The cheerfulness and smiles shown at the presentation of the Ferrari SF-23 car seem already forgotten. The first race in Bahrain left a heavy aftermath. The Ferrari challenger is far behind Red Bull in terms of race pace, even more than it was at the beginning of 2022, contrary to what was expected a few weeks ago, and the bad moods begin.
The most annoyed was Charles Leclerc, out of frustration for not being able to compete with his rival Max Verstappen, beyond the failure of the power unit which cost him a retirement at the Bahrain International Circuit when he was in third position. According to Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Monegasque, on his return from the Sakhir event, would have asked and obtained a meeting with President John Elkann in Maranello, to discuss the situation. Obviously worried. A season which was expected to be marked by a title challenge risks turning into another vain run-up to the top. And the prospect is unacceptable for the driver, who was expecting a step forward after his second place in the last World Championship.
It is probable that Charles Leclerc wanted to share his point of view with John Elkann (there is a direct relationship between the two) and receive reassurances. His contract with the Prancing Horse expires at the end of 2024, there has been talk of Mercedes’ interest several times, but this is not the topic that Charles cares about. He just wants to win with Ferrari. He has been linked to the red team by a deep love since he was a child and is grateful for what he has received, because the Driver Academy in Maranello was fundamental to his growth and the promotion to the first team made his career take off. Bringing the team back to triumph is a mission he won’t give up easily. However, after four seasons at Ferrari, even the boy prodigy feels that time is running out.
Charles Leclerc’s restlessness was already evident during the pre-season testing session. Do you remember that long conversation on the pit wall with David Sanchez, the aerodynamicist head of the Vehicle Concept, who has just resigned? Charles understood that something was wrong, compared to the optimistic predictions of the simulator tests, and the same impression was shared by his teammate Carlos Sainz. The race brought their nightmares to light.
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The SF-23 showed a high degree of tire degradation, both of the soft compound and of the hard ones, a symptom of a complex problems that needs to be solved. In addition, reliability once again proved to be an issue, like last year in Spain, Azerbaijan and Austria, a disconcerting fact considering the many tests carried out on the engine testing bench in Maranello. The confident and optimistic statements made by chief executive officer Benedetto Vigna (“the Ferrari SF-23 will have no precedent in terms of speed”) have been bitterly denied. Will the scenery change on Jeddah’s long straights? It’s hard to believe, despite the fact that the car is credited with excellent top speed and the Saudi Arabian one is not a track that puts stress on the rear tyres, but when you’re one second a lap slower in the race, there’s little to hope for miracles.
The start could not have been more uphill for the new team principal Frederic Vasseur, who took over from Mattia Binotto at the beginning of January, deciding to leave the quiet shores of Alfa Romeo. The Frenchman has the task of reorganizing a team that has just experienced an earthquake at the top and which has been missing the drivers’ title for 15 years. In addition there is now the difficult start to make things even worse. But Vasseur continues to show smiles and peace of mind. He had said that the World Championship result would not depend on the outcome of the first race and that six months would not be enough to sort everything out. Will the Ferrari management, anxious to see results, give him the necessary time?
The atmosphere is tense in the corridors of the Maranello factory. And it could not be otherwise. David Sanchez’s resignation is an indication of the uncertainty that reigns within the team. The French engineer, who has been present in Maranello for 10 years, had already sent his curriculum vitae among the other teams during the winter, feeling he was in a precarious position, and the call came from his friend Andrea Stella from McLaren. After all, his role as head of aerodynamics had in fact been taken over by Diego Tondi and a new role had been created for David Sanchez.
He will not be replaced. But, like David Sanchez, it seems that many others at Ferrari have tested the market in recent months, because they are unsure after Mattia Binotto’s exit. Chief Strategist Inaki Rueda has been demoted to a different job at the company and maybe he won’t stay. Gino Rosato has left and Jonathan Giacobazzi has also resigned, a figure historically linked to the company and much appreciated in the paddock, to the point that someone had indicated him as a possible team principal. The departure don’t necessarily end there. For Fred Vasseur, who promoted the young Ravin Jain to lead tacticians but had no influence in other decisions, it will be difficult to preach calm and unity in such a climate.
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