For the SF21, Ferrari revived the convention of combining the "SF" initials (for Scuderia Ferrari) with the year of competition, a format last used on the SF16-H in 2016. The naming approach would be re-adopted with a dash separator from the SF-23 onward.
The SF21 was designed as an evolution of the SF1000 rather than a complete departure. Head of Chassis Enrico Cardile described the aerodynamic revision as "radical," driven by the 2021 regulations that reduced downforce generated around the floor and rear wheels. Ferrari allocated its two permitted development tokens to the transmission and rear suspension.
The front section underwent comprehensive change. A new front wing returned to the outwash philosophy of Ferrari's 2019 design, redirecting airflow away from the tyres to clean up the car's aerodynamic wake. A new lateral drift was introduced across two locations: the outermost edge of the bulkhead and the foot curb area, where a small flow diverter was placed ahead of the tyre. The nose cape — the flow diverter situated behind the nose that manages air passing through the lower part of the frame — was also revised. The aerodynamic horns at the front of the frame were redesigned with four separate flow diverters in place of the previous arrangement.
Development of the SF21 was concluded after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Ferrari redirected all engineering resources toward the 2022 car, which would compete under a sweeping new set of regulations.
The SF1000's substantial power deficit had been a critical weakness in 2020. Team principal Mattia Binotto confirmed ahead of 2021 that the new power unit was "running well on the dyno" with performance improving "significantly" relative to the previous year, while framing the season as a transitional year of preparation for 2022.
During the Russian Grand Prix, Ferrari introduced an upgraded hybrid system beginning with Leclerc's car, with Sainz receiving the same specification at the Turkish Grand Prix. The change upgraded the energy store from a 400-volt to an 800-volt architecture, increasing battery energy density to match the approach taken by rival manufacturers. Binotto stated that the performance benefit was available across the length of the straight — both at its entry and at its exit — and represented a significant step forward from 2020's position, even as a gap to the leading engine suppliers remained.
The SF21 delivered a sharply improved campaign. Leclerc claimed two pole positions — at Monaco and Azerbaijan — and Ferrari climbed from sixth to third in the Constructors' Championship, recovering significant ground lost in 2020. The improvement validated the team's development direction even if race wins remained elusive.
The nearest the team came to breaking the drought was at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Leclerc led comfortably and appeared to be on course for victory before Lewis Hamilton overtook him at Copse corner on lap 50 of 52, just two laps from the finish. The result encapsulated the SF21's season: genuine pace on the right circuits, but not yet the consistency or outright performance to hold off the Mercedes or Red Bull drivers under pressure.
Despite this, the overall arc of 2021 was positive. The combination of improved chassis aerodynamics, a much-needed power unit step, and the team's operational recovery repositioned Ferrari as a legitimate threat at the front of the midfield and provided a credible base from which to approach the 2022 regulations.
The SF21 was designed explicitly as a bridge machine, and it served that function well. After the nadir of the SF1000 — Ferrari's worst car in decades — the SF21 rebuilt the team's credibility, restored the power unit to a competitive level, and demonstrated that Leclerc could operate at the front of the field when given machinery to match his ability. The car's place in Ferrari's history is as the first step in the recovery arc that led to the ground-effect era from 2022 onward, and it holds the additional distinction of being the last Ferrari F1 car to use the SF-without-dash naming convention adopted in the mid-2010s.
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