After two laps of the piste Fiorano in the new Ferrari SF-23, Charles Leclerc says the car feels "special".

It wasn't held in a Roman amphitheatre or Milan's Teatro alla Scala, nor (thank God!) were the Spice Girls on call, instead Ferrari got down to basics, unveiling their 2023 contender in a specially constructed grandstand filled to almost overflowing with their beloved tifosi.

Eschewing the corporate nonsense, the prolonged video, imperceptible renders and everything else that the likes of Haas, Red Bull and Williams subjected us to, Ferrari gave us brief interviews with all the main players in the team followed by a couple of laps with the real car.

And nobody was happier than Charles Leclerc, who won the toss to get the first run.

"It felt good," he beamed following the two-lap run. "The first kilometres of this new project, after doing so many kilometres on the simulator, it feels special.

"Everything went smoothly," her continued. "Obviously, with two laps it's difficult to go into details but I already gave my feedback to the engineers once I was in the car to get the first feeling The car was running well, smooth, so everything went really well."

Of course, Ferrari isn't silly, for in running the car for those five laps - Carlos Sainz subsequently added a further 3 to the SF-23's tally - other than giving its adoring fans a special treat it was able to put the mileage down to a "demo run" as opposed to a filming day.

"2022 was a good step forward compared to the two difficult years of 2020 and 2021," said the Monegasque. "We finished second in the constructors' championship and the drivers' championship, so I'm really looking forward to this new car. We've done a great job working it and trying to address the weaknesses that there were on this car, so hopefully it will be better.

"But the goal is to win clearly," he added. "The feeling of winning is what motivates me, motivates all the team, too. So I'm really looking forward to getting back in the car and trying to win that championship."

Turning to the fans packed into the stand, he said: "It's amazing to have a grandstand with all the tifosi here, and there were loads of tifosi there on the bridge, so very special to feel the support on a day like this.

"I don't think it happens to any other team, that's why Ferrari is so special, and it's thanks to all the tifosi around the world who are helping us, pushing us, in the good moments but especially in the bad moments too.

"I really hope this season will be an amazing one," concluded the Monegasque, his feeling shared by the entire grandstand behind.

Check out our SF-23 gallery, here.