Ferrari Begins Deep Analysis After Disaster Performance at Canadian Grand Prix

It was all roses for Charles Leclerc in Monaco at the end of May, when the Monaco-native finally topped the podium on home soil. Many analysts thought this could finally be the start of a new dawn for the legendary F1 team, who have struggled to hit the heights of the early 2000s over the past decade.

But Formula 1 is rarely that simple. Both Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz had a race to forget at the Canadian Grand Prix. In fact, it was nothing short of a disaster as both cars eventually had to retire from the race, leaving Ferrari’s hopes of challenging Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship in absolute tatters.

If there’s one thing that perfectly summarises the disappointment, it was Leclerc being lapped by Max Verstappen after the Monacan chose the wrong set of tyres for the quickly shifting weather conditions. Ferrari fans endured such a miserable weekend that it has prompted a full-scale investigation into the reasons behind the disaster performance.

The good news is that most problems were avoidable, either due to tactical errors or problems with the car engineering. Keep reading for a summary of Ferrari’s Canadian Grand Prix disaster, what the analysis will show about the miserable performance, and what’s next for arguably the most iconic motorsport team of all time.

Ferrari: a Fallen Giant?

Anybody watching F1 in the early 2000s wouldn’t have been able to miss Ferrari. The legendary red colours and Michael Schumacher were extraordinarily dominant, so much so that the German won five titles between 2000 and 2004. But Ferrari have largely struggled since then, with their last honours for driver or team coming in 2007.

What’s to blame? Sports betting analysts can often have the best answers as placing wagers on F1 requires comprehensive research to spot patterns. With the number of potential F1 bets available nowadays, bettors have all manner of options when it comes to choosing a prediction.

Figures like Daniel Smyth, a gambling industry veteran, are great people to look to for clues as to why Ferrari have struggled to reign supreme over the past decade and a half. Here are some of the main reasons

Technical Missteps: there’s only so much F1 drivers can do when their cars aren’t up to scratch, a point proven by Ferrari’s troubles in Canada. Mercedes and, in particular, Red Bull, have developed faster cars and engines since 2007, making it extremely difficult for Ferrari to compete.
Driver Management: it has been a while since Ferrari have had a 100% functional driver team, although the budding Sainz-Leclerc duo is beginning to establish itself. There have often been times when internal competition has got in the way of the bigger picture, clouding decision-making and ultimately scuppering the entire team’s chances.
Mental Worries: are Ferrari struggling from a mental block? It’s certainly not out of the question. After so long at the top of the F1 pile, not winning can be hard to take, especially when it’s been almost two decades. It’s not just the drivers and cars at fault, Ferrari’s entire mental mindset must change.

What Happened at the Canadian Grand Prix?

So, what exactly happened at the Canadian Grand Prix? Ferrari came into the race on a notable high after securing a one-two finish in Monaco. It was lauded as the start of an exciting new era, but quickly turned into anything but. Qualifying woes quickly set the scene, foreshadowing the disaster that was due to unfold on race day.

Leclerc and Sainz both failed to reach Q3, relegating them to P11 and P12 respectively. It was an awful start to the weekend, especially with Mercedes and Red Bull asserting themselves at the front of the pack. Unfortunately for Ferrari, however, things were going to get a whole lot worse.

Leclerc’s mysterious grip troubles in qualifying persisted during the race, something later attributed to an erroneous tyre pressure reading. While this hindered performance, it was nothing compared to the engine trouble that left the Monacan missing at least 80 horsepower for 15 laps or so.

This prompted the team to take the immensely risky switch to slick tyres, in the hope they could claw back a few valuable places and still finish in the points. Unfortunately, this backfired spectacularly as it promptly started raining, meaning Leclerc had to manage his speed even more carefully.

The Monacan ultimately retired on lap 41, an unsurprising decision considering he was dead last. It was frustrating, but the talented driver didn’t let it cloud his vision. Leclerc said afterwards,

“We shouldn’t overreact with the pace of the car. I mean, you’ve got good weekends, you’ve got bad weekends.”

Meanwhile, Sainz also had a race to forget, but more because of individual errors. The Spaniard pushed things too hard during the race to make up for the dismal qualifying performance, spinning out and colliding with Alex Albon. The damage to his front wing ended up being too much, forcing the driver to retire.

What Will Ferrari’s Analysis Uncover?

Ferrari fans will be desperately hoping the team learns its lessons from the nightmare performance. Investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the engine and speed issues, something that has led to the announcement that Ferrari will introduce a second SF-24 aero package for the Spanish GP.

This will hopefully help the car speed, a problem pinpointed by Leclerc in his post-race interview. Aside from this, the team will also evaluate its tactical decision-making, hoping to avoid the tyre and engine calamities in Canada that were ultimately unforced and could have easily been avoided.

From Hope to Ruin: What’s Next for Ferrari?

Ferrari’s 2024 season began with more optimism than the previous few years, especially with Leclerc’s early season displays. Max Verstappen and Red Bull were still fairly dominant, but Ferrari’s performances were a far cry from previous seasons, when there really wasn’t much for fans to celebrate.

The one-two finish in the Australian Grand Prix seemed to signal a return to the good old days, with Sainz and Leclerc both driving impeccably. Things reached a zenith in Monaco as the jubilant Leclerc picked up a win on home soil.

But just a week later, all the hope turned to ruin. The Canadian Grand Prix was a dismal reminder of the flaws that have plagued Ferrari in recent years, but it’s important not to read too much into the result. In fact, it might just end up being the kick up the backside Ferrari need.

And the future still looks exciting, especially with Lewis Hamilton joining the team next season. If Ferrari can iron out the technical missteps and foster a greater culture of winning, who knows what’s possible in the future.