While Ferrari is engaged in a tough chase of the dominant Red Bull on the Formula 1 racetracks, off the tracks the Prancing Horse is facing other significant challenges, such as electrification and a new foray — quite literally — into the nautical sector. Benedetto Vigna, CEO of the Maranello-based company for over two and a half years, has spoken on these topics.
FERRARI AND THE TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC
On the sidelines of the inauguration at the University of Bologna of the E-Cells Lab, a research center in electrochemistry, Benedetto Vigna discussed Ferrari’s transition to electric in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica: “Comparing the automotive sector to the hi-tech sector, the difficulty isn’t the transition to electric, but the transition itself. […] The automotive world, perhaps because of its stable boundary conditions, is one where things have always happened slowly. It’s necessary to accelerate processes and decisions. In this regard, Tesla has sounded an alarm for the entire sector.” – he explained
PREVIEW OF THE FIRST ELECTRIC FERRARI
Nevertheless, progress is tangible, so much so that Benedetto Vigna has already revealed the presentation and launch dates of the first electric vehicle: “Several prototypes are already ready, I receive a daily update, we are on schedule. The first electric Ferrari will be unveiled in 2025 and will hit the market the following year.” An electric engine in a Ferrari might make purists cringe, but Vigna ensures that the characteristics that have made the Prancing Horse great will not be betrayed, echoing a concept already expressed by Chairman John Elkann: “It will have Ferrari DNA. We have considered the dimensions of design, engineering, and performance to offer something unique and generate a thrill for the customers. It will be exciting.”
VIGNA: “WE BELIEVE IN TECHNOLOGICAL NEUTRALITY”
An important aspect highlighted by Benedetto Vigna is that Ferrari will not abandon one technology in favor of another but will let the market choose which to prefer: “We will continue with thermal, electric, and hybrid cars, then it will be up to the customers to choose […]. We believe in technological neutrality. We are working on carbon-neutral fuels, which could be e-fuels or bio-fuels. I think it’s the right strategy, in line with what Ferrari has always done: take a new technology and, without impositions, interpret it from the customer’s perspective.” – he pointed out.
FERRARI: THE CHALLENGE OF NAUTICS
As mentioned at the beginning, a new challenge concerns the foray into the world of nautics, with a new project entrusted to Giovanni Soldini. Benedetto Vigna explained the reasons that have pushed Ferrari towards this new world: “It will allow us to develop new technologies and will be important for innovation and sustainability. We will bring systems designed for four wheels to the sea and devices that we will create for the races with our boat on land. This new challenge will allow us to observe problems from different viewpoints, bringing our racing DNA into other fields.” – the Ferrari chief executive officer continued.
F1: STILL MUCH WORK TO DO
A comment on Scuderia Ferrari, which has had a good start to the 2024 Formula 1 championship but is still chasing Red Bull, could not be missing: “We started better than last year, but there is still work to do and there always will be. The world of competition is like the life of a person accelerated to the maximum, things can change quickly, between doing well and poorly. Stasis does not exist, everything moves fast,” chief executive officer Benedetto Vigna concluded, as reported by the Italian website formu1a.uno.
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