For Ferrari, the weekend of the Singapore Grand Prix turned out to be positive and, objectively, surprising despite the initial expectations. After a good weekend at the Italian Grand Prix, where they finished in third and fourth places, the Scuderia continued to demonstrate and improve their performance at Marina Bay, showing that the SF-23 was fast and capable of achieving their first victory in 2023, thanks to both the car’s performance and a brilliant Carlos Sainz.
As mentioned, Carlos Sainz emerged victorious at the finish line, showcasing his ability to push when needed and manage situations with tactical vision, intelligence, composure, and strategic acumen. He was followed by McLaren’s Lando Norris, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. This victory, beyond the joy it brings, holds significant importance for the team’s season. It provides a breath of fresh air in a challenging year, rewarding the team’s efforts. It also boosts morale for the remainder of the season and lays the foundation for a strong 2024.
These efforts allowed the Prancing Horse to unlock the previously untapped potential of the SF-23, making it the car to beat on the Asian city circuit. This involved fine-tuning the car’s setup and unlocking performance that had only been glimpsed in certain situations. In today’s tightly contested Formula 1, where small fractions of a second make the difference, understanding the car and optimizing it is of paramount importance.
Cesare Fiorio, former Ferrari team principal in the early ’90s, shares this view. In a recent exclusive interview with “Formula1.it,” he emphasized the importance of finding those extra hundredths of a second to outperform rivals.
“Today, everyone is within half a second; it’s the hundredths that make the difference. Innovative technical solutions are needed to win. This applies to everyone.”
The Ferrari technicians undertook such meticulous work, resulting in the victory in Marina Bay, the first of 2023 and the first under the management of Frédéric Vasseur. Regarding Vasseur’s role, Fiorio expressed his viewpoint, finding his appointment incomprehensible and describing him as experienced but not “genius.”
“Previously, there was Mattia Binotto, who had brought Ferrari back to winning and second place in the championship. He was very competent, and honestly, I don’t understand his removal. Fred Vasseur has been in this business for a long time; he understands the dynamics but doesn’t have a curriculum that qualifies as ‘genius.’ I hope he can leverage all his experience.”
Fred Vasseur has recently been rumored to be under scrutiny and potentially facing another management change at the end of the year. According to the founder of “HF,” this scenario is detrimental to a team’s growth, where, on the contrary, strong leadership is essential.
“All this constant change in leadership within a company does no good. Just look at Red Bull; there’s always Horner, McLaren under Ron Dennis, or ‘my’ Ferrari. If you have the right person, you have to let them work.”
Ferrari’s victory in Singapore was also achieved thanks to a well-thought-out strategy, developed in collaboration with the drivers. Charles Leclerc, in particular, assisted Carlos Sainz during the first stint. The drivers, besides demonstrating competitiveness, have also shown teamwork when necessary and the ability to fight and push to the limit (with respect), as seen at Monza. This perspective is shared by Cesare Fiorio.
“A team functions only when it has two competitive drivers who fight and push the car to the maximum. And perhaps once a year, they make a mistake…”
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