Scuderia Ferrari must erase the last Formula 1 event, which was held two weeks ago at the 4.361-kilometre Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada where nothing really worked. From the high of the Monaco Grand Prix, thanks to Charles Leclerc’s splendid victory on home turf, the Maranello team fell into deep trouble in North America. The previous round of the 2024 Formula 1 championship ended with the double retirement of the red car drivers. Such highs and lows are unacceptable for a team that has realistic chances of at least fighting for the constructors’ title against Red Bull. This factor must be skillfully managed within the Ferrari Racing Department in order to avoid discontent that has often been harmful to the historic Maranello team in the past.
If we consider it, the Canadian Grand Prix is the first major misstep under Frederic Vasseur’s management, given that the French manager has been at the helm of the Maranello team for 17 months and has had to deal with the complex legacy of the previous management led by Mattia Binotto. Last season, led by Fred Vasseur, was deemed unjudgeable by many in terms of sporting results, considering the fact that the SF-23 car was the product of a project conceived before his in Ferrari. Frederic Vasseur has initiated a profound reorganization involving departures, relocations, and recruitment of resources from other teams.
As admitted by the head of Scuderia Ferrari, his managerial style is inclined to identify the program’s weak areas relative to management’s expectations, reflect on what needs to be done, and consider the most useful measures. This is exactly what Ferrari needs at the moment, as the Italian side, after the fantastic successes of the early 2000s, has unconsciously adapted for several seasons to play the role of “best of the rest,” may times. According to the Frenchman, an F1 team principal must fulfill two missions with completely different timelines.
The first concerns long-term planning, implemented through the organization of the team for the coming years, all through the continuous improvement of infrastructure and internal technical expertise. The other essential prerogative refers to the “mission” of the present. This pertains to race weekends, where a team boss must orchestrate the team’s work to achieve the best possible sporting result.
F1, the interruption of Ferrari’s mindset has been beneficial
The arrival of a professional from outside the Ferrari world was an important choice for the most titled team in Formula 1. Undoubtedly, it was a symptomatic measure of a leadership vacuum within the Maranello team. President John Elkann had a clear intention, choosing to entrust the Ferrari Racing Department to a manager free from preconceptions who, at the same time, could demonstrate strong commitment from the very beginning of his mandate. The first strategic step to achieving positive results is the sharing of clear, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound objectives.
This scenario gives a Formula 1 team principal the ability to firmly lead their team, create the ideal climate for reaching set goals, and consequently be skilled in motivating and involving all team members. It is a mentality that practically places every member of the working group in the best conditions to express their full potential. Thus, taking some necessary risks without fear that failure could compromise the professional standing of an individual within the organization.
In practice, this mentality has drastically accelerated Ferrari’s reaction times in various areas. Since the arrival of the Frenchman, we have noticed a certain decisiveness, exemplified by the speed with which updates are approved. A professional context that was previously quite cumbersome, often requiring very long waiting periods. The same goes for the immediate trust placed in some technicians like Bryan Bozzi and Diego Ioverno, who are ready to take on heavy responsibilities with enthusiasm and without hesitation.
The autarchic vision of Sergio Marchionne, former chairman and chief executive officer of Ferrari, is now a thing of the past for the Italian side. After four Italian team principals, the choice of a French manager is an expression of healthy discontinuity. An action that the Italian team desperately needed. Leaving aside the unfortunate outcome of the Canadian weekend, Frederic Vasseur is achieving his first successes in the top category of motorsport after a life spent in junior series and Formula 1 teams with significantly lower ambitions. This shows that John Elkann‘s choice is proving to be successful, at least for now.
Source: FUnoanalisitecnica
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