Scuderia Ferrari: issues, criticisms, struggles, and concerns. Four words that haunt the Italian team. They do so with impunity without being disturbed. Moreover, for a long time now. Yet, this wasn’t Enzo’s dream. You can’t win all the time, okay, but neither continue to lose while filling your mouth with justifications. It’s better to stay silent then. Even though silence, nowadays, is not appreciated as it once was. We need to speak, instead. Write. Comment on everything, especially if you are a journalist or something similar by profession.
In doing so, let’s emphasize some explanations given by those who, at this moment, look down on everyone. Christian, 49 years old, a lot of trophies in the showcase. A couple placed there recently. British by excellence and in thought formation, the Red Bull team principal stands as a wise man of the tribe. He does it by arguing someone else’s matter. He talks about Ferrari, asked by someone who knows they’ll hit the bullseye with their question. A bit of controversy always does good, after all.
Christian Horner’s concept doesn’t flinch: “I believe the biggest problem for Ferrari is that it’s a national team. It needs to go back to being a racing team. It’s an Italian institution, and probably there are too many people at the top.” Did the Englishman say nonsense, or did he touch a sore spot? If so, then, how on earth do you get out of such an impasse? The question is valid but should take the direction of Maranello, specifically Via Abetone Inferiore 4.
Ferrari: the false problems of the Italian team?
Who knows what John Elkann thinks about the reasoning of those who triumph every Sunday. It would be nice to ask him directly. The New Yorker by birth is the CEO of Exor N.V., an investment company with variable capital controlled by the Agnelli family, which, among its many and profitable investments, also includes Ferrari. On May 31, he was honored with a significant recognition: “Cavaliere del Lavoro” (Knight of Labor). We are talking about an honor established during the reign of Vittorio Emanuele III, then inherited by the new republican order.
Originally intended for citizens, it was later restricted in 1923 to entrepreneurs only. It doesn’t matter if they live outside. What matters are the results achieved, standing out in various fields such as industry, agriculture, trade, craftsmanship, or in credit and insurance activities. The aforementioned award earned by Philip Jacob, the second and third names of John Elkann, was conferred on June 2, 2021, by President Sergio Mattarella in person: Knight of Labor in the automotive industry sector.
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Many argue that Gianni Agnelli’s nephew is not the right person to have a say in the matters concerning an F1 team. Starting from the premise that by his own admission, he is certainly not an expert in the top category of motorsport, are we sure that blaming only him is the right thing? On the other hand, no one reports that he imposed special rules in managing the team. On the contrary, he gave a free hand to Frederic Vasseur and previously to Mattia Binotto.
The racing team mentioned by Christian Horner actually exists and “fights” like the others. Indeed, probably even more, although the results are not up to par. Is there too much control over it? Are there too many minds designated to direct the fate of the Prancing Horse? By any chance, saying that compared to Mercedes and Red Bull, the Maranello team does not have the same technical expertise sounds so much like nonsense? All questions to answer are frankly quite complicated.
One thing is certain, ultimately. Measures to change things are in progress, and if for several months the number one goal of Ferrari has been to bolster the technical group, there must be a reason. Perhaps this is the real focal point of the matter. Yes, because if the red cars performed well on the track, no one would mention issues related to nationalism. Just as issues related to excessive leadership at the decision-making level.
By this, we don’t mean that the Italian effort is perfect and free from faults. However, if the racing department had not made several mistakes, the reasoning would undoubtedly be different. In the memory of Abu Dhabi 2010, for example, the team’s leadership counts for little, indeed zero. A clear strategic mistake deprived Fernando Alonso of the deserved title. The same goes for 2012 when the car was not up to Red Bull’s level, and the Spaniard had to perform miracles starting in fourth or fifth position when things were going well.
Or in the 2017–2018 duo, where the good starting foundations were undermined by ineffective updates, driver errors, and absurd strategies, greatly benefiting Mercedes. The same goes for 2022 when, in addition to the aforementioned mistakes, the competitiveness of the F1-75 was effectively destroyed by directive TD039, a measure to which Ferrari failed to react. What do you think? Let us know…
Source: Alessandro Arcari for FUnoanalisitecnica
