I think Ferrari's political status was always a bit overhyped.
While there are examples pointing to that special status, the fact is that the FIA was actually very quick in changing the technical and sporting regulations to curb Ferrari's dominance (see 2002 -> 2003 and 2004 -> 2005).
Not only were they quick to act, they were very clear with their intentions - something we didn't really see with Mercedes, for example.
With respect, I would submit that Ferrari's political status - historically - was if anything under-hyped.
Bernie admitted that he and the FIA systematically favoured Ferrari because of their financial importance to F1.
We all know about the bargeboards, Indy 2005, the Stepney dossier, the flexible floor, and Spa 2008 - to name but a
few.
I'll offer a couple of others:
- There used to be a small UK-based company that made a particular component for the engines. Their expertise was such that almost all the engine manufacturers used them to supply this particular component.
One year there was an engine component freeze scheduled for (say) 15th February. On 14th February the top Ferrari engine guy came to the UK works to look at a new variation that the company had developed. Impressed with what he saw, the Ferrari guy said, 'Great. We want 50 (or whatever). Can you have them ready for the first race?
The UK boss replied, 'But the deadline for approval is tomorrow. There is no way that we could make some and you could get them approved by tomorrow!'
Ferrari guy replied, 'Approval won't be a problem. Please make them.' Which the company did, and which Ferrari used in the first race.
- In 2011, when he still ran the company but had the advantage of perspective, Sir Frank Williams told me, apropos the dishonesty of the FIA, 'For years, we would confidentially submit to the FIA for approval our latest ideas, the FIA would approve them, but it was the oddest thing. It seemed that every time we had something new approved and brought it to the next race, Ferrari would come to that race with exactly the same thing!'
To generalise, the FIA's systematic favouritism of Ferrari seemed to fall away when Herr Mosley left with his tail between his legs. Although there were suspicions that successor and ex-Ferrari man Todt would continue the favouritism, those suspicions ignored that Todt had been forced out of Ferrari and di Montezemolo had actively opposed his candidacy for FIA presidency. Todt was definitely no longer Ferrari flavour-of-the-month and was unlikely to favour his former employers.
Christian Horner, who from Red Bull's start in F1 shamelessly worked to ingratiate himself with the powers that were, exploited the fact that Red Bull uniquely owned two teams, or 20% of the entire grid. Red Bull's leverage grew when the circuit they owned returned to the calendar, and also because their 'edgy' brand has been associated with the FIA's and Commercial Right's Holder's wish to attract young audiences. If there was any doubt the Red Bull have supplanted Ferrari as enjoying a regulatory bias, one need look no further than Abu Dhabi 2021.
