The start of the 2023 Formula One championship for Scuderia Ferrari is proving to be more difficult than expected, to put it mildly. After three races, the SF-23 cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have collected the disappointing total of 26 points. As if that weren’t enough, the atmosphere in Maranello is not exactly ideal. So much so that in recent days Lapo Elkann, brother of John Elkann – the president of Ferrari, posted a harsh message on Twitter.
“Ferrari needs passion, seriousness and a winning team, in the pits and outside. It’s time to wake us up, enough with politics and games, in this way we will NEVER win!!!!”. A message that leaves little room for interpretation and which would seem to refer also (and above all) to the top management of the team. The weekly edition of Autosprint focused on this internal situation. We offer you an extract of the report:
Autosprint’s focus on Lapo Elkann’s outburst
“The only sure thing is that those words are slaps and caresses at the same time, they come from a hand that is iron and feather in a single instant, they are syllables that chase each other animated by an act of love and a spontaneous rebellion”, we read in Autosprint in an article written by Stefano Tamburini, who then adds: “Perhaps a settling of accounts is also taking place around Ferrari in the family, the one that counts in both houses: Elkann-Agnelli [… ] For Lapo it certainly wasn’t the first time he had such an outburst and he certainly never does so a few minutes before a crushing defeat. If you look carefully at the tweet that triggered the case, the one on Saturday 15 April, it’s not certain improvised”.
And in fact, the post is accompanied by a photo in which Lapo – in strictly red jacket and trousers – poses in Maranello with the cars of the latest titles. “And then there’s the original text, capital letters included with all their weight: «Ferrari (emoticon: racing car) needs (emoticon: red heart) Seriousness and Winning Team in the Pits and Outside it’s time to WAKE UP, enough with politics and games like this you will NEVER WIN”. Then five pairs of strictly Red exclamation points still drawn with emoticons”, underlines Autosprint.
Journalist Stefano Taburini then analyzes: “These are words that are not born from recent emotions, they rekindle spotlights that are all old, dormant, a tired and resigned narrative, even superficial and prone. The same one that pointed to Mattia Binotto as the only poor devil to be sent back to hell and adoringly welcomed Frédéric Vasseur, the team principal who “almost” took Binotto’s place. “Almost”, because some of the powers remained with the company’s managing director, Benedetto Vigna, the chairman John Elkann’s trusted man , Lapo’s brother. Between November and February they were all there to praise Vasseur whom until the day before no one had ever interviewed, no one had ever had the opportunity to sing his praises. Now they navigate between undeniable embarrassment and servile official defense. And it is no coincidence that they ignored or almost ignored that tweet. Until when will they be able to do it?”.
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
According to the magazine, Lapo simply interpreted a common sentiment and expressed it “without running away after throwing the stone into the pond”. Yes, because shortly after that tweet another one arrived with the inscription: “Unity is STRENGTH but unfortunately some don’t understand it”, with seven exclamation points, always red. The comments under the messages of the native New York entrepreneur were not long in coming. “To those who write «Ah ok now that you have made this post there will be a turning point» he replies «Unfortunately not, but things have to be said». To those who point out that «the truth is that in the eyes of us fans, the presidency is ABSENT. I’ve never read a press release, a letter or something from the president or from other delegates. FERRARI needs people with passion like you and many other people like you”, he replies with a devastating “I know unfortunately””, underlines Autosprint.
The reality is that Lapo has no roles or decision-making power. “His comments – concludes Austosprint – can be interpreted in many ways. Certainly the impact of his presence in the pits is not as big as the visits of his brother and the managing director Vigna in the Binotto era. Which, beyond the intentions, appear almost inquisitorial, “inspections”, something very different from the smiles of his grandfather, of his being the boss without having to say he is and, above all, without showing it “just for the sake of it”. […] Of course, the crisis will not be solved by Lapo with a tweet but at least all of this has an advantage: that of saying (and writing) things as they are”.
Leave a Reply