The importance of Mission Winnow
Sarcasm and small-talk be damned, given the way Mercedes are going about this season, quite like their dominance much of the last year, it seems that F1 is quite simply a sport where others like Ferrari and Red Bull accidentally exist.
Is it about time that Ferrari simply accepted and maybe, publically so that they are quite simply, no match to Hamilton and Bottas, both of whom have given Mercedes all 7 wins in as many contests held this year?
But when one saw Vettel and Raikkonen sport the signature- Mission Winnow- in 2018, one felt pleasantly surprised and dare one say, somewhat assured that things would seem okay heading into 2019.
But, well!
Toward the closing stages of the 2018 F1 season that one first spotted German Sebastian Vettel and Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen appear in their Ferrari racing overalls sporting the famous, “Mission Winnow” insignia. Checkered on the drivers’ bloodshot red racing overalls, the presence of the familiar sign spelled something essential and far too urgent for Ferrari’s cause than anything else we had seen during the last year.
With less than 5 races remaining on the calendar for 2018, yet another championship lost to Mercedes, the Ferrari Mission Winnow was perhaps presumed as being more of a statement than just some placid intent.
And therefore, it was felt that heading into the next season, the concept would remind the two Ferrari drivers- Leclerc in for an outgoing Raikkonen- would put a new sense of urgency into the mindset of two fiery, very capable talents.
But with only 8 races done with 13 more to go, what does one see?
In a new confirmation, perhaps as strange as it is sudden, it’s reported that Ferrari will soon drop the “Mission Winnow” from every racing paraphernalia with which it’s contesting in the current season. At this point in time, reports suggest that Ferrari’s Mission Winnow may not return anytime soon.
So why’s that and what suddenly went wrong?
Noted motorsports news platform F1i.com, happened to share the following:
“The multi-national company is now considering dropping its Mission Winnow altogether, a move that would extend to the Ducati MotoGP team.
As a matter of practice, we do not comment on rumors and speculation,” said Philip Morris spokesman Simon Dowding.
“As announced at the start of the season, we may on a race-by-race basis provide opportunities to our partners to communicate messages in place of Mission Winnow.
“As was the case in Australia and Canada, Scuderia Ferrari will again celebrate their 90th anniversary on the livery and team uniforms at the Formula 1 GP in France this weekend.