Celebrating is always nice in Formula 1, even when you don’t win. Ferrari did it last week, in the general chaos that unfolded at Piazza Castello in Milan. Thousands of fans going wild for the Red team. An additional proof of the “collective madness,” if any more was needed, of a true people ready to fully support the historic Italian team. Passion reigns, in short. It has been too long since the Prancing Horse wrote its name on the winners’ list. An indescribable wait. More than three decades spent enduring the triumphs of others, a scenario no one who loves the Maranello team can bear any longer.
And this is somewhat the meaning of the event that also involved the main drivers. A show that was meant to satisfy the public. There is nothing wrong with that. An event like this should be viewed with a playful spirit. An opportunity to be together and share the great enthusiasm. Ferrari did well. Giving satisfaction to those who spend whole days following the team is the least they can do. Then, clearly, if things on the track also go in the right direction, the so called “mental imbalance” of the fans would make sense.
Within the red parade, of course, space was given to several figures who, although in perhaps a somewhat trivial manner, shared their impressions, summing up hopes, thoughts, and objectives to achieve. French team principal Frederic Vasseur is undoubtedly a great professional. A shrewd and prepared person. In front of microphones, he always knows what to say and, when he doesn’t know or prefers not to know, he has all the rhetorical skills to say everything and nothing. The ups and downs he mentioned are always there, unless he dominates, especially when the championship is still recent.
The important aspect in Formula 1 is the ability to manage difficult moments in the best way. This is an aspect that has cost Ferrari some world championships. Just think of 2018, when the Italian car had everything to beat Mercedes. Yet the poor management of resources, where everyone was responsible, namely Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, the technicians, and engineers, meant that the Brackley team could triumph. In that very season, the German team was able to limit the damage when the SF-71H was faster, bringing home results sometimes beyond the value of the Mercedes W09.
We hope the Maranello team takes inspiration from this scenario, which, coincidentally, Loic Serra and Lewis Hamilton experienced firsthand to beat the Italian team. Their experience in this regard will be decisive, as it is always the details, no matter how small, that, when combined, make a team great. A fast car is not enough; a myriad of supporting factors are needed to reach the set target. Frederic Vasseur knows this, and the path he is leading seems to be the right one.
Looking ahead to the Australian Grand Prix, there are at least four teams capable of winning at the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne on Sunday, according to Frederic Vasseur. The same goes for the Chinese Grand Prix, which will not even give the paddock protagonists time to reflect, considering that the race in the Land of the Rising Sun comes the week after the Australian debut. Then we will see. The fact that many can have their say at the start of this championship is a good thing. It removes the “taken-for-granted” aspect that is so boring in Formula 1. It provides excitement and keeps the audience glued to the screens. This is welcome, of course. However, putting oneself in Ferrari’s selfish shoes, it is time to start a new cycle. Time to blind the others.
We are talking about the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship but also about next year, where the clear gap in technical regulations offers the possibility to turn things around. Let’s hope so. Meanwhile, the intense battle is almost a certainty. And indeed, the words of the French manager about the equal competitiveness of the top teams are spot on. However, the excellent result from last season must be the foundation. Anything less is unacceptable and should not happen. A greater push is needed: to fight for both Formula 1 world titles. No other scenarios are acceptable.
There are several factors that increase a driver’s performance. The raw talent of the Ferrari drivers is not lacking. On the contrary, it is the highest when you sum up the qualities of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton and compare them with those of others. A point in their favor that needs to be managed well. Frederic Vasseur mentioned this at the celebration last week, emphasizing the importance of this aspect. Lewis Hamilton has won everything, but his hunger, as he himself swears, is the same as it was a few years ago. Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, has won nothing yet, so his desire to look down on everyone is quite high. Elevated, to be precise.
It is all about synergy. The ability to unite and combine forces. Speed on track, okay; performance, okay; but a lot, and then a lot, and still a lot of motivation to reach the final goal. The new energy unleashed by the Lewis Hamilton – Charles Leclerc partnership must fill Ferrari’s DNA, which still needs a little more to give its maximum. There’s also the pressure factor, which weighs heavily, but that’s a Damocles’ sword that no one in Formula 1 can remove when wearing Ferrari’s clothes.
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