With just two weeks to go until the 2020 Formula One season kicks off, Ferrari have conceded that their car is not as strong as it has been in prior years.

Earlier this week, the FIA confirmed that it had come to a settlement with the Italian-based team after an investigation which examined the engine that was used in their car last season.

The sport's governing body were prompted to launch the probe following suggestions that Ferrari had manipulated fuel flow restrictions, leading to greater power in their car's turbo hybrid engines last season.

Ferrari will take to the track this season with their new SF1000 car. Whilst pre-season testing has demonstrated a marked improvement in terms of cornering, it has been apparent that the car does not possess the same straight-line speed as its predecessor.

Given that one of Ferrari's strongest attributes in recent times has been its straight-line advantage, the difference in performance was stark when compared with last season - and Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto was quizzed by motorsport.com about the changes in the composition of the car.

“I think in terms of overall performance on the power and the engine, we are not as strong as we were last year.

"We were somehow focused on our reliability and that is somehow compromising eventually the performance," Binotto suggested, before then going on to cite the car's drag as a major factor in its reduced top speed.

"The drag is significantly affecting the speed. I think when you look for better speed you need to look for the drag and the power of the engine itself. We will work on both items for the future no doubt.

“Drag is the one you may eventually address earlier compared to the power unit: for that, you need to wait for the second power unit.” 

Binotto, however, was absolute in his denial of the theory that Ferrari might be hiding the true potential of its car in response to the FIA's recent investigation.

“We are not hiding. That is our true performance. I think it's difficult to split on the streets what is drag and what is power, but certainly, we are down on speed compared to other competitors...I think that's affected by one way from the drag and the other from the reliability programme that we have in place.”

Having not won a constructors' championship since 2008, Ferrari remains hungry for success. They do, though, have much work to do in order to bridge the gap to Mercedes - who finished some 235 points ahead of them in last year's constructors' championship.

The reported speed reduction in their car for this season can hardly inspire confidence. However, it is not until Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc begin the season in earnest on March 15 that we will truly be able to assess the Scuderia's new car.