both over and under the skin as Ferrari seeks to reignite its form after 2019 ended with a whimper. Power unit controversies certainly didn't help, but the SF90's blistering speed wasn't tempered enough with the other attributes required of a championship contender.