Ex-Ferrari engineer feels "team needs a technical director, otherwise Leclerc will leave"

Many Formula 1 fans and Ferrari supporters will know engineer Luigi Mazzola, who for 20 years was part of the technical team at Scuderia Ferrari. He joined Maranello in 1988 as a race engineer and left in 2009 when he was the performance development coordinator.

But it was in his role as technical head of testing activities where he had the greatest success, coinciding with the magical period of 8 constructor’s championships and 6 drivers’ championships won in the early 2000s. Today, the Italian engineer is a familiar face to the public thanks to his appearances on Sky programs about Formula 1 and his social media activity, with analyzes and comments which are always very sincere and not at all sentimental.

This was also the case with the interview that Luigi Mazzola gave to Leo Turrini for Quotidiano Nazionale: “I’m sorry, but I think Fred Vasseur is approaching Ferrari’s problems the wrong way. And I say this with knowledge of the situation. As things stand, I fear Charles Leclerc will not renew his contract.” – the Italian warned.

Luigu Mazzola’s comments for Quotidiano Nazionale
The engineer analyzed the weaknesses of the current technical structure of the Red team frankly, in a framework that he judges “objectively worrying.”

Luigi Mazzola’s analysis focused on the first moves of team principal Frederic Vasseur, who, although driven by “commendable intentions,” is not setting up the work correctly. According to the Italian technician, “Maranello lacks a leader,” specifying the importance of the presence of a technical director, “a coordinator, an authoritative guide,” “a reference point,” in short, the Ross Brawn of the situation.

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Luigi Mazzola’s reflections start from Ferrari’s moves on the market, which as is known, is courting some Red Bull engineers, greeted by the familiar face of Sky with skepticism: “We should start from the top of the pyramid.” The comparison between Frederic Vasseur and Jean Todt is rejected: “I’m not sure he’s up to Jean Todt’s level. In common with the illustrious predecessor, he certainly has a French passport. As for the rest, we’ll see. Jean Todt had won everything in Peugeot before moving to Maranello. What has Vasseur won in his career?”

In the end, Luigi Mazzola concludes with a thought on Charles Leclerc: “In my opinion, he will leave at the end of 2024. He risks turning into the new Jean Alesi. I imagine that in his frustration, he is asking himself many questions. Perhaps it would not be bad to give him a technical director commensurate with his talent.” – the Italian pointed out.