Eddie Irvine reveals Maranello team’s weak spot and why “it’s getting harder for Ferrari”. Eddie Irvine discusses why Ferrari struggles compared to British teams.

Eddie Irvine discusses why Ferrari struggles compared to British teams

A former Ferrari driver has pinpointed what could be the Scuderia’s main weakness: here’s why “it’s getting harder for Ferrari” in the current Formula 1 landscape.

Eddie Irvine, former Ferrari driver, believes there is a specific reason why Ferrari struggles to win compared to British teams. How does the current situation compare to the era of Michael Schumacher?

Ferrari has not won a world championship in 17 years, and it seems this negative streak is set to continue for some time. Lewis Hamilton joined Ferrari from Mercedes, where he secured numerous race victories and world titles. The British approach to motorsport is very different from the culture in Maranello. Even Frederic Vasseur has admitted that the Modena-based team is somewhat “isolated” compared to the many teams based in the United Kingdom. This makes attracting top engineers significantly more difficult. Here’s what Eddie Irvine shared on Sky Sports F1.

Irvine: “They have everything except…”

“It’s very difficult for Ferrari because in Italy they are isolated. British teams are all surrounded by other teams, and there’s a kind of cross-pollination. It’s very different—it’s much harder to be alone in Maranello. So yes, it’s getting harder for Ferrari. They have the image, they have the history, they have everything—except for that cross-pollination, and that is really difficult. In my era, there was Michael [Schumacher], and he was by far the fastest driver. That’s why Rory Byrne, Ross Brawn, and the whole team were built around the fact that Michael was in a league of his own.”

The underwhelming results of Lewis Hamilton have also drawn criticism from several experts. Irvine added his perspective: “The problem with Lewis is that he arrived a little too late in his career. But he’s won seven World Championships, so there’s always a price to pay.”

David Coulthard also shared his opinion on the British driver’s performance: “I find it hard to believe that culture changes completely. It’s a racing car—right, left, throttle, brake. Yes, there are different ways to use terminology, but a power unit is a power unit. Downforce is downforce. When you break this sport down to its simplest form, it’s man and machine, and the best at their peak can master it. So the question is—and I’ll say it straight away—has he passed his peak?”