Scuderia Ferrari is preparing to arrive in Hungarian territory to erase the recent lackluster performance in Britain, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz finishing a distant P9 and P10 at the Silverstone circuit two weeks ago. For the Italian side, the RB19 is a benchmark so distant that it is now more convenient to compare themselves only with cars in the “same category”: Aston Martin, McLaren, and Mercedes. The feeling is that the Prancing Horse, even before the car itself, lacks the adequate organization to compete at the highest levels.
Frederic Vasseur is planning an invasive restructuring of the racing department that will take time and patience to produce the desired results. Recently, the French manager declared that the gap from Red Bull has significantly decreased compared to the Australian Grand Prix and that the mediocre performances of the SF-23 at Silverstone were partly due to the strong wind.
An objectively superficial analysis of a weekend where the wind was probably the least of the problems. These motivations reveal the real communication strategy of a seasoned professional who has grown in the motorsport industry. The French team principal is aware that the 2023 Formula One season, at least in terms of on-track performance, will not be remembered as a memorable year. In fact, what Fred Vasseur is conducting is the “patient’s anamnesis,” the analytical phase of the diagnostic and therapeutic process.
Despite the make-up, the car from Maranello will not take flight, and a random stage victory will not change the future plans in the racing department at Via Abetone Inferiore 4. In the Canada-Austria-England trilogy, the historic Italian team has shown its strengths and vulnerabilities but has never managed to get close to the sensational performances of the RB19.
Ferrari: the screening of Frederic Vasseur’s racing department.
The performance stability continues to be the Achilles’ heel of the revised and corrected 675 project. The unpredictability destabilizes the drivers, who struggle to find harmony with the car, especially in race pace. The first cracks in the established relationship between Charles and Carlos don’t keep the French engineer up at night, although the situation must be monitored to ensure that the drivers work together in synergy as they did excellently in 2021.
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In particular, Fred Vasseur recently dismissed rumors that Alexander Albon was in negotiations for a seat at Ferrari. Despite the strong acquaintance between the two due to their collaboration in the junior formulas and the high regard for the work done by the Williams driver, the head of the Scuderia reiterated that the priority in future plans is certainly not related to driver choices, as explained by F1 expert Roberto Cecere for FUnoanalisitecnica.
The ongoing screening of the various divisions within the Ferrari Racing Division will bring about changes in the ranks, partly due to the natural job rotation but mainly based on Fred Vasseur’s choices following his observation period with the Maranello team. Soon, Enrico Cardile will take over the technical direction of the team, with Enrico Gualtieri currently serving as the direct interface for the respective divisions (aerodynamics and power unit).
The sudden departure of Laurent Mekies was managed in a completely logical manner by bringing back Diego Ioverno to the role he had assumed a few years ago. This is a forced second chance that could somehow slow down the improvement curve. While it will be handled impeccably, it will not initiate the necessary operational revolution that unfortunately will only be partially implemented while awaiting further company reinforcements.
Ferrari: the difficult relationship with Pirelli
The thoughts of the French executive regarding the FIA tender for tire supply for the 2025-2027 period are very interesting. Bridgestone is likely to submit its expression of interest. On this issue, Fred Vasseur has hinted at being open to any solution. On one hand, Pirelli has supported all the teams’ requests with utmost professionalism, but it is true that Scuderia Ferrari has never been able to establish a fruitful collaboration with the Italian manufacturer.
The name Bridgestone evokes a glorious partnership with Ferrari. There were years when the technicians of the Japanese giant were a constant presence in the Italian team’s pit box, even though at the time, the tire supplier from the Land of the Rising Sun was engaged in an unprecedented technological battle with Michelin. In the early months of his tenure at Ferrari, the boss of the Scuderia was appreciated for his frankness and clear ideas about the future of the team and Formula 1. It was a small but indispensable ray of light at the end of the tunnel of political modesty that Maranello has embarked on for years.
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