The autumn break ahead of the 19th round of the 2024 Formula 1 championship, the United States Grand Prix in Austin, provides us with a good opportunity to look back on some key decisions made by Ferrari and Frederic Vasseur as the French manager continues his work to bring the Italian side back on top. One major outcome of 2024 will be the fact that Ferrari didn’t get Adrian Newey. In Formula 1, it is clear that there will not be space for this duo that could have been spectacular.
In life, there are love affairs that, for various reasons, don’t end up with a marriage that’s on solid ground, and this is a fitting example of an impossible union. This is a bit of a summary of Ferrari’s decade-long pursuit of the British car designer. Ever since the brilliant English designer announced his departure from Red Bull, all roads seemed to lead to Maranello. The closing of a circle for a legendary engineer who has significantly contributed to the success of every team he has worked with during his impressive motorsport career.
The possibility of working at the legendary Maranello team alongside seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton was, for several weeks, a tantalizing idea that made Ferrari fans dream. In the end, the paths of Ferrari and Adrian Newey did not cross, once again, and probably never will. Adrian Newey’s new challenge is not just designing future Aston Martin cars, as the Englishman will also have a managerial role. It’s a product in which he has become a shareholder. This was likely the ace which Canadian businessman, part-owner and executive chairman Lawrence Stroll used to secure the services of the most successful designer in Formula 1 history.
The historic Italian team undoubtedly tried, but the options offered by the Canadian magnate couldn’t be matched by Ferrari. Most likely, the former Red Bull technician preferred to stay in his comfort zone across the Channel in the United Kingdom, not trading the tranquility of the Silverstone team for the chance to bring Ferrari, a very complex environment, back to the top of the world. Of course, the failure to bring in the British wizard doesn’t necessarily mean that Ferrari’s ambitions have crumbled.
Ferrari represents a wonderful exception in a sport where the Anglo-Saxon world has almost always dominated. For ages, Ferrari’s sporting management has been viewed as a place of conspiracies and disputes among the various divisions within it. Despite the passing of time and the changing of key figures, some still believe that Scuderia Ferrari is a team too hampered by internal political dynamics. One of those who holds this view is the “Lion of England,” Nigel Mansell, who raced with Ferrari’s cars in the late 1980s and early 1990s, designed by another English design ace, namely John Barnard.
The English driver’s experience ended bitterly, worn down by his rivalry with Alain Prost in the 1990 Formula 1 championship. That year, he announced his intention to retire from racing. Luckily for him, he reconsidered and, thanks to the FW14 designed by Adrian Newey under the supervision of Patrick Head, he fulfilled his dream of winning the Formula 1 world championship. According to Nigel Mansell, Adrian Newey’s choice was a wise one. It was a wonderful opportunity the legendary car designer couldn’t pass up. A smart move, because this way he avoids Ferrari’s politics and the fuss that comes with it.
Nigel Mansell thinks Ferrari is the one who should lick its wounds over this missed opportunity. The credit for this refusal goes to Aston Martin. Nigel Mansell is convinced that Adrian Newey could achieve his greatest success at Silverstone, as the Englishman is capable of transforming the team very quickly. He also reiterated that next year the English team will be much more competitive, pointing out that Red Bull has already lost a lot of competitiveness without him. In essence, according to the 1992 Formula 1 world champion, Adrian Newey avoided what could have been the downfall of his career.
A simplistic view of a well-thought-out decision, because despite the fact that Ferrari will always be the Formula 1 team under the greatest media attention and especially pressure, winning with the Italian team has an incomparable absolute value. This statement is not rhetoric but a recognition of the visibility and fame that the Maranello team has always granted to those who have the courage to embrace the cause of the Prancing Horse. A few days ago marked 24 years since Michael Schumacher’s first world title in red, secured at the end of the Japanese Grand Prix, after 21 years of drought. An outstanding achievement of a man who preferred to face difficulties when he could have continued winning effortlessly to become a Formula 1 legend. Because that’s what Ferrari is.
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