Zandvoort left its mark. Thankfully, Monza is arriving quickly to turn the page, with hopes that the Italian GP will showcase a dignified Ferrari performance in front of the Tifosi. The debriefing after the Dutch GP was far from painless, as it exposed certain knots the Scuderia struggles to untangle: the SF-23 is a flawed car, and this isn’t news given that even the walls of the Ferrari Racing Division are aware. However, it’s not a car to discard if, in certain situations, it can challenge Max Verstappen’s Red Bull RB19 for pole position.
The question at Maranello is singular: how is it possible that the red team cannot string together two positive races, and every time it offers fans a glimmer of recovery, it promptly encounters a disastrous appointment like the Dutch one? Carlos Sainz’s fifth-place finish masks far larger problems than those of a team that, at times, doesn’t even resemble a top team. Returning from the North Sea, someone finally started to speak up…
The return to the track after the summer break was a disaster: Ferrari couldn’t configure a rear wing suitable for the Zandvoort track, which demands maximum aerodynamic load. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were forced to tackle the banking with a light setup that made the SF-23 unmanageable. The result was a gradual loss of driver confidence in the car, with a string of lock-ups at turn 1 demonstrating an front end that didn’t follow the ideal trajectory, floating during braking.
This is a film we’ve seen before in the 2023 Formula One season, and one wonders how, after thirteen GPs, the team still hasn’t figured out how to set up this car to function decently. At Zandvoort, top speed was essentially irrelevant, as average speed through the corners was what mattered. The red car was clearly the fastest in the speed trap, but it was laughable everywhere else. Why?
Is it possible that Maranello is incapable of deciding on an aerodynamic setup that would allow both drivers to have a car suited for the Dutch weekend, one that’s at least drivable?
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Serious doubts arise about the materials prepared for Zandvoort, and doubts also surface about the inability on the track to contain the scope of problems. It’s as if these two realms have completely different visions. McLaren, Aston Martin, and Williams have pursued a development path that’s yielding results, and it wouldn’t surprise us to see continued performance consistency in the upcoming races—something that Ferrari is currently lacking.
Of course, attention is focused on project 676, which is underway. However, the 2023 Formula 1 season still has nine events left in its calendar. The decision to halt car evolution doesn’t mean that only poor performances should be expected. Because even the wet weather tires not being ready at the end of the first lap during heavy rain, indicating that driver-pit wall communication strategies need to be studied to prevent Ferrari from squandering about ten seconds.
When you lack a competitive car, you must seize the opportunities presented by unusual races. The Dutch GP was one such opportunity, but it wasn’t utilized properly.
The chance for redemption will come from Monza. In the Temple of Speed, the SF-23 should suffer less: the Monza track demands minimal aerodynamic load, relying on aerodynamic efficiency and the power of the 066/10 power unit. Will we at least witness a red car capable of exciting its fans with a pole position in qualifying? After the debacle at Zandvoort, Maranello has chosen not to make proclamations and to remain silent. A wise decision.
For the long straights of the Italian GP, a more streamlined side was devised to reduce drag. Who knows if we’ll see it in the pitlane on Friday, or if the Dutch remnants will prompt revised plans?
